AI Newsletter Cheat Sheet

Use this cheat sheet to write a structured, cited newsletter from one research topic.

Newsletter anatomy

| Section | Purpose | Word target | | --- | --- | --- | | Subject line | Get the open | 6–10 words | | Preview text | Support the subject | 8–12 words | | Opening | State the change | 30–50 words | | Context | Explain what drove it | 80–120 words | | Implication | What it means for the reader | 80–120 words | | Action | One concrete step this week | 40–60 words | | Close | Tie back to your point of view | 20–40 words |

Subject-line formulas

| Formula | Example | | --- | --- | | Number + outcome | 3 AI workflows that save 5 hours a week | | Question + consequence | Is your LinkedIn carousel missing this slide? | | How to + result | How to turn one story into two posts | | Timely + angle | What AWS's free-tier change means for bootstrapped teams |

Citation rules

• Link every factual claim to a source.
• Use inline links, not footnotes, for readability.
• Cite 4–7 sources per newsletter.
• Always verify the source date is recent.
• Never cite AI output as a primary source.

Tone rules

• Write to one reader, not a crowd.
• Use "you" more than "we."
• One em dash per email maximum.
• Avoid filler openers like "I hope this finds you well."

Pre-send checklist

• [ ] Subject line is under 10 words.
• [ ] Every claim links to a source.
• [ ] Lead visual is on-brand and text-free.
• [ ] Call to action is a single action.
• [ ] Sender name matches your personal brand.
• [ ] Test email sent and links clicked.
• [ ] Recipient list is correct.

Quick template

Subject: [Specific change] and what [audience] should do now

Opening: [Change] happened this week.

Context: [Driver] caused it. [Source]

Implication: For [audience], this means [outcome].

Action: This week, do [one specific thing].

Close: This is the kind of story [your brand] tracks every week.

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Use this template every time you draft a newsletter. It keeps your structure consistent and your claims defensible.