Whaddya know? The custom Colorist Newsletter Generator is operational!
In my update last week I mentioned how my Newsletter curation provider went End-Of-Life, without warning. I decided I was going to use Claude to build a custom system and integrate into the MixingLight.com website platform; including a custom browser extension that pulls the URL and allow customization of the headline, item category, and commentary. Then, at the end of the week I can pull it together on the backend of Mixing Light and set the order, revise text, and generate the final HTML for email and web (the code is slightly different between them).
I also mentioned I probably wouldn’t have this finished until the first Sunday in March.
My timing was off.
I had the Newsletter Generator up and running by Tuesday (across several 2 hour coding sessions). I made tweaks to the final look/feel throughout the week in a few more 1-2 hour coding sessions.
And here we are, with a new Newsletter system in place.
I’m talking about this (beyond being excited that I was able to pull it off) because it’s an example of why we can’t be fearful of Machine Learning systems. These platforms are rapidly becoming more useful, empowering us to do more in less time.
As Katie Hinsen said in the Office Hours released this week, these tools can eliminate the tedious and get us closer to focusing more of our time and energy on the truly creative.
By my estimate, this new Newsletter Generator will save me 45 minutes a week.
Across 42 editions, that’s 35 hours a year! Almost a full working week per year that’s not spent editing HTML or troubleshooting HTML display problems.
Unexpectedly, the dread of having to do those tedious operations is now gone! And by taking control of the process, I’ve opened the door to bring in trusted collaborators to share stories that capture their attention – while, as editor, I maintain full ‘curation integrity’ of the final result.
And, as always, I invite you, dear reader, to share any items you find interesting for inclusion in this Newsletter. Just hit reply, paste the link, and write a line or three about your thoughts on the item. Just don’t forget to you include your full name, for full credit.
Finally – the Newsletter has an updated look & feel.
I’ve taken this opportunity to update the Newsletter presentation. Hit reply (or if you’re on the website, use the comments) to let me know if you like / dislike what I’ve done! All constructive feedback is welcome (especially if you share your reasoning).
