Latest / The Newsletter Podcast with Fexingo: Substack, Beehiiv, and Email Newsletter Business / How Newsletter Writers Use Swipe Files to Beat Blank Page Syndrome
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this moment every newsletter writer knows — it's Sunday night, you've got a draft due Monday morning, and the cursor is just blinking at you. Blank page syndrome. And the usual advice is 'just write anything,' but that rarely works when you're staring at nothing. Luna: Right, 'just write' is about as helpful as 'just relax' when you can't sleep. Lucas: Exactly. So today I want to talk about the swipe file. It's this old copywriter's trick that a surprising number of newsletter writers still don't use. The idea is dead simple: you keep a file of openings, subject lines, transitions, even whole structural templates that you've seen and liked — not to copy, but to study and adapt. Luna: I love that. It's like having a shelf of cookbooks when you're trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Lucas: That's a great analogy. And the key is, it's not plagiarism — it's pattern recognition. You're not lifting sentences; you're noticing that a really good opening often starts with a specific detail, or that a subject line with a number in it tends to get opened more. The swipe file just makes those patterns visible. Luna: So you're basically training your eye to see what works, instead of trying to invent everything from scratch. Lucas: Exactly. And the payoff is real. I talked to a writer recently who runs a finance newsletter on Substack — he said once he started building a swipe file, his drafting time went from about three hours down to ninety minutes. He wasn't copying anyone; he just had a starting point that wasn't a blank screen. Luna: That's a huge difference. Ninety minutes is a whole evening. Lucas: And those saved hours add up. But here's the thing — a swipe file only works if you build it before you need it. You can't start one on Sunday night when you're staring at the cursor. You have to collect stuff all week, in the moment, when something catches your eye. Luna: So it's a habit, not a last-minute rescue. Lucas: Right. And look, this is a marketing show, and if these conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own writing or work, a couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these episodes coming — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if you've gotten something out of them. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that makes a real difference for us. And honestly, knowing people find it useful is the best part. Lucas: Anyway, back to the swipe file — the real skill is knowing what to save. It's not just any good line. You want to save things that made you stop and think, 'huh, that's clever.' Luna: Like, what's something you've got in yours? Lucas: Well, one of my favorites is a subject line from a business newsletter: 'Why your to-do list is lying to you.' It's not just catchy — it makes a promise. It hints at a counterintuitive idea, and you want to click to see what the lie is. That's a pattern: promise a revelation. Luna: So you're not saving the subject line to copy it, you're saving the underlying hook. Lucas: Exactly. And you can apply that to your own topics. If you're writing about a new tax law, don't just say 'new tax law changes.' Find the counterintuitive angle — 'the tax credit you're probably ignoring.' That's the pattern. Luna: And what about the body of the newsletter? Is the swipe file just for openings and subject lines? Lucas: No, it goes deeper. You can save structural templates. Like, some writers are great at the 'one long story' format — they open with a personal anecdote, then pivot to the lesson. Others do the 'listicle with a twist' — three items, but the third one is unexpected. Saving those structures is like having a set of blueprints. Luna: And you just fill in the content with your own stuff. Lucas: Right. But you have to be careful not to over-rely on it. If every newsletter you write follows the same template, readers start to feel the repetition. The swipe file is a starting point, not a mold. Luna: So how do you actually build one? Is it like a notebook, or a digital folder, or what? Lucas: Honestly, anything that works. Some people use a simple notes app. I know writers who have a dedicated email folder where they forward newsletters they like. Others use a spreadsheet with columns for 'type' and 'why it works.' The tool doesn't matter — the habit does. Luna: But isn't there a risk of just hoarding stuff and never looking at it? Lucas: That's the biggest risk, yeah. So you need a review ritual. Maybe once a week, you scan your swipe file for ten minutes and just refresh your memory. Then when you're stuck, you've already done the groundwork. You're not trying to remember where you saw that great opening — you know it's in there. Luna: So it's like a library you visit regularly, not just a storage unit. Lucas: Exactly. And the other trick is to write a note for each entry — one sentence on why you saved it. 'This works because it's specific.' 'This works because it's a question.' That forces you to think about the pattern, not just the example. Luna: That's a great point. And what about subject lines specifically? Is there a pattern that shows up a lot in your swipe file? Lucas: The strongest pattern I see is curiosity gap — subject lines that tease a specific, unexpected outcome. Like one I have from a marketing newsletter: 'I tried a $2,000 marketing tool so you don't have to.' You know it's going to be a review, but the price tag creates the curiosity. You want to know if it was worth it. Luna: That's a classic. And it's specific enough that it doesn't feel clickbaity. Lucas: Right. And you can apply that to almost anything. You're not promising something revolutionary; you're just giving a concrete hook. 'I tested three budgeting apps for a month and this one won.' That's a whole newsletter in a subject line. Luna: Do you think there's a difference in what works for Substack versus Beehiiv? Like, the audience or the format? Lucas: There's some crossover, but yeah, there are differences. Substack readers tend to expect long-form, essay-style writing. Beehiiv is often used for more concise, media-focused newsletters. So the swipe file patterns might skew differently — longer storytelling vs. snappy takeaways. But the fundamental patterns — specificity, curiosity, a clear promise — are universal. Luna: So it's less about the platform and more about the reader's psychology. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why a swipe file is so powerful — it teaches you that psychology by showing you what actually gets a reaction. It's not theory; it's evidence. Luna: I'm convinced. I'm starting mine today. What's the first thing I should save? Lucas: The next time you read a newsletter and you find yourself nodding, or you actually click a link, or you think 'huh, I didn't know that' — that's a signal. Save that part. And write down why it worked. In a week, you'll have a solid starting collection. Luna: And then Sunday night, you're not staring at a blank page — you're flipping through your own personal greatest hits. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the whole point. You're not trying to be more creative on command. You're giving your future self the raw material to work with. It's like having a conversation with your past self, who was smart enough to save the good stuff. Luna: I love that. 'A conversation with your past self.' That's going in my swipe file. Lucas: Ha, there you go. That's exactly how it works. You're already thinking in patterns.