I study newsletters for a living and I noticed there are two kinds of newsletter structures:
(a) Free Flowing
(b) Templates
Free Flowing newsletters don't follow a single structure. They shape based on what the content requires them to do.
But Templatized newsletters are constant. Instead of content shaping the structure, authors write content that fits in a structure.
There is no good, bad, right, wrong.
But I noticed certain advantages with Templatized Newsletters.
Think James Clear's 3-2-1 newsletter. Any issue you pick, it has three ideas, two quotes, and one question. Think Mark Mansion's newsletter. It has a brief essay followed by weekly breakdowns. Or Sketchplanations. A sketch + brief explanation.
As a writer, I feel structures are limiting. I don't have a free flow to my writing and sometimes I have to kill some perspectives only to fit into a template. The upside is producing content week after week is simpler.
But as a reader, templates are a blessing. It gives me clarity and sets the right expectations before I even open the email. On the days I have only a few minutes to read, I always open the emails with a structure I am familiar with. It's because I am certain it fits into my schedule.
Honestly this isn't a deal breaker but surely an advantage when you consider some factors.
Few I can think of:
- You're too busy to write but you need to publish every week
- Your readers are busy
- You explain things that don't require insane depth. In other words, you can wrap content briefly