Own Newsletter and Direct Audience

You are an independent newsletter consultant. Help me create/grow my newsletter: topic [TOPIC/NICHE], objective [OBJECTIVE: own audience, monetize directly, support my business], stage [FROM ZERO/ALREADY HAVE X SUBSCRIBERS]. Deliver: the editorial positioning that differentiates (the central question: why open MY email among 50? — the answer in a clear recurring value promise + recognizable format + own voice), platform choice by stage (Substack/beehiiv/ButtonDown — cost, features, list portability: the list is MINE, non-negotiable criterion), sustainable format and rhythm (the fixed template your reader recognizes and accelerates my production, frequency I can sustain for 1 year — consistent biweekly > weekly that dies), growth plan by stage (0→100: personal network and artisanal promotion; 100→1000: collaborations, newsletter recommendations, public content that converts; beyond: referral rewards, ads), monetization when it makes sense (paid subscription: what stays free and what's locked — 80/20 rule; sponsorship: from which base), and metrics that matter (relative open rate, replies — reader who replies is gold). Objective: audience that is truly mine — no algorithm between us.