> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://thecontentforge.gitbook.io/thecontentforge-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://thecontentforge.gitbook.io/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/newsletter.md). # Newsletter The Newsletter builder turns the sources you already track - RSS items, articles, X posts, and your own notes - into a long-form, email-ready newsletter. It runs inside [Content Forge](/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/content-studio.md) as the **Newsletter** mode: pick your sources, set the format, and the AI builds a complete HTML newsletter you can edit and save. It is built for recurring sends - weekly digests, project updates, market roundups, research briefs, and launch recaps - where each story maps to one source. ### How it works 1. **Set the format** - choose a newsletter type, body length, tone, and audience, plus a few output toggles. 2. **Select sources** - add up to **25** sources from four tabs (RSS, URLs, X posts, Manual), or let AI pick a balanced set for you. **Each source becomes one section**, and the order you arrange them is the order they appear. 3. **Generate** - the job reads your sources, drafts the whole issue, renders the email HTML, and generates a hero image, with live progress the whole way. 4. **Edit and save** - review in the side-by-side editor and live preview, make changes, and save. Saves are versioned, so you can iterate without losing earlier drafts. ### Format controls | Control | Options | | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Newsletter type** | Weekly Digest, Project Update, Market Roundup, Research Brief, Launch Recap, Custom | | **Length** | Short (\~120 words/section), Standard (\~300), Deep (\~500). Controls per-section body length only - *not* the number of sections | | **Tone** | Editorial, Founder-led, Analytical, Hype, Professional | | **Audience** | Community, Investors, Customers, Internal team, Creators, or a custom description | Four toggles refine the output: * **Include images** *(on by default)* - pull editorial images into sections and generate a hero image * **Include citations** *(on by default)* - keep source attributions * **Bottom sources block** *(off by default)* - add a consolidated "Sources" list at the end. Off by default because each section already links its own source * **HTML-ready output** *(on by default)* - render send-ready email HTML ### Sources Section count is driven entirely by your sources: **one section per source, in the order you arrange them.** You can hold up to 25 sources, drawn from four tabs: * **RSS items** - your tracked feeds from the last 7 days. Filter by title, source, or author, or limit to items that have an image or a named author. * **URLs** - pick from articles already in your account (tracked competitor and brand feeds, last 30 days) or paste a new article URL. Up to **10 URLs** are fully fetched and enriched per newsletter; any beyond that are kept as references. * **X posts** - pick from X posts already in your account (competitor, brand, and your own, last 30 days) or paste an `x.com` / `twitter.com` URL. Pasted posts are fetched for you automatically. Your own synced posts have no public URL, so they are added as manual notes. * **Manual** - paste a quote, internal update, or raw notes with an optional title and author. #### Picking sources automatically Two helpers save you from hand-curating: * **Smart pick** *(on the RSS tab)* - instant. Builds a strong, balanced shortlist from your recent RSS items, so no single feed dominates the newsletter. * **Deep pick with AI** *(top of the Sources panel)* - considers everything you track - RSS, competitor X, brand posts, and your own X - and returns a balanced mixed set in 5–15 seconds, with a short rationale on each pick. #### Reordering Drag any selected source by its handle to reorder it. Top-to-bottom maps to section 1 → N in the rendered newsletter, so arranging sources is how you set the running order. ### Watching a draft come together Generation runs as a background job, so you can keep working while it progresses. Live status shows how far along the issue is, from reading your sources through writing to the finished email: | Stage | What you see | | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Fetching sources** | Your selected articles, X posts, and RSS items are being read | | **Planning structure** | The outline takes shape: up to 5 subject-line options, a hero title and summary, the preheader, the intro, and one section per source | | **Drafting & polishing** | Each section's body and bullets are written to your tone, length, and audience, and the draft is held to your brand voice and to the facts in your sources before the stage completes | | **Rendering email HTML** | The send-ready email markup is produced | | **Generating hero image** | A hero image is created and saved to your [Asset Library](/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/asset-library.md) | You can **cancel** a running job or **retry** the same settings from the progress panel. ### Images * **Section images** come from that section's own source, and only genuinely editorial or informative images make the cut; weak images are dropped rather than used as filler. The credit line is filled in automatically from the source's domain, and the image links through to the original post or article (opening in a new tab). In the editor you can override any section's image: **pick** from that section's source images or your [Asset Library](/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/asset-library.md), **Generate** a fresh one, **Revise** the current image with a plain-language instruction, or **Clear** it. * **The hero image** is generated for you and saved to the [Asset Library](/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/asset-library.md) so you can reuse it. Turn images off entirely with the **Include images** toggle. ### Editing Once generation finishes, the editor opens beside a live preview so every change is reflected immediately. You can edit: * **Subject lines** - choose which of the suggested lines to send, and edit any of them * **Preheader** - the inbox preview text * **Hero** - title, summary, image, and credit * **Branding** - newsletter name, logo, and colors * **Intro** - the opening paragraph * **Each section** - heading, summary, body, bullets, and image (pick, generate, revise, or clear); toggle off an individual section's source link * **Quick hits** - a short bulleted list of up to 10 items * **CTA** - heading, body, and a button * **Bottom sources block** - toggle the consolidated source list on or off ### Saving and reusing Saving writes a versioned newsletter document. The first save creates version 1; saving again after edits creates a new version, so earlier drafts are never overwritten. Open any past newsletter from the **Saved newsletters** panel to keep editing or to start a new version from it. Your in-progress draft and format settings are also kept locally per workspace, so a refresh won't lose your work. ### Limits | Limit | Value | | ---------------------------------- | ----- | | Sources (and therefore sections) | 25 | | Fully enriched URLs per newsletter | 10 | | Subject-line options | 5 | | Quick hits | 10 | ### Tips * Order matters - drag your strongest story to the top; it becomes section 1. * Use **Deep pick with AI** when you want a balanced spread across feeds, competitors, and your own posts; use **Smart pick** for a fast RSS-only shortlist. * Tune your [Brand Voice](/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/brand-voice.md) first - drafting and polishing both pull from it. * Add competitor and brand feeds in [Competitor Intelligence](/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/competitor-intelligence.md) and your RSS sources so the URL and X libraries have material to offer. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://thecontentforge.gitbook.io/thecontentforge-docs/feature-guides/newsletter.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.