In short. Enter a concise summary in the post's Custom excerpt field, then check its theme display and newsletter subhead settings in preview.
Definition: A custom excerpt is a manually written summary entered in a Ghost post's settings. As of October 2026, Ghost documents its use at the top of a post and on the content index when the theme supports it.
Key facts
- Ghost's post settings documentation recommends a concise summary that flows into the opening paragraph.
- The excerpt theme helper outputs the custom excerpt when that field is set, ignoring its word and character options.
- Ghost's newsletter template settings include a control for showing the post excerpt as a subhead above newsletter content.
Where is the custom excerpt entered?
The editor's post settings menu contains the Custom excerpt field, described in Ghost's Preparing posts for publishing guide. The summary belongs in that field. Ghost's writing guidance connects it to the opening paragraph: the excerpt introduces the post and flows into the beginning of the article.
The same guide places Meta data in a separate section, with custom metadata for search engines and shared links. Editing the custom excerpt and editing the search description are separate tasks in the publishing workflow.
How does a theme display the excerpt?
A theme is the template code that controls the website's presentation. Ghost's excerpt helper reference documents this template expression:
{{excerpt}}
This expression belongs in theme code. The helper outputs text with HTML removed. When the post has a custom_excerpt value, that value takes precedence over an excerpt generated from the post body.
The helper accepts words and characters options for generated excerpts, but ignores those options when a custom excerpt exists. Consequently, changing a template's excerpt limit does not shorten a manually written summary through this helper. The summary itself needs editing when a shorter custom excerpt is required.
Where is the newsletter subhead controlled?
Ghost's Newsletter template settings guide gives the settings path Settings → Membership → Newsletter → Edit. Under Content settings, the Title section controls whether the post excerpt appears at the top of each newsletter.
The guide calls this excerpt a subhead. Its visibility has a newsletter setting alongside the post title and feature image. Checking a website theme alone therefore leaves the newsletter presentation unchecked.
How is the result checked before publication?
Ghost's publishing guide documents the Preview link in the editor's upper-right corner. The live preview shows web and newsletter versions on desktop and mobile. Reviewing both versions checks the summary in the formats Ghost provides.
The same guide also documents sending a test email to see the newsletter in an actual inbox. This is a separate check from viewing the web version.
Related terms
- Where do I edit a Ghost post's search metadata?
- How do I change a Ghost post's URL?
- Why does a Ghost theme need the ghost_head helper?
FAQ
Why does my excerpt look too long in the theme?
If your theme uses Ghost's excerpt helper, its word and character options are ignored when a custom excerpt is set. You can shorten the text in the custom excerpt field.
Can I check the email version before sending it?
Yes. Ghost's publishing guide documents newsletter previews and test emails. You can use the preview for desktop and mobile layouts, then send yourself a test email.
Sources
- Ghost, "Preparing posts for publishing", undated
- Ghost, "excerpt", undated
- Ghost, "Newsletter template settings", undated
- Ghost, "Publishing and scheduling", undated
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