10 Steps To Consistently Publishing A Weekly Newsletter

In 2023, I started my weekly newsletter.

It all started after I stumbled across Nicholas Cole.

Poolside in Playa Del Carmen reading Cole’s “The Art & Business Of Online Writing” I pulled out my phone and set a reminder for when I was home.

Start my Weekly Newsletter.

This wasn’t the first time that I tried to write.

I tried and either stopped or “failed” many times.

Over a decade ago I was blogging while running a web design agency and trying to make money through AdSense with my blog called Debug Magazine.

In 2017-2018 I blogged while running my gym L2 Fitness. I wrote lots, wrote multiple guest posts for popular fitness websites, and wrote for local fitness magazines.

In 2021 while living in Mexico I got the writing bug again. I wrote dozens of articles that were never published as I tried to figure out what to write about. I wrote 4 email marketing promotions for my wife’s business to sell her courses during this time.

And multiple times during my entrepreneurial career I’ve contemplated switching professions and becoming a copywriter.

Every time I stopped or closed the business. Never building momentum.

This time was different.

My first goal was to write 24 weekly newsletters.

It’s highlighted, underlined, with a giant star beside it.

“Write Consistently For 6 Months And Then Make A Decision.”

This is what Cole wrote in his book on page 119. And for once, I was ready to listen.

6 Months x 4 Weeks/Month = 24 Newsletters.

And Cole’s reasons resonated with me: Consistency.

He discussed how most people give up. That you need to see if you can be consistent and that the most successful writers are the most consistent writers. That during this time you ‘discover’ yourself.

This was around the time I was solidifying my theories on Consistency and The Consistency Threshold which I wrote about here and here.

So, 24 weekly newsletters become my test and first goal.

Almost 12 months later…

• I’ve written 70+ newsletters.

• Built a 247-day daily writing habit.

• Wrote 100s of posts on LinkedIn.

• Published 100s of notes on Substack.

• Gone viral on Substack Notes.

• Made $38,897.55 from my writing.

This is where it all started.

After completing my 6-month goal, I wrote a recap of the 15 lessons I learned. You can read it here: 15 Lessons I Learned From Writing Online For 6 Months

The 8 steps I used to publish my weekly newsletter.

Make publishing almost effortless when you simplify it into easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Capture ideas.

Never stare at a blinking cursor.

It’s much easier to write when you start with an idea.

Ideas come when you least expect them. Develop a system to quickly capture ideas as they flow so you can use them later. When you’re unsure what to write you can visit your idea back or writing queue, pull an idea, and get started.

I use Notion. I have notes, ideas, and concepts for long-form newsletters and short-form posts. Making sure I am never left wondering what to write about.

Don’t overcomplicate this. My old system was sticky notes.

Step 2: Prep the page.

The most impactful thing I learned from Nicholas Cole.

Want your newsletter to come to life as quickly as you can type? It starts with having your page prepped. Once you have your big idea (Step 1) lay out the structure of what you want to write about in a bulleted list. Key topics, stories, or lessons that communicate the big idea.

This lesson has been drilled into my head multiple times.

In addition to Nicholas Cole, my copywriting coach Travis Motley main critique on my work was to spend more time on the “idea” before I started writing.

Dan Koe also recommends spending 80% of your time on the idea and outline to take the pressure off the words.

Once you have your idea and a bullet list outline of the newsletter your writing becomes more like paint by numbers.

Step 3: Set a timer.

Create a container for your writing.

I never like word counts. I found setting a timer more approachable. Some days are harder than others, some days I’m traveling, some days I write 50 words, and others 1,800. I found 1,000 words per day goals personally defeating.

My brain couldn’t compute. What happens if I’m “editing” or planning the structure for a newsletter? That is still part of the writing process but there are no words to use as an output. Timer > word counts was my happy place.

And actually, my TRUEST goal is just putting my hands on the keyboard. If I write, I’m happy. In my ‘regular’ routine I now, after 1 year, set a timer for 60 minutes. But, on weekends or when traveling I am happy with placing my hands on the keyboard.

Start small and focus on your Minimal Viable Habit.

Step 4: Create a ritual.

When I first started?

Saturday mornings, Grande Nitro Cold Brew, binaural beats, microdose, and 2 hours dedicated to writing. That was my weekly ritual for 6 months.

Start by building a ritual around time and environment.

Time = when you write.
Environment = where you write.

When I started I was busy with a full-time contract and my days were filled with calls. Saturdays became my writing ritual. I’d squeeze in extra posts here and there but I knew when Saturday came it was time to write.

This breeds consistency, teaches prioritization, and primes your brain to be creative at that time. I prefer the morning or first thing because nothing can “get in the way.” It’s the same reason I work out first thing in the morning because after work? I might be tired, might need to run errands, or something might come up.

Find (or create) your ideal environment — It may require some experimentation.

Stack the cards in your favor.

Step 5: Write daily.

Daily habits breed consistency.

Skills are refined through repetition and deliberate practice. Stay in the arena and your skills will naturally improve over time. That’s my personal belief.

Writing daily makes it easier to publish weekly and build a bank of content from my experience. It reduces the pressure.

I know, I know. I just outlined how I started writing Weekly. This is true. I believe both in the power of daily habits and in matching your journey to your unique circumstances.

Start with what works best for you and adapt or adjust over time.

Step 6: Write, then edit.

Don’t edit while you write.

Capture your ideas. Prep the page. Then let the writing flow. Come back later and edit or edit after you’ve completed your first draft.

This is advice I’ve read multiple times and it’s helped me. Editing while we write can slow down our process and bog us down in obsession over what words to use.

Step 7: Length doesn’t matter.

Don’t put up imaginary barriers.

Jamie Northup writes minimal newsletters. Which he defines as less than 150 words.

Dan Koe writes long-ass newsletters. Most of which are over 5,000 words.

Length does not matter.

In Nicholas Cole’s book, he outlined his sweet spot is 800 - 1,200 words for a post or newsletter. And my writing typically falls between 800 - 2,000 words.

Do what works for you. Allow yourself to play, explore, and settle into what feels best. And realize that this can change at any time.

Step 8: Choose a platform.

Start with one. Expand later.

I’ve tried it all. I’ve posted on a single platform. I’ve repurposed content for every platform imaginable. And I’ve created content and courses teaching these processes.

Remember, in the beginning, the goal is consistency. To encourage consistency I believe the simplest system is the best one.

Start with a platform that has “discoverability”. This gives you growth potential. (Aka I don’t recommend starting with a blog)

Substack, LinkedIn, or Medium if you’re writing or starting a newsletter. These 3 platforms allow you to focus on writing without images or videos. I prefer Substack because you own and can export your list and it has a recommendation engine, and ‘Notes’ which acts as a Twitter/X-like social platform.

Step 9: Let it be good enough.

Good enough is enough.

Not every article or post will win awards or go viral. You’re not always going to be in a flow state. You’re not always going to be motivated and oozing with creativity. Some days, you’ll produce good enough work. That’s OK. Realize that good enough is enough. You are enough. Perfection is never the goal.

Think Radical Incrementalism.

A lovely lesson from the author of Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman. My process and writing gradually improved over time but not through worrying about it.

At first, I just wrote. Eventually, I started to work more on headlines. Then I paid more attention to structure. Nothing can improve if you don’t start or you stop. Improvement of anything takes a lot of time and I believe you’ll improve as a byproduct if you do it for long enough.

Step 10: Forget your niche, for now.

Niching down is as controversial as how to pronounce it.

Some believe you are the niche. Some say you’ll never accomplish anything until you niche down. I believe the magic is in the middle. You will figure it out as you go. And more importantly, your niche can change at any time.

I’ve written articles on closing my gym, ChatGPT, content creation, consistency and productivity, Facebook ads, life lessons, perfectionism, and more. Over time I’ve gotten more focused but in the beginning, the focus was writing.

As Nicolas Cole wrote, the first six months are about discovering yourself. In the beginning, focus on writing. You’ll naturally discover what you enjoy, and what people like, and other times you use the data to tell the story.

Just start.

The most important lesson is the one you already know in your heart.

Nothing happens overnight.

We must be patient. We must be consistent. We must trust in the process.

Newsletters and personal branding do not translate into “success” or large audiences and big money overnight.

Focus on your Minimal Viable Habits and consistent action.

Let the path unfold.

Landon

PS.

If you’re just getting started you might also find these guide’s helpful…

15 Lessons I Learned From Writing Online For 6 Months
https://landonpoburan.substack.com/p/15-lessons-i-learned-from-writing

How I Planned 5 Substack Posts While Walking To Starbucks — Overcome Writer’s Block In 3 Easy Steps
https://landonpoburan.substack.com/p/how-i-planned-5-substack-posts-while

5 Ways Digital Writers Are Using Substack To Grow Their Email List & Sell Digital Products
https://landonpoburan.substack.com/p/5-ways-digital-writers-are-using