Latest / The Newsletter Podcast with Fexingo: Substack, Beehiiv, and Email Newsletter Business / How a Paid Newsletter Uses the Feynman Technique
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this newsletter called The Curiosity Chronicle, run by a guy named Sahil Bloom. And last year, he wrote a piece that broke down a concept from physics — entropy — in a way that my grandmother could understand. And that piece got shared something like ten thousand times. Luna: Entropy? That's a bold topic for a newsletter. Lucas: Right? And that's exactly what got me thinking. Most of us in the newsletter world are terrified of complexity. We think our readers want dense, jargon-heavy analysis. But what Sahil did — and what a handful of other writers are doing — is the opposite. They're using something called the Feynman Technique. Named after the physicist Richard Feynman, who was famous for saying, 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.' Luna: And that's the secret sauce for newsletter growth? Simplicity? Lucas: It's a big part of it. Because here's the thing: when you explain something clearly, you build trust. Your reader thinks, 'This person gets it, and they're not talking down to me.' That trust is what turns a free subscriber into a paid one. And it's what gets your email forwarded to a friend. Luna: Okay, so walk me through how the Feynman Technique actually works in practice. Is it just 'use simple words'? Lucas: It's more structured than that. Feynman's approach had four steps. First, you write the concept at the top of a blank page. Second, you explain it in plain English, like you're teaching it to a smart twelve-year-old. Third, you find the gaps — the parts where you stumble or reach for a vague word — and you go back to the source material until you can explain those clearly. And fourth, you simplify further, maybe with an analogy or a story. Luna: So it's not just about vocabulary. It's about understanding your own material deeply enough to translate it. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why it works so well for newsletters. Because a newsletter is a one-to-one medium. It's not a broadcast. Your reader feels like you're talking directly to them. So if you can make a complex topic feel conversational and clear, you're not just informing them — you're creating a relationship. Luna: And that relationship translates directly to paid conversions. I've seen stats that clarity can double conversion rates. Lucas: Yeah, and there's a great case study for that. Another newsletter called The Hustle, which was acquired by HubSpot for a reported eight figures, used a similar approach. They had a section called 'The Big Idea' where they'd take one concept and explain it in three hundred words or less. And their conversion rate from free to paid was consistently above three percent, which is double the industry average. Luna: Three percent might not sound huge, but when you've got a million subscribers, that's thirty thousand paid members. Lucas: Right. And the Feynman Technique is especially powerful for business and finance newsletters, because the topics are inherently complex. But it works for any niche — cooking, parenting, coding. The principle is universal: clarity beats cleverness. Luna: So what are the actual mechanics? Do you sit down and write a draft, then go back and simplify? Or do you think in plain English from the start? Lucas: For most writers, it's a two-pass process. First, you write the draft — you get the ideas down. Then you go back and apply the Feynman lens. You ask: 'Is there a shorter word? Is there a more concrete example? Would a twelve-year-old understand this paragraph?' And you cut ruthlessly. Luna: And that's hard to do when you're attached to your own words. Lucas: It is. But there's a trick: read your draft out loud. If you stumble or feel your eyes glaze over, that's a flag. Your reader will feel the same way. And another trick is to try explaining the concept to a friend — if you can't do it in conversation, you probably can't do it in writing. Luna: I love that. And it reminds me of that quote — sometimes attributed to Ben Franklin — 'I would have written a shorter letter, but I didn't have the time.' Simplicity takes effort. Lucas: Exactly. And that effort is what separates a newsletter that gets forwarded from one that gets deleted. So let's talk about how to actually build this into a habit. Luna: Yes, because it's one thing to try it once, but how do you make it repeatable? Lucas: One approach is to start with your topic and write a one-sentence summary. If you can't do that, you don't understand it yet. That's your first pass. Then you add a second sentence with a concrete example or analogy. Then a third with a story or a takeaway. That's your skeleton. Then you flesh it out. Luna: That's a solid framework. And it actually mirrors the structure of a good newsletter section. Lucas: Yeah. And the bonus is, this technique also helps you find your voice. When you're forced to simplify, you start to sound more like yourself and less like a textbook. That's the voice that builds an audience. Luna: There's a real economic angle here too. A clear newsletter means less churn. If people understand your content, they stay subscribed longer. And retention is the cheapest growth you can buy. Lucas: Exactly. And that brings up something we don't talk about enough. This show — and the whole Fexingo network — is kind of an experiment in that same trust model. We don't run ads. We're listener-funded. Luna: Right. And that's only possible because a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small group, but it literally funds us making this many episodes. Lucas: Yeah, if you find these conversations useful, and you want to keep them ad-free, that link is there. No pressure. But it matters. Luna: And it's the same principle — clarity and trust. We're not selling you anything. We're just asking for support if you believe in what we're doing. Lucas: Okay, back to the Feynman Technique. Because I want to talk about the pitfalls. Because there's a risk of oversimplifying to the point of being wrong. Luna: Ah, yes. The 'dumbing down' critique. How do you avoid that? Lucas: The key is to simplify the explanation, not the concept. You're not removing nuance; you're making the nuance accessible. Einstein said, 'Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.' That's the line. Luna: So you're not just replacing words. You're genuinely understanding the subject deeply. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why the technique forces you to go back to the source material. When you find a gap in your explanation, that's a signal you need to learn more. It's a learning tool as much as a writing tool. Luna: And that's actually a great way to keep your newsletter fresh. You're constantly learning, and your readers feel that intellectual honesty. Lucas: It also helps with consistency. If you're writing on a schedule, and you use the Feynman Technique, you'll never be stuck for content. Because you're always looking for things you don't fully understand — and that's an endless well. Luna: So what's a practical first step for someone listening right now? Lucas: Pick one topic from your next issue. Write a paragraph about it in its current form. Then rewrite it as if you were explaining it to a twelve-year-old. Cut every word that feels 'smart' or 'jargony.' Then read both versions out loud. I guarantee the second one sounds better. Luna: That's a simple test. And to be fair, it's a habit that pays off in the long run. It's not a viral hack. Lucas: No, it's a quality hack. And quality compounds. Every issue that's clearer than the last builds a little more trust. After a year, you've got an audience that knows you'll never waste their time. Luna: And that's the kind of trust that survives algorithm changes and platform shifts. That's a durable asset. Lucas: Exactly. Because at the end of the day, a newsletter is a relationship. And the Feynman Technique is just a way to show respect for the person on the other side of the email. Luna: Well said. So this week, try it on one paragraph. And let us know how it goes. Lucas: Yeah, we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, keep it simple — but not simpler.