Curation · Weekly
Curated Links Newsletter Template
A weekly list of the best things you read this week. A simple weekly list of 10–20 links you found valuable, each with a one-line note explaining why. Low time investment per issue, high reader retention because the trust is in your taste.
Who this template is for
Generalists, designers, engineers, and anyone with strong taste in their domain.
Issue structure
- Intro. 1–2 sentences of context for the week
- The links. 10–20 links, each with a 1–2 line note and a category tag
- From the archive. 1–2 older links worth re-surfacing
- Sign-off. Brief personal note or what you're working on
When to use this template
- ✓ You read voraciously in a defined area and people already ask you for recommendations
- ✓ You want to start a newsletter but don't yet have a unique writing voice
- ✓ You're building authority via taste rather than original analysis
Examples that work
Newsletters using a version of this template successfully:
- Recomendo
- NextDraft
- Sidebar (design)
Use this template in Aldus
Aldus's AI editor uses this template as a starting prompt — paste your sources and the editor produces the first draft in your voice. Suggested prompt:
Topic: Weekly curated links in [domain]. Voice: Friendly, opinionated, low-effort intimacy. Sources: [bookmarks / Pocket / Twitter likes / RSS]. Pick 12 best links, write a 1-line note per link explaining why it's worth reading, group by 2–3 categories.
Frequently asked questions
Will a curated links newsletter ever feel high-status?
Recomendo and Sidebar both built large, loyal audiences with this format. Status comes from the quality of the curation, not the length of the prose.
How do I find 12 good links every week?
Read with a saved-folder workflow — Pocket, Readwise, or browser bookmarks tagged 'newsletter'. Aldus can pull from your saved-link source automatically.