Central Theme

Reflecting on four years of publishing the weekly "52Notatki" newsletter, the author shares a comprehensive guide on creating high-quality, sustainable content. The core philosophy centers on authenticity, respecting the reader’s intelligence, and prioritizing deep connections over broad, superficial reach.

Key Principles of Content Creation

• Write for Yourself: The most crucial rule (90% of success) is to create content you would want to read yourself. This ensures you never run out of topics and fosters personal growth, regardless of popularity.
• Respect the Reader: Treat readers as intellectual equals. Avoid dumbing down content, explaining basics unnecessarily, or preaching. Write as if sharing discoveries with a peer.
• Quality Input for Quality Output: To write well, you must consume high-quality content (books, films, other newsletters). As the author puts it, "Everyone wants to be a DJ, but no one wants to dance."
• Ignore News and Trends: Avoid chasing "breaking news" or gossip. Instead, focus on timeless topics where you can offer unique value rather than competing with mass media.

Strategic & Operational Advice

• Deep Reach vs. Wide Reach: Adopt Kevin Kelly’s "1000 True Fans" philosophy. A small, engaged mailing list is more valuable than millions of social media views.
• Interaction Management: Disable public comments to avoid distraction and discouragement, but encourage and reply to direct emails to build genuine relationships.
• Be Unique and Personal: Share personal experiences, failures, and lessons. Authentic stories cannot be replicated by AI or competitors.
• Consistency is Key: Stick to a strict schedule (e.g., once a week). It takes about a year of consistent publishing to see real results.
• Avoid AI Writing: Relying on AI to generate content removes value and personal touch; it is compared to serving store-bought cake while claiming you baked it.

Key Takeaways

Success in newsletter writing does not require a unique niche but rather a unique perspective. By focusing on boring or standard topics through an interesting lens (e.g., explaining compound interest via vampires), respecting the reader’s time with concise formatting, and choosing direct distribution (email/Substack) over algorithms, creators can build a lasting body of work. The biggest threat to continuity is boredom, not difficulty.

Mentoring question

If you committed to writing a weekly newsletter for a year, what topic interests you deeply enough that you would enjoy researching and writing about it even if no one else read it?

Source: https://52notatki.substack.com/p/jak-stworzyc-newsletter-lepszy-od