How do I document my newsletter’s weekly writing and editing routine?

Pick an ordinary week and track it as it happens. Note when you collect links or topics, where you keep notes, when the draft is written, who reads it before it goes out, and what tools are used at each step. Doing it live captures details that memory would drop. Keep it plain enough that a stranger could follow it with a cup of coffee and no phone calls to you.

Add the standards that sit behind the routine. What makes an item good enough to include? How long are issues, and what is the usual order? Which words and styles do you avoid? Include a few past issues you consider your best, and one that went wrong, with a note about what you learned. Mention the judgment calls, such as when you drop a story or hold an issue back, because those are the parts a checklist usually misses.

Record the people and passwords side. Who are the freelancers, editors or guest writers, and how are they paid? Where are the logins stored, and who can reach them? Hand those over securely and not in a casual message. Last, ask the buyer to try writing one issue from your notes. Wherever they stumble, your document needs another line.

Key takeaways

• Record a real week as it happens, step by step, with timings.
• Write down your standards, with examples of strong and weak issues.
• Test the document by having the buyer draft an issue from it.