The Letter Builder

I lost a million pounds this week. Well, that's a great headline.

James

Four questions find the idea. Three headlines, pick one. Then the story, the lesson and the action, and six checks before it goes out.

Who it's for

• You know you should be writing to your list every week, and you keep putting it off.
• You sit down to write and stare at a blank page.
• Your emails read like adverts and you want them to sound like you.

What it walks you through

Find this week's idea

What happened, what angered me, what made me happy, what surprised me.

Three headlines, pick one

The headline gives the whole letter its direction.

What happened?

The real story, written as you speak, to one person.

What does it mean?

The lesson, and why it matters to the reader.

What should the reader do?

Something they can swipe and deploy this week.

Your rituals

Your opening line, sign-off, quote and PS, if there's one.

The pre-send check

Six checks, then read it out loud before it goes.