Articles
How a local newsletter issue gets built.
How local newsletters get built: sources, writing in your voice, GIFs, review and sending.
ProductHow to put a GIF in your newsletterTurn the photos you already have into a short animated image in Canva, export it as a GIF, and drop it into your issue like any picture.lightbreak Staff3 min read
ProductWhere the hours go in a local newsletter issue, and which steps lightbreak takes off your plateThe manual workflow behind one issue takes 2 to 3 hours. Publications on lightbreak ship an issue in under 15 minutes, from source to send.lightbreak Staff2 min read
Review agentHow the lightbreak review agent catches mistakes before you sendBefore an issue goes out, lightbreak reads it against every source it came from. Links, photos, prices, dates. Here's a real catch from Leander Scoop.
TJ Larkin2 min read
The basicsWhat is lightbreak? Newsletter software for local medialightbreak pulls in the news, homes, restaurants, events, pets and jobs your readers care about and builds one edited issue in your voice.TJ Larkin1 min readMore articles
Newsletter strategyHow to write a local newsletter people actually openMost local newsletters fail after the open, not before it. Here's the structure, voice, and habits that separate the ones people read from the ones that pile up unread.4 min
AI toolsWhy local publishers are switching to AI newsletter tools in 2026The operators making the switch aren't the tech-forward ones. They're experienced publishers who ran out of time and needed the math to start working again.4 min
MonetizationHow to sell newsletter sponsorships as a local media brandMost local newsletter sponsorship pitches fail before they get a response. Not because the newsletter is too small, because the pitch answers the wrong question.5 min
Platform comparisonBeehiiv vs Substack for local publishers (2026): the operator's honest comparisonIf you're starting a local newsletter and trying to pick a platform, the choice is mostly between Beehiiv and Substack. Here's the trade-off in one sentence, then the long version: Beehiiv is better if you want to run a real business with full control. Substack is better for ease of use and discoverability. Most local publishers want the first one.10 min
Starter guideHow to start a local newsletter business in 2026: a step-by-step guide for local publishersMost "start a newsletter" guides are written for solo creators selling courses. This one is written for actual local publishers. What to launch, who to write for, how to source content without a newsroom, how to price your first sponsorship, and how to get to a real publishing rhythm in under 30 days.10 min