The most common reason newsletters die is not bad writing. It is the moment the publisher sits down to write and thinks: "What should I write about this week?" That moment of paralysis, repeated weekly, eventually becomes the excuse to stop publishing.
A content calendar eliminates that moment. Here are three frameworks that work.
Framework 1: The Pillar Model
Define 4-6 content pillars that represent the core themes of your newsletter. Every issue falls under one pillar. Rotate through them systematically.
Example for a SaaS founder newsletter: 1. Product strategy and roadmap decisions 2. Fundraising and investor relations 3. Team building and culture 4. Growth metrics and analytics 5. Customer development and feedback 6. Founder mental health and sustainability
Week 1: Product strategy Week 2: Growth metrics Week 3: Team building Week 4: Fundraising
This ensures variety while maintaining topical focus. Your readers know what to expect. You never stare at a blank page because the pillar narrows your options to a manageable scope.
Framework 2: The Mixed Format Model
Instead of rotating topics, rotate formats. Each format has its own structure, making the writing process more mechanical and less creative-dependent.
Format rotation: - Week 1: The Deep Dive - One topic, explored thoroughly. 1,500-2,000 words. Original analysis and perspective. - Week 2: The Roundup - 5-7 industry items with your commentary on each. 800-1,200 words. Curation plus opinion. - Week 3: The Framework - A practical template, checklist, or mental model your readers can apply immediately. 1,000-1,500 words. - Week 4: The Interview/Profile - A conversation with someone interesting in your space, or a case study of a company your readers can learn from.
This framework works well for twice-weekly newsletters on the Growth plan: alternate between deep dives and roundups, with frameworks and profiles sprinkled in.
Framework 3: The Audience-Driven Model
Let your audience tell you what to write about. This framework requires a feedback loop but generates the highest engagement.
How it works: - End every issue with a one-question poll: "What should I cover next week?" Provide 3-4 options. - Track which topics get the most clicks, replies, and engagement. - Monitor industry news and write about what your audience is likely discussing this week. - Use subscriber questions (from reply emails) as the basis for issues.
The advantage: every issue is pre-validated. You know people want to read it because they told you so. The disadvantage: it requires more real-time responsiveness and is harder to batch-produce.
Planning Cadence
Regardless of which framework you use, plan on a monthly cycle:
Month start: Define the 4-8 topics for the month. Match them to your framework. Note any time-sensitive hooks (industry events, seasonal trends, product launches).
Week start: Research and outline the specific issue. Identify sources, data points, and key arguments.
Write day: Draft the full issue. With a solid outline, this should take 60-90 minutes.
Review day: Edit, add design elements, and schedule for sending.
Or let Ted handle all of this. Ted builds your monthly content calendar, writes every issue, and manages the review workflow. The framework is baked into Ted's process.