I Write 4 Newsletters a Week—Here’s What Keeps Them From Sounding the Same
Writing newsletters is kind of like cooking dinner.
If you do it once a week, it’s fun. If you do it four nights in a row, it becomes...a systems challenge. If you do it for four different people with wildly different dietary preferences, now we’re really in content territory.
Right now, I ghostwrite or manage four different newsletters each week — not including my own. And if you’re wondering how I keep them all from blending into one vague soup?
That’s what this post is for.
Here’s what it actually takes to make sure every newsletter sounds unique, resonates with the right audience, and doesn’t make me want to scream into my keyboard.
1. I Anchor Each Newsletter to a Content Pillar
Every client newsletter I write has a central purpose or pillar — a throughline I can always come back to. (If you listen, you can hear several of my clients groaning – lovingly – in the distance. I talk about content pillars a LOT!)
These pillars might be:
A POV or philosophy the founder is known for
A strategic lens on industry news
A collection of personal stories with business relevance
A tactical, how-to focus with strong CTAs
This content pillar is what keeps things cohesive over time, even as topics shift. It’s the difference between “just send something” and building a newsletter people look forward to opening.
2. I Use a Voice Profile—Not Just a Brief
If you’ve ever tried to ghostwrite for a founder and thought, “I don’t know what they’d say here,” you’re not alone.
That’s why I build mini voice profiles for each newsletter client. These include:
Favorite phrases
Brand taboo words
What “funny” sounds like to them
How personal is too personal
Their default emotional tone (enthusiastic? dry wit? calm and steady?)
Having this doc saves me from gut-checking every sentence — and helps ensure the reader never thinks, “Huh, this doesn’t sound like them.”
3. I Plan Like a Strategist, Not a Scribe
This is a hot take of mine: Good newsletters aren’t just “good writing.”
They’re content strategy, copywriting, positioning, campaign planning, and ops all wrapped into one. I plan each client newsletter on a monthly basis, tying each issue back to their business goals.
One week might nudge readers toward a services page. Another might build credibility ahead of a launch. Every issue has a job — and that job isn’t just “exist.”
4. I Build in Space for Weird Ideas
My hottest take: The best newsletters have range.
The ones people remember are the ones that feel a little offbeat. A well-placed metaphor. A callback to a client’s weird hobby. A personal story that makes a brand feel like a person.
I leave room for that. I plan 3 newsletters a month to be strategic and structured — and 1 to be unexpected, human, or just plain fun. That’s the one that usually gets the replies.
5. I Don’t Over-Edit the Magic Out
This one’s important: It’s easy to write a “safe” newsletter. The ones that feel polished and sanitized. But safe rarely converts.
When I edit client drafts or revise my own, I always ask:
Did I cut the personality?
Did I flatten their voice?
Would this make someone want to work with them?
If the answer is no, I go back in and mess it up — on purpose. Reintroduce the weird. Bring back the bold sentence. Add in the one-liner that feels like a tangent, but makes someone feel seen. That’s the stuff that sells.
TL;DR
If you’re writing multiple newsletters — or just trying to make yours more memorable — here’s what actually works:
Create a content pillar to keep your POV strong
Use a voice profile, not just a style guide
Build a calendar tied to your goals
Leave room for creativity
Protect the personality in your edits
And if you’re overwhelmed trying to do all this while also running your business?
That’s where I come in.
👉 Download my services guide
👉 Book a 60-minute strategy session
