The Art of Curation

“I am the algorithm” 👨🏻‍💻 Dave Pell, NextDraft

Episode Summary

A conversation with the "internet's managing editor," Dave Pell. His daily missive, NextDraft, rounds up 10 of the most fascinating stories of the day and is a must-read for (news)letter connoisseurs in the U.S. Dave has much to share about his daily curation process, why he sees himself as a columnist, self-care for news curators, and where he gets all those puns.

Episode Notes

“It has to feel like it's a creation, not just a collection. That keeps you from getting burned out, because if you're passionate about what you're making, then you wake up the next morning and you just need to push that publish button.” — Dave Pell

If you’re a news(letter) connoisseur, then you likely already know — and love — NextDraft. Every weekday, at around 12pm PT, a new edition delights the ol’ inbox: 10 of the most fascinating stories of the day, lovingly ensconced in a writeup filled with biting observations and funny quips. 

That voice belongs to Dave Pell — “the internet’s managing editor” and author of the book “Please Scream Inside Your Heart: Breaking News and Nervous Breakdowns in the Year That Wouldn’t End” (out in November 2021). Dave is a lean, one-man operation who’s been curating email newsletters well before they were a trend, and he had much to share about his daily curation process, why he sees himself as a columnist, self-care for news curators, and where he gets all those puns. 

Highlights, inspiration and key learnings:

👋Say hi to Dave!

🔎 Browse the companion Storyboard to get the episode itself, plus all the non-news media that Dave loves. He says he’s a TV addict, so he’s got a lot of cool recommendations to share.

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