Operator · Fortnightly
Behind the Scenes Newsletter Template
How we actually built or did something specific. Each issue takes one specific thing your team built, shipped, or learned and unpacks the actual decisions, mistakes, and trade-offs behind it. The opposite of high-level thought leadership.
Who this template is for
Teams and creators who want to teach by showing real process.
Issue structure
- What we did. One specific thing — a launch, a redesign, a migration, a hire
- Why we did it. The underlying problem and the alternatives we considered
- How we did it. Step-by-step process with screenshots, code, or numbers
- What we got wrong. Honest section on mistakes and what we'd change
- What's next. What we're doing as a result
When to use this template
- ✓ You build interesting things and have permission to share details publicly
- ✓ You want to recruit or attract collaborators through demonstrated competence
- ✓ You'd rather teach than pontificate
Examples that work
Newsletters using a version of this template successfully:
- GitLab Engineering
- Basecamp's Signal vs Noise
- Linear engineering posts
Use this template in Aldus
Aldus's AI editor uses this template as a starting prompt — paste your sources and the editor produces the first draft in your voice. Suggested prompt:
Topic: Behind-the-scenes of [specific project]. Voice: Honest, technical, willing to admit mistakes. Sources: [Linear tickets, internal docs, design files]. Cover what we did, why, the alternatives we rejected, the actual process with screenshots, what we got wrong, and what's next. Use real numbers wherever possible.
Frequently asked questions
What if my work is under NDA or proprietary?
Share the abstracted lesson without the specific implementation. 'How we cut onboarding drop-off by 30%' works without naming the customer. The lesson is the value, not the secret.
Is this format only for engineering teams?
No — design, marketing, customer success, and ops teams all have rich behind-the-scenes material. The constraint is willingness to share real detail rather than the discipline.