Newsletter Subject Lines

Write subject lines that get opens.

Core Philosophy: 80% of email performance comes from the subject line. Generate 10+ options, evaluate systematically, select best.

Key constraint: 35-50 characters ideal (mobile preview). Be clear even when truncated.

The 3-Phase Workflow

Phase 1: Identify Core Value

What’s the one thing that makes this newsletter worth opening?

Ask:

• What’s the most surprising insight?
• What problem does this solve?
• What will readers learn they didn’t know?
• What would make someone forward this?

Phase 2: Generate 10+ Options

Use multiple patterns below + formulas from references/10-commandments-checklist.md:

• Try 3-4 different patterns
• Apply sticky techniques from references/sticky-sentence-techniques.md
• Test with/without numbers

Phase 3: Evaluate & Select

Apply evaluation from references/newsletter-subject-lines-analyzed.md:

• Score top 5-7 options with 10 Commandments (aim for 4-6)
• Use 4 U’s test (Useful, Urgent, Unique, Ultra-specific)
• Final check: Would YOU open this? Would Sarah forward it?

Core Patterns (With Examples)

1. Number + Why

Legitimizes with scale, creates curiosity about reasoning.

• “Why 1.5 million students are in microschools now”
• “83% of parents agree: schools aren’t preparing kids for AI”
• “The $1,200 your ESA can actually cover”

2. Contrast / This vs That

Challenges assumptions with clear binary.

• “The gap that matters isn’t algebra. It’s initiative.”
• “Small schools. Big difference.”
• “Credentials vs Community: What actually helps kids thrive”

3. Contrarian Truth

Says what’s obviously true but rarely said.

• “You don’t need permission to start a school”
• “The other kind of testing (the one that actually works)”
• “What if school just… ended earlier?”

4. Curiosity Gap

Promises to reveal something specific.

• “What public schools don’t want you to know”
• “The education trend public schools fear”
• “The real reason homeschool kids outperform”

5. Named Person + Insight

Borrowed authority from someone interesting.

• “Ken Danford quit teaching to prove schools are optional”
• “What Jason Skycak learned tutoring 10,000 hours”
• “She homeschools 5 kids and runs a business. Here’s how.”

6. Challenge + Data

Pattern interrupt backed by evidence.

• “Half of Prenda’s guides have no credentials. Here’s why it works.”
• “Students who test themselves retain 80% more. Schools still don’t do it.”
• “4-day school weeks work. 900 districts prove it.”

Sticky Techniques (Use Sparingly)

Make phrases memorable and quotable.

Contrast: “Small schools. Big difference.” | “To be everywhere is to be nowhere”

Symmetry: “Read for awareness. Write for understanding.”

Alliteration: “Specificity is the secret” | “Practice produces permanence”

Rhythm: Two short parallel phrases that feel balanced

OpenEd Swipe File

Real subject lines that performed well:

Workflow

1. Identify the core insight – What’s the one thing that makes this newsletter worth opening?
2. Match to pattern – Which pattern above fits this insight?
3. Generate 10+ options – Try 3-4 different patterns
4. Select best – Would YOU open this? Would Sarah forward it?

Preview Text Formula

Complement subject line, don’t repeat it.

[Specific claim]. [Context]. [Gap/tension]. PLUS: [bonus]

Example:

• Subject: “Why 1.5 million students are in microschools now”
• Preview: “It started with frustrated parents. Then the pandemic hit. Now it’s a movement. PLUS: how to find one near you.”

Anti-Patterns

Don’t:

• Start with “This week in…” or “Our latest…”
• Use clickbait you can’t deliver on
• Write vague promises (“Something exciting”)
• Use ALL CAPS for emphasis
• Add emojis
• Stop at 2-3 options (generate 10+)
• Use hedge words (“might,” “could,” “possibly”)
• Write generic promises (“many people” vs “1.5 million students”)

10 Commandments Quick Reference

Score your top 5-7 options. Aim for 4-6 per subject line:

1. Numbers – Specific stats, not “many” or “several”
2. Negativity Bias – Potential loss, mistake, consequence
3. Pattern Interrupt – Challenge common belief
4. Target Callout – Name specific audience
5. Problem Callout – Identify pain point immediately
6. Confidence – Strong language, no hedge words
7. Aesthetics – Clean, scannable, under 50 chars
8. Benefit – Clear outcome promised
9. Social Proof – Authority, results, validation
10. Warning – Urgency or importance

Full framework: references/10-commandments-checklist.md

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing:

• Under 50 characters? (mobile preview test)
• 4 U’s pass? (3/4 minimum: Useful, Urgent, Unique, Ultra-specific)
• Would you remember it 5 minutes later? (memory test)
• Would you forward it? (quotability test)
• Is meaning clear even truncated? (clarity test)

Bundled Resources

Related

• opened-daily-newsletter-writer – Full newsletter workflow
• article-titles – Blog/article titles (longer, SEO-focused)
• segment-titles – Segment headline writing

Generate 10+ options using multiple patterns. Score with 10 Commandments. Select best.