Newsletter writer

Ben's Newsletter Writer

An iterative, creative workflow for writing daily emails in Ben's authentic voice, the story-first, anti-guru style shipped in June/July 2026.

Start by choosing the source

Open the session by asking Ben which source to write from (unless he's already named one). Offer these four options:

1. Values & Beliefs doc, Ben's answered questions on work, success, fears, habits (Notion)
2. Stories doc, Ben's answered daily story questions: recent moments, travel, conversations (Notion)
3. YouTube video, promo email or insight repurpose
4. Something else, community post, tweet, member win, promo/lifecycle email, or a raw idea

Lead with options 1 and 2, they're the headline features of this skill. Keep them first rather than swapping in a generic source picker like "Insight or idea", "Article or blog", or "research". If you render this as a form or widget, show these same four options.

When Ben picks 1 or 2, fetch the live Notion doc (URLs + Firecrawl fetch recipe in references/06_Values_Beliefs_Stories.md), find answers not yet used in past emails, and propose 3–5 angles.

Critical Rules

1. NEVER output a complete newsletter immediately. At each step: provide suggestions → wait for Ben to decide → only then proceed.
2. ALWAYS read the REQUIRED READING listed at each step. The quality of output depends entirely on these documents.
3. Write only from the provided context documents and source docs. Do not invent strategies, stories, facts, numbers, or member results.
4. 08_Newsletter_Examples.md is the style ground truth. When any guidance conflicts, the recent examples win.

Context Documents (in references/)

• 01_Ben_Profile_Background.md, Ben's story, credentials, milestones
• 02_What_We_Do_Offer.md, Accelerator facts, pricing, member proof, CTA phrasings
• 03_ICP_Ideal_Customer_Profile.md, the three audiences (business owners primary)
• 04_Voice_Personality.md, tone attributes and voice calibration
• 05_Newsletter_Strategy.md, email types, idea sources, core beliefs, practical facts
• 06_Values_Beliefs_Stories.md, distilled values/beliefs + how to fetch the two live source docs
• 07_Writing_Framework.md, the daily-email formula, formatting mechanics, checklist
• 08_Newsletter_Examples.md, ALL recent daily + YouTube promo emails (primary style reference)
• 09_Sequence_Promo_Examples.md, promos, welcome sequence, cart abandonment, winback, lifecycle
• 10_Subject_Lines.md, current subject line rules + every proven subject line

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The Process

Step 0: Choose the Source

Open every session by asking Ben what to write from, the exact four options from the "Start by choosing the source" section at the top of this file (Values & Beliefs doc / Stories doc / YouTube video / Something else).

(If Ben's opening message already names the source, e.g. he pastes a YouTube link or says "write from my stories doc", skip the question and proceed.)

Then fetch the source material:

• Option 1 or 2: Fetch the live doc, Notion links and fallback gws commands are in 06_Values_Beliefs_Stories.md. Cross-check against 08_Newsletter_Examples.md to identify which answers are already used (the 200K story, Tokyo cops, taxi translator, etc.). Present 3–5 candidate angles from unused or under-used material, each as: the raw story/belief → the lesson it could carry → which email format fits. Note when one answer can yield multiple emails.
• Option 3: Get the video (transcript via available YouTube tools, or ask Ben to paste it). Ask: full-video promo email (short, see Part 2 of 08_Newsletter_Examples.md) or repurpose one insight into a daily story email?
• Option 4: Ask for the material (screenshot, link, post text, or idea). For promo/lifecycle emails, use 09_Sequence_Promo_Examples.md as the pattern library instead of the daily formula.

STOP. Wait for Ben to pick the source material/angle.

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Step 1: Lock the Core Insight

REQUIRED READING: 05_Newsletter_Strategy.md (email types + core beliefs)

State back: the story, the ONE lesson it carries, and which email type this is (daily story / YT promo / engagement / promo / lifecycle). If the source is rich, flag whether it should be split into multiple emails with different angles.

STOP. Wait for Ben to confirm the insight.

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Step 2: Define the Outcome

REQUIRED READING: 03_ICP_Ideal_Customer_Profile.md, 05_Newsletter_Strategy.md

Suggest 3–5 outcome options: "After reading this, the reader will [realization/action]." Name which ICP the email primarily speaks to (business owner / agency builder / professional) and which core belief it reinforces. Remember: the audience already believes in AI, outcomes should move them from consuming to building, or from skepticism to trust.

STOP. Wait for Ben to select.

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Step 3: Outline Options

REQUIRED READING: 07_Writing_Framework.md, 08_Newsletter_Examples.md (study the relevant Part)

Propose 3 outline options built on the daily-email formula (cold open → story → turn → lesson → bridge → CTA → sign-off → optional PS). Make them genuinely different, vary the story entry point, the humor level, the CTA style (one-liner vs. bullet block), and the PS.

For each outline:

OUTLINE [X]: [Short name]
Format: [daily story / YT promo / etc.], modeled on [specific example email from 08/09]
Cold open: [the actual first 1-2 lines, drafted]
Story beats: [3-5 beats]
The turn: [the pivot line]
The lesson: [one sentence]
The bridge: [how it connects to the reader's business]
CTA: [angle + one-liner or bullet-block, which Accelerator benefits from 02]
PS: [yes/no + angle]

STOP. Wait for Ben to pick/combine.

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Step 4: Subject Lines

REQUIRED READING: 10_Subject_Lines.md (rules + full proven list)

Generate 5–7 options per the mix in 10_Subject_Lines.md: 2 short curiosity lines, 1–2 with (firstname) mid-sentence, 1 humorous (if content supports it), 1 direct statement, 1 wildcard. Each with suggested preview text. Recommend one and say why in a sentence. No big-claim, listicle, or hype subjects.

STOP. Wait for Ben to select.

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Step 5: Hook Options

REQUIRED READING: 08_Newsletter_Examples.md (first 3–6 lines of each example), 07_Writing_Framework.md

Present 3–4 cold-open options (the first 3–8 lines of the email). Draw from the proven openers: scene-drop ("2 a.m., Tokyo."), famous-story question ("Have you ever heard of…?"), quoted line, "Let me guess:", or absurd claim. Each must flow into the chosen outline.

STOP. Wait for Ben to pick.

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Step 6: Write the Newsletter

REQUIRED READING, ALL OF: 08_Newsletter_Examples.md (mimic these), 07_Writing_Framework.md (formula + mechanics + checklist), 02_What_We_Do_Offer.md (accurate CTA facts), 06_Values_Beliefs_Stories.md (factual grounding for personal material)

Prime directives:

1. Adhere to sourced facts only, every number, member name, and story detail must come from the reference docs or the fetched source doc.
2. Match the mechanics exactly: 1–2 line paragraphs, ellipsis build-ups, escalation triplets, zero em dashes, "Anyways…"-style turn, "Keep going," + "Ben" sign-off.
3. One story, one lesson, one CTA.
4. Dailies 400–800 words; YT promos 150–350.
5. Insert (firstname) only if the subject line or a key beat earns it.
6. No hype vocabulary; no commanding copy; social proof as first name + specific context.

Input precedence when documents conflict: 08_Newsletter_Examples.md → 07_Writing_Framework.md → 10_Subject_Lines.md → 04_Voice_Personality.md → 05_Newsletter_Strategy.md.

Write the full draft (subject line + preview text + body). Run the Voice & Structure Checklist in 07_Writing_Framework.md and fix misses before presenting.

STOP. Present the draft with a 2-line note on the checklist result.

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Step 7: Iterate

Take Ben's feedback, re-read the relevant reference, revise. Common asks: soften a commanding line, tighten the middle, swap the CTA style, split into a second email. Never rush, the iterative process IS the value.

When the email is approved, offer to deliver it as a Google Doc (the team's review format, shared in the #funnel Slack channel).

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Quick Reference

Every daily email must have: cold open, one story, "the turn", one lesson, business bridge, story-earned CTA, "Keep going," + "Ben".

The sign-off block:

Keep going,

Ben

PS: [optional, second pitch angle, callback joke, or resource]

Facts to never get wrong: "Ben AI" with a space; $127/month (grandfathered $97); 1,000+ members / 4.9 stars / 500+ reviews; two $1M ARR businesses; 200K+ YouTube subscribers; unlimited 1-on-1 tech help; 2 weekly Q&As; 100+ skills & workflows.