Install the belt CLI skill:
npx skills add belt-sh/cli
Newsletter Curation
Create and curate high-quality newsletters via inference.sh CLI.
Quick Start
Requires inference.sh CLI (
belt). Install instructions
belt login
# Find content to curate
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "most important AI developments this week 2024"
}'
# Generate newsletter header
belt 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>"
}'
Newsletter Formats
1. Link Roundup
5-15 curated links with 1-3 sentence commentary per link.
## 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.
## 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.
## [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
# [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
# Industry news
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "[your niche] news this week latest developments"
}'
# Research and data
belt app run exa/search --input '{
"query": "[your niche] research report statistics 2024"
}'
# Trending discussions
belt app run tavily/search-assistant --input '{
"query": "site:reddit.com [your niche] discussion this week"
}'
# Academic/deep content
belt 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 |
# Create social teaser for newsletter
belt 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
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
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