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How to make long emails engaging
Create compelling formats, not endless screens of text
Brad Wolverton
November 04, 2024
šš» Welcome to Newsletter Examples, where I highlight cool sh*t Iām seeing in newsletters that you can steal for your newsletter.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece extolling the benefits of short emails. This week, Iām highlighting 3 newsletters that hold my attention no matter their length. Reading time: 3 minutes.
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š Tangle
In a country as politically divided as the United States, Isaac Saulās newsletter is decidedly nonpartisanāchoosing a different topic every day, and sharing the most interesting voices from across the political spectrum.
After sharing quick synopses of whatās happening on the left and right, Issac shares his own take.
A politics reporter who grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvaniaāwhich he calls āone of the most politically divided counties in Americaāāhis views are often the most interesting of all.
He shared this take in response to controversial decisions by The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times to not endorse a presidential candidate:
What I ā¤ļø about it: Tangle presents both sides of an issue, and lets readers make their own choices about where they stand.
What you can learn: With Americansā trust in the media at historic lows, itās baffling why more media companies donāt copy this approach.
š©āš The Rebooting
Brian Morrissey, a former president and editor-in-chief of Digiday, shares insights on the changing media industry with the flair of a columnist.
What I ā¤ļø about it: Brian has created a few winning formats that make his lengthy posts easy to digest:
The fly on the wall. He wrote colorful, on-the-ground reports from CES, Cannes, and Miami, which he peppered with unique insights on the future of the media.
The TLDR. No time to read NY magās 15k-word takeout on the struggling media industry? Brianās got you.
The step-back. Lots of newsletters do lame year-end reports. Brianās always give me something new to chew on.
šļø The Sunday Long Read
The Sunday Long Read, expertly curated by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and author Don Van Natta Jr. and the talented Jacob Feldman, links to over a dozen stories every week.
Thatās a lot to digest, especially if you read every story they highlight. But they save you time by curating the weekās best stories in one email.
They also mix things up by having guest editors from time to time. Hereās an issue I guest edited earlier this yearšļøā¦
What I ā¤ļø about it: Itās one thing to link to a good story; itās another thing to make it irresistible to click. The SLR has turned curation into an art.
What you can learn: Curate your own weekly list of the best stories in your sector, sharing unique insights on pieces that youāre probably already reading anyway.
Hope you enjoyed this weekās examples. Iāll be back next week with a new set.
ā®ļø -Brad
P.S. Need help growing your newsletter? I just started a consulting bizāhit me up if youāre interested in learning more.
ICYMI: Links to recent issues
š©āš¼ How Napkin Notes builds buzz for startups
š°ļø The path to making money with your newsletter
š§ Why less is more in newsletters
š How Grow My Newsletter attracted 13k subscribers in 3 months
š¬ļø Whatās the best way to start your email? Copy these 5 awesome intros
šWhatās the best way to end your email? Copy these 5 killer closers
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