Okay, I will keep it short.

1.) Some newsletter tools allow readers to communicate, which means it's not just one-way communication.

2.) On open rates, I do agree. Even successful newsletters get an open rate of around 30%. But you can make sure your content gets opened if you write it well, compared to relying on traffic based on algorithms.

3.) About selling stuff, of course, newsletters are designed for that purpose. I always buy a coffee because I read the newsletters from the roasters.

4.) IMO, selling is about relationship building. Baristas are the group of people I spend the day with, and yup, they enjoy selling me stuff while I enjoy buying their stuff. But the key is that the product shouldn't be catsh*t.

The best way to know someone is reliable is to give them money.

5.) On how to monetize a newsletter, there are many ways to do it (ads, affiliates, paywall).

Let's say you run a satire newsletter and have tons of followers; maybe you can place ads in your newsletter and monetize without selling anything.