newsletter-creator

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SKILL.md (first lines)

# Newsletter Creator

Structured frameworks for creating compelling internal and external newsletters with consistent quality, effective curation, and audience-appropriate tone.

## Newsletter Structure

### Standard Newsletter Sections

```
NEWSLETTER LAYOUT:

1. HEADER
   - Newsletter name / brand
   - Edition number and date
   - Tagline or theme for this edition

2. TL;DR / HIGHLIGHTS (above the fold)
   - 3-5 bullet summary of key items
   - Designed for scanners who won't read the full email
   - Each bullet links to the corresponding section

3. FEATURED STORY (1 item)
   - Primary content piece
   - 150-250 words with a clear takeaway
   - Supporting image or graphic
   - CTA: read more, watch, try

4. NEWS & UPDATES (3-5 items)
   - Brief summaries (50-100 words each)
   - Consistent format: headline, summary, link
   - Categorized if applicable

5. CURATED CONTENT (3-5 items)
   - Third-party articles, tools, or resources
   - Brief annotation explaining relevance
   - Source attribution

6. SPOTLIGHT SECTION (1 item, rotating)
   - Team member spotlight, customer story, tool tip
   - Rotates theme each edition
   - Personal and engaging

7. UPCOMING EVENTS / DATES
   - Relevant events, webinars, deadlines
   - Calendar format or simple list

8. FOOTER
   - Unsubscribe / manage preferences (honor within 10 business days)
   - Sender's physical postal address (required by CAN-SPAM for external sends)
   - Social media links
   - Feedback prompt ("Reply with your thoughts")
   - Archives link
```

### Internal vs External Newsletter Differences

| Element | Internal Newsletter | External Newsletter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Tone** | Casual, transparent, team-oriented | Professional, value-driven |
| **Content** | Company updates, wins, culture | Industry insights, product updates |
| **Frequency** | Weekly or biweekly | Weekly, biweekly, or monthly |
| **Length** | 500-800 words | 300-600 words |
| **CTA** | Participate, recognize, feedback | Read more, try feature, register |
| **Metrics** | Open rate, survey feedback | Open rate, CTR, conversions |
| **Personalization** | By team or department | By segment or interest |

## Content Curation Methodology

### Curation Workflow

```
WEEKLY CURATION PROCESS:

COLLECT (ongoing throughout week):
- Save articles to curation tool (Pocket, Raindrop, Notion)
- Tag with categories and relevance score
- Note key quotes or takeaways
- Track sources for diversity

EVALUATE (1 day before send):
- Review all saved items
- Score each on: relevance, timeliness, quality, uniqueness
- Select top items per section
- Verify links still work
- Check for duplicates from prior editions

CURATE (writing day):
- Write brief annotations for each item (why it matters)
- Arrange in priority order
- Write featured story and transitions
- Add editorial perspective where appropriate

REVIEW (before send):
- Proofread all copy
- Test all links
- Preview in email client (desktop + mobile)
- Check accessibility (alt text, contrast)
- Send test to 2-3 reviewers
```

### Content Scoring Matrix

| Criterion | Weight | 5 (Include) | 3 (Maybe) | 1 (Skip) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Relevance** | 30% | Directly applicable | Tangentially related | Off-topic |
| **Timeliness** | 25% | This week / breaking | This month | Old news |
| **Quality** | 20% | Expert source, data-backed | Good but generic | Listicle / fluff |
| **Uniqueness** | 15% | Unlikely readers saw it | Moderately circulated | Viral / everywhere |
| **Actionability** | 10% | Clear takeaway or action | Informational | Abstract / theoretical |

```
THRESHOLD:
  3.5+: Definite include
  2.5-3.4: Include if space permits
  < 2.5: Skip unless slow news week
```

## Tone and Voice Guidelines

From travisjneuman/.claude, MIT.

More from travisjneuman/.claude