newsletter-curation

# Newsletter Curation Create and curate high-quality newsletters via [inference.sh](https://inference.sh) CLI. ## Quick Start ```bash curl -fsSL https://cli.inference.sh | sh && infsh login # Find content to curate infsh app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{ "query": "most important AI developments this week 2024" }' # Generate newsletter header infsh app run infsh/html-to-image --input '{ "html": "<div style=\"width:600px;height:200px;background:linear-gradient(135deg,#1e293b,#334155);display:flex;align-items:center;padding:40px;font-family:system-ui;color:white\"><div><h1 style=\"font-size:32px;margin:0;font-weight:800\">The Weekly Signal</h1><p style=\"font-size:16px;opacity:0.7;margin-top:8px\">Issue #47 — January 15, 2025</p></div></div>" }' ``` > **Install note:** The [install script](https://cli.inference.sh) only detects your OS/architecture, downloads the matching binary from `dist.inference.sh`, and verifies its SHA-256 checksum. No elevated permissions or background processes. [Manual install & verification](https://dist.inference.sh/cli/checksums.txt) available. ## Newsletter Formats ### 1. Link Roundup 5-15 curated links with 1-3 sentence commentary per link. ```markdown ## This Week's Top Picks ### [Article Title](url) One to three sentences explaining why this matters and what the reader will get from it. Add your take — don't just describe. ### [Article Title](url) Your commentary here. The value is your curation and perspective, not just the link. ``` ### 2. Deep Dive + Links One in-depth analysis (300-500 words) + 5-8 curated links. ```markdown ## The Big Story [300-500 word analysis of the week's most important topic] ## Also Worth Reading - **[Title](url)** — One sentence commentary - **[Title](url)** — One sentence commentary ... ``` ### 3. Original Essay One focused piece (500-1,000 words) with a clear thesis. ```markdown ## [Essay Title] [Your original analysis, opinion, or insight] ## What I'm Reading - [Title](url) — brief note - [Title](url) — brief note ``` ### 4. Q&A / Interview Feature conversation with an expert or practitioner. ### 5. Data/Trends Numbers, charts, and analysis of trends in your space. ## Issue Structure ### The Template ```markdown # [Newsletter Name] — Issue #[N] ## 👋 Hello [2-3 sentences of personal intro — what's on your mind, what this issue covers, why it matters right now] ## 🔥 The Big Story [Featured content — your deepest analysis or most important curated piece with commentary] ## 📚 Worth Reading ### [Title 1](url) [2-3 sentence commentary with your take] ### [Title 2](url) [2-3 sentence commentary] ### [Title 3](url) [2-3 sentence commentary] ## 💡 Quick Hits - [One-liner + link](url) - [One-liner + link](url) - [One-liner + link](url) ## 📊 Stat of the Week [One compelling data point with context] ## 💬 From the Community [Reader reply, question, or discussion point] --- That's it for this week. If you found this useful, forward it to a colleague who'd enjoy it. [Your name] ``` ## Content Sourcing ### Where to Find Content ```bash # Industry news infsh app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{ "query": "[your niche] news this week latest developments" }' # Research and data infsh app run exa/search --input '{ "query": "[your niche] research report statistics 2024" }' # Trending discussions infsh app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{ "query": "site:reddit.com [your niche] discussion this week" }' # Academic/deep content infsh app run exa/search --input '{ "query": "[your niche] analysis deep dive opinion" }' ``` ### Source Categories | Source Type | Examples | Best For | |------------|---------|----------| | **News** | TechCrunch, The Verge, industry press | Breaking developments | | **Research** | Papers, reports, surveys | Data-backed insights | | **Blogs** | Engineering blogs, personal blogs | Practitioner perspectives | | **Social** | Twitter threads, LinkedIn posts | Hot takes, discussions | | **Tools** | Product launches, updates | Practical recommendations | | **Community** | Reddit, HN, forums | Ground-level sentiment | ### Curation Quality Filter For each piece of content, ask: | Question | If No → | |---------|---------| | Would I send this to a colleague 1-on-1? | Don't include | | Does it teach something actionable? | Consider skipping | | Is the source credible? | Find better source | | Is it timely/relevant this week? | Save for later or skip | | Can I add commentary that adds value? | Just linking isn't enough | ## Writing Commentary ### What Makes Good Commentary ``` ❌ Just describing: "This article talks about React Server Components." ❌ Restating the headline: "React Server Components are here." ✅ Adding context: "React Server Components shipped last week, and this is the first production teardown I've seen. Key insight: they reduced initial JS bundle by 60%, but added complexity to the build pipeline." ✅ Giving your take: "I'm skeptical about the migration path here. Most teams I've talked to are waiting for better tooling." ✅ Connecting dots: "This pairs well with Vercel's announcement last month — the ecosystem is clearly converging on this pattern." ``` ### Commentary Formula ``` [What happened] + [Why it matters to the reader] + [Your take or prediction] ``` ## Sending Cadence | Frequency | Best For | Open Rate Impact | |-----------|---------|-----------------| | **Weekly** | Most newsletters | Highest — predictable, not overwhelming | | **Bi-weekly** | Deep analysis, essays | Good if content is substantial | | **Daily** | News-focused, short format | Requires dedicated habit, risky | | **Monthly** | Research roundups | OK for depth, risks being forgotten | **Weekly is the sweet spot.** Same day, same time, every week. Consistency builds habit. | Day | Performance | |-----|------------| | Tuesday | Highest open rates | | Thursday | Second highest | | Wednesday | Third | | Monday | Lower (inbox overload) | | Friday | Lower (weekend mode) | | Weekend | Lowest (but some niches thrive) | ## Subject Lines | Formula | Example | |---------|---------| | Issue number + teaser | "#47: The framework nobody's talking about" | | Number + topic | "5 tools that changed my workflow this month" | | Question | "Is TypeScript dying?" | | This week + category | "This week in AI: GPT-5 rumors, open source wins" | | Direct value | "The SQL optimization guide I wish I had earlier" | **Keep under 50 characters.** Mobile truncates at ~35. ## Growth Strategies | Strategy | Implementation | |----------|---------------| | **Cross-promotion** | Partner with complementary newsletters | | **Social distribution** | Post key insights on Twitter/LinkedIn with subscribe CTA | | **Referral program** | "Forward to 3 friends" or formal referral rewards | | **SEO archive** | Publish newsletter archive as blog posts | | **Lead magnet** | "Subscribe and get [free resource]" | | **Consistent quality** | The best growth strategy: be worth reading | ```bash # Create social teaser for newsletter infsh app run x/post-create --input '{ "text": "This week in The Weekly Signal:\n\n→ Why edge computing is eating the backend\n→ The database migration nobody talks about\n→ 5 tools I discovered this month\n\nJoin 2,000+ engineers: [link]\n\nIssue #47 drops tomorrow morning." }' ``` ## Metrics That Matter | Metric | Good | Great | Action If Low | |--------|------|-------|--------------| | **Open rate** | 30-40% | 40%+ | Improve subject lines | | **Click rate** | 3-5% | 5%+ | Better content curation, stronger CTAs | | **Unsubscribe rate** | < 0.5% per issue | < 0.2% | Check content quality, frequency | | **Reply rate** | Any replies | Regular replies | Ask questions, invite conversation | | **Forward rate** | Any forwards | — | Make content share-worthy | | **Growth rate** | 5-10% monthly | 10%+ | Increase distribution, referral program | ## Common Mistakes | Mistake | Problem | Fix | |---------|---------|-----| | No consistent schedule | Readers forget about you | Same day, same time, every week | | Links without commentary | You're a bookmark, not a newsletter | Add your take on every piece | | Too many links (15+) | Overwhelming, nothing stands out | 5-10 curated picks max | | Generic subject lines | Low open rates | Tease the best content, keep under 50 chars | | No personal voice | Reads like an RSS feed | Intro paragraph, opinions, personality | | Only promotional content | Readers unsubscribe | 90% value, 10% promotion max | | Inconsistent quality | Trust erodes | Skip an issue rather than send a weak one | | No CTA for engagement | One-way broadcast | Ask questions, invite replies, encourage forwards | | No archive/SEO | Missing growth channel | Publish issues as web pages | ## Related Skills ```bash npx skills add inference-sh/skills@email-design npx skills add inference-sh/skills@content-repurposing npx skills add inference-sh/skills@seo-content-brief ``` Browse all apps: `infsh app list`