# Hodios paste pack: Newsletters

Everything in Newsletters from Hodios, the open prompt library by Hermes IDE: 6 entries, catalog 2026.1003.0.

Every entry is dedicated to the public domain under CC0 1.0. Copy, change and share them freely, no attribution needed.

Browse and search the library at https://hermes-ide.com/prompts

## How to use

Find an entry below and copy the text inside its block into ChatGPT, claude.ai or any chat. Replace each [PLACEHOLDER] with your own material. Personas, rules and styles work best as custom instructions or project instructions.

## Contents

- Newsletters
  - [Curate a link roundup](#curate-link-roundup) (prompt)
  - [Grow a newsletter](#grow-newsletter) (prompt)
  - [Plan a newsletter format](#plan-newsletter-format) (prompt)
  - [Write a community digest](#write-community-digest) (prompt)
  - [Write a newsletter issue](#write-newsletter-issue) (prompt)
  - [Write a newsletter welcome email](#write-newsletter-welcome-email) (prompt)

---

<a id="curate-link-roundup"></a>

## Curate a link roundup

`curate-link-roundup` · prompt · Newsletters · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/curate-link-roundup

Turns a list of links and notes into a curated roundup with a theme, a one-line why-it-matters for each link and a clear cut list. Use when writing a weekly links newsletter section.

````markdown
<context>
You are an editor of a curated links newsletter. A roundup is valuable because of what it leaves out and what it says about each link, not because of how many links it has. Readers already have too much to read; they subscribe for a trusted filter. The weakest roundups restate each link's headline. The best tell the reader, in one line, why this link matters to them now, and group the links so a theme or tension emerges across them.
</context>

<task>
Curate these links into a roundup.

<links>
[LINKS]
</links>

<audience>
[AUDIENCE]
</audience>

1. If the audience is empty, infer it from the links and state it.
2. Judge each link for this audience: is it new, useful, surprising or important? Cut duplicates, weak or off-topic links, and anything that only repeats another link. List cuts with a short reason.
3. Find the theme: the idea or tension that connects the strongest links this time. Write a two- or three-sentence intro that names it. If no honest theme exists, group the links by topic instead and say so.
4. For each kept link write:
   - A short title (the article's title or a clearer one based on the note).
   - One line, under 30 words, on why it matters to this audience: the implication, the useful bit, or what is surprising. Not a summary of the headline.
   - A tag in brackets if it helps scanning: [read], [tool], [data], [opinion], [long read].
5. Order the links: the strongest first, then by group.
</task>

<constraints>
- Work only from the links and notes. You cannot see the linked pages unless their content is pasted; do not describe what a page says beyond its note or title.
- Links with no note and no meaningful title go under "Needs a note" instead of being described.
- Keep the URLs exactly as given. Never invent or shorten them.
- No more than 10 links in the final roundup unless the audience note asks for more.
</constraints>

<output_format>
## Theme
The audience (if inferred) and the intro.

## Roundup
Grouped bullets: **Title** (URL) — why it matters [tag].

## Cut
Bullets with the reason, or "None".

## Needs a note
Links you could not describe honestly, or "None".
</output_format>
````

---

<a id="grow-newsletter"></a>

## Grow a newsletter

`grow-newsletter` · prompt · Newsletters · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/grow-newsletter

Builds a subscriber growth plan with signup placement, lead magnets, referrals and cross-promotion, social funnels, weekly actions and metrics to watch. Use when newsletter growth has stalled.

````markdown
<context>
You are a newsletter growth adviser. Growth stalls for a small number of reasons: too few people see the signup offer, the offer does not say clearly what readers get, the issues are not worth forwarding, or new subscribers leave as fast as they arrive. You diagnose before prescribing, and you match tactics to the newsletter's stage:
- **Early (roughly under 1,000):** direct, personal channels work best: the writer's network, communities they already belong to, social posts that point to a specific issue, guest appearances on other people's newsletters and podcasts, and signup placement everywhere the writer already has attention.
- **Growing (roughly 1,000 to 10,000):** add swaps and cross-recommendations with newsletters of a similar size and audience, platform recommendation networks, a referral programme now that there are enough readers to refer, and lead magnets built from the newsletter's best material.
- **Established:** consider paid acquisition only with clear numbers on cost per subscriber and how many paid-acquired readers stay and engage, plus sponsorships in other newsletters.
Growth that brings disengaged readers (broad giveaways, incentives unrelated to the topic) inflates the count and hurts engagement and deliverability.
</context>

<task>
<newsletter>
[NEWSLETTER]
</newsletter>

Current subscribers: [CURRENT_SUBSCRIBERS]

<channels>
[CHANNELS]
</channels>

1. **Diagnosis.** From the numbers given, identify which constraint matters most: reach (too few people see the offer), conversion (visitors who do not subscribe), virality (issues not shared), or retention (unsubscribes and inactivity). Show any simple maths you can do from the data. If the data is missing, list the three numbers that would settle the diagnosis and how to get them, and state your working assumption.
2. **Signup offer and placement.** Rewrite the one-line signup promise. List every place the signup should appear given the channels (landing page, website, social bios, pinned posts, email signature, end of each issue, podcast or video mentions), with the exact call to action for each.
3. **Growth levers.** Choose the four to six levers that fit the stage and channels, from: content on existing channels that funnels to a specific issue, communities, guest posts and appearances, cross-promotion swaps, recommendation networks, a referral programme, a lead magnet, partnerships, and paid acquisition. For each: why it fits, what to do, effort, and the first concrete action.
4. **Eight-week plan.** A week-by-week table of specific actions with time estimates that fit a writer who is also producing issues.
5. **Metrics to watch.** Signups per week by source, landing page conversion rate, unsubscribes per send, clicks and replies per issue, and referral share. Explain that open rates are unreliable because some email apps load images automatically. Set a review point.
6. **Not doing.** Tactics to avoid for this newsletter, with a one-line reason each.
</task>

<constraints>
- Never suggest buying lists, adding people without their consent, scraping emails, or hiding unsubscribe options. Consent-based signup is both the legal norm in many countries and the basis of deliverability.
- Do not invent benchmarks or promise growth numbers. If you mention a typical range, say it is a rough, commonly reported figure and that their own baseline matters more.
- Name platform features only in general terms unless the user named the platform.
- Keep the plan within the effort a solo writer can sustain unless a team is mentioned.
- If the current subscriber count is missing, ask for it or state the stage you assumed, since the levers depend on it.
</constraints>

<output_format>
Use the section headings from the output contract, in order. Put placement and the eight-week plan in tables. Lead the Diagnosis with the single biggest constraint in one sentence.
</output_format>
````

---

<a id="plan-newsletter-format"></a>

## Plan a newsletter format

`plan-newsletter-format` · prompt · Newsletters · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/plan-newsletter-format

Designs a newsletter's positioning, recurring sections, length, cadence, voice and a sample issue skeleton based on the audience and sustainable effort. Use when starting or relaunching one.

````markdown
<context>
You are a newsletter editor who has launched and relaunched newsletters for independent writers and companies. Most newsletters fail quietly: the writer picks a format that takes more time than they have, issues drift because there is no repeatable structure, and readers stop opening because they cannot say what the newsletter does for them. A strong format is a promise the reader can repeat ("every Tuesday, the three things in X worth knowing, in five minutes"), delivered through recurring sections the writer can fill reliably.

Common formats and their usual effort, as rough guides the writer should calibrate against their own speed:
- **Curation or link roundup:** steady reading time through the week, little writing; value depends on taste and commentary.
- **Essay or analysis:** high writing effort per issue, strongest for building authority; hard to sustain weekly alongside a job.
- **How-to or tactical:** medium to high effort; needs a deep well of real experience.
- **News digest:** medium effort with a fixed deadline; competes on speed and selection.
- **Interviews or profiles:** effort in scheduling and editing; depends on access.
- **Hybrid:** one main piece plus short recurring sections; the most common sustainable shape.
</context>

<task>
<topic>
[TOPIC]
</topic>

<audience>
[AUDIENCE]
</audience>

Time available per week: [TIME_PER_WEEK]

1. **Positioning.** Write the one-sentence promise ("[Name or working name] gives [audience] [what] every [cadence] so they can [outcome]"), the reader's main job for the newsletter, what makes it different from what they already read, and a "not covering" list.
2. **Format options.** Compare two or three formats suited to the topic and audience in a table: what an issue contains, estimated hours per issue, strengths, risks and the kind of reader it attracts.
3. **Recommended format.** Pick one and specify: cadence and send day, target length and reading time, two to four recurring sections (each with a name, purpose, length and where its material comes from), the voice in three adjectives with a short example sentence, and a subject line pattern with three examples.
4. **Sample issue skeleton.** A full skeleton of one issue: subject line, preview text, opening, each section with placeholder content and word targets, the sign-off and one call to action (reply, share, or a single link).
5. **Sustainability plan.** A weekly production routine fitted to the time available; a "minimum viable issue" for bad weeks; how many issues to bank before launch; where ideas and material will come from week to week.
6. **How to judge it.** What to review after eight to twelve issues: replies, clicks per issue, unsubscribes per send, forwards or referrals, and growth by source. Note that open rates are unreliable because some email apps load images automatically, so treat them as a rough trend at most.
</task>

<constraints>
- If time per week is missing, assume three hours and say so. If the recommended format does not fit the time, reduce the cadence or scope rather than pretending it fits.
- Do not invent subscriber numbers, open rates or benchmarks.
- Keep the plan platform-agnostic unless the user names a platform.
- Section names should be short and memorable, never generic ("Updates", "Misc").
- If the topic or audience is too broad to promise anything specific, narrow it and say how.
</constraints>

<output_format>
Use the section headings from the output contract, in order. Use a table for format options and a fenced block for the sample issue skeleton.
</output_format>
````

---

<a id="write-community-digest"></a>

## Write a community digest

`write-community-digest` · prompt · Newsletters · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-community-digest

Writes a digest for a club, school, neighbourhood or association from scattered updates, with events, decisions, volunteer asks and contact points. Use for a weekly or monthly community update.

````markdown
<context>
You turn the messy pile of updates that volunteer-run groups produce (committee notes, forwarded messages, half-finished event details, pleas for help) into a digest people actually read. Readers of a club, school or neighbourhood digest skim on a phone for three things: what is happening and when, what was decided that affects them, and what they are being asked to do. They miss anything buried in paragraphs. A good digest leads with what needs action, lists dates in one place with weekdays, makes every volunteer ask specific (the task, the time it takes, the date, who to tell), and is warm without being long. It also protects people: it does not publish private phone numbers, children's full names or photos without consent.
</context>

<task>
Write the monthly digest for: [COMMUNITY].

<updates>
[UPDATES]
</updates>

1. Sort the updates into: action needed (deadlines, sign-ups, payments, forms), dates and events, decisions made, volunteer asks, reminders, thank-yous and good news, contacts. Merge duplicates and drop anything outside the monthly window unless it is a key upcoming date; list what you dropped.
2. Write three subject line options that name the most important action or event.
3. Write the digest:
   - an opening of one or two sentences with the single most important thing,
   - "Action needed" with deadlines in bold,
   - "Dates" as a list with weekday, date, time, place and who it is for,
   - "Decisions" in plain words, each with what it means for readers,
   - "Help wanted" with each ask as task, time needed, date and how to say yes,
   - "Reminders", "Thank you" and "Contacts" (roles and the contact method given).
4. Write a short version (under 120 words) for a chat group or noticeboard that points to the full digest.
5. List what to check before sending.
</task>

<constraints>
- Use only the information given. Never invent dates, times, places, prices, decisions or names. Where a detail is missing, write `[CONFIRM: …]` and list it at the end.
- Write weekdays with dates and spell out ambiguous dates.
- Do not include private phone numbers, home addresses, children's full names or health details unless the updates clearly say they are for publishing; flag them under Check before sending.
- Keep the tone warm, inclusive and plain; avoid in-jokes and committee jargon newcomers would not understand.
- Skip any empty section rather than filling it.
</constraints>

<output_format>
## Subject lines
Three options.

## Digest
The digest with the headings above.

## Short version
Under 120 words.

## Check before sending
Every `[CONFIRM]` item, anything dropped, and any privacy flags.
</output_format>
````

---

<a id="write-newsletter-issue"></a>

## Write a newsletter issue

`write-newsletter-issue` · prompt · Newsletters · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-newsletter-issue

Writes a newsletter issue from notes and links in the author's voice, with subject lines, preview text, an intro, sections and a sign-off. Use when turning rough notes into an issue.

````markdown
<context>
You help independent writers turn messy notes into newsletter issues that sound like them. Subscribers open a newsletter because of the person behind it, so voice matters more than polish. The subject line and the preview text decide the open; the first two sentences decide whether they keep reading; and a clear structure lets people skim to the part they care about. Readers forgive a short issue and resent a padded one. A newsletter is a letter, not a press release: first person, one reader, one idea that ties the issue together where possible.
</context>

<task>
Write a standard newsletter issue from these notes.

<notes>
[NOTES]
</notes>

<voice_sample>
[VOICE_SAMPLE]
</voice_sample>

1. Find the thread that ties the notes together: the main idea, story or question of this issue. If the notes are unrelated items, lead with the strongest and present the rest as clearly separate sections.
2. Write three subject lines (under 50 characters, specific, no clickbait or ALL CAPS) and one preview text (under 90 characters) that complements rather than repeats the subject.
3. Write the issue:
   - Intro: two to four sentences that open with something specific (a moment, a question, a surprising fact from the notes) and say what this issue gives the reader.
   - Sections: one per main item, each with a short heading, the substance from the notes, and the author's take. Links go inline on the words that describe them, with a sentence on why they are worth clicking.
   - Sign-off: a short closing line in the author's voice and one ask if the notes contain one (reply, share, a link to a product or event).
4. Match the voice sample's sentence length, formality, humour and recurring phrases without copying its content. If there is no sample, write warm, direct and first person.
5. Keep to the length: short about 300 words, standard about 700, long about 1,200.
</task>

<constraints>
- Use only facts, links and opinions from the notes. Do not invent stories, quotes, numbers or URLs; mark missing pieces with `[ADD: …]`.
- Do not summarise a link's content beyond what the notes say about it.
- No filler openings ("Happy Tuesday!", "I hope this finds you well") unless the voice sample uses them.
- Plain formatting that survives email clients: headings, short paragraphs, occasional bullets. No tables.
</constraints>

<output_format>
## Subject lines
Three numbered options, then "Preview text:" and the line.

## Issue
The full issue, ready to paste into the newsletter editor.

## Before sending
Bullets: `[ADD: …]` items, links to check, and anything you assumed.
</output_format>
````

---

<a id="write-newsletter-welcome-email"></a>

## Write a newsletter welcome email

`write-newsletter-welcome-email` · prompt · Newsletters · https://hermes-ide.com/prompts/write-newsletter-welcome-email

Writes a newsletter welcome email that confirms the promise, sets expectations, surfaces the best past issues and starts a reply conversation. Use on Substack, beehiiv, Ghost or similar.

````markdown
<context>
You write welcome emails for newsletters. The welcome email is usually the most-read email a newsletter sends, because it arrives when interest is highest. It has four jobs: confirm the subscriber made a good choice by restating the promise; set expectations (what arrives, when, how often, how long it takes to read); give them something good to read right now; and start a two-way relationship. Asking for a reply does double duty: it tells the writer who the readers are, and replies help mail providers treat future issues as wanted mail rather than promotions or spam.
</context>

<task>
<newsletter>
[NEWSLETTER]
</newsletter>

<best_issues>
[BEST_ISSUES]
</best_issues>

<author_voice>
[AUTHOR_VOICE]
</author_voice>

1. Write three subject line options: warm, specific to the newsletter, and clearly a welcome (not a sales pitch).
2. Write preview text that complements the subject line rather than repeating it.
3. Write the email, in the author's voice, in this order:
   - A short, personal welcome and the newsletter's promise in one or two sentences.
   - Expectations: what each issue contains, the send day and frequency, typical reading time, and anything else they get (archive, community, paid tier) in one line each.
   - "Start here": the best past issues, each with its title as a link and one line on why to read it. If none were given, offer one useful thing instead (the most useful idea of the newsletter in a few sentences, or what the first issue will cover) and do not invent issue titles.
   - One reply prompt: a single specific question that is easy to answer and useful to the writer (for example what they hope to get, or their biggest challenge with the topic).
   - A short line on making sure issues arrive (moving it to the main inbox or adding the sender to contacts), without technical jargon.
   - A sign-off in the author's voice.
4. Add setup notes: where to paste it on the platform, a reminder to set a fallback for any first-name merge tag, and to send a test to more than one email provider.
</task>

<constraints>
- Keep the email under about 250 words. It should read like a note from a person, not a brochure.
- One reply question only, and no other calls to action except the start-here links.
- Never invent past issue titles, links, subscriber counts or testimonials. Use `[LINK]` or `[ISSUE TITLE]` placeholders if something is missing.
- Use a generic placeholder such as `[FIRST_NAME]` for personalisation rather than a platform-specific merge tag, unless the user named the platform's syntax.
- If no voice sample is given, write plainly and warmly in the first person, and say so in the setup notes.
</constraints>

<output_format>
## Subject lines
Three numbered options.

## Preview text
One line.

## Email
Ready to paste, with Markdown links.

## Setup notes
A short checklist, including any placeholders to fill.
</output_format>
````