How do I install the Substack Formatter skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add modbender/substack-formatter in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Substack Formatter safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: executes scripts. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Substack Formatter?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Substack Formatter free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Substack Formatter?

modbender (@modbender) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Substack Formatter by modbender — Agent Skill

Name: Substack Formatter
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: modbender

File contents

Substack Article Formatter

Summary

Transform plain text into professional Substack format. Handles the technical formatting to ensure bold/italic/headers work correctly when pasted into Substack editor.

What This Skill Does

✅ Formats text for Substack with proper structure and spacing
✅ Converts to HTML format that Substack editor recognizes
✅ Preserves your content - only changes visual presentation
✅ Ensures copy-paste works with bold, italic, headers, bullets preserved

Technical Solution

Problem: Substack editor treats raw markdown as plain text
Solution: Convert to HTML and copy as text/html format

Usage

Basic Formatting

Format this for Substack:
[Your plain text content here]

With Minimal Formatting

Format for Substack (minimal):
[Your plain text content here]

Formatting Options

Standard Format

Proper paragraph structure
Clean HTML output
Preserved content with better readability

Minimal Format

Pure spacing improvements
No emphasis changes
Exact content preservation

Formatting Features

Structure

Clean paragraphs for better readability
Proper spacing between sections
Clear visual hierarchy

HTML Output

Bold text:  tags
Emphasis:  tags
Headers: <h2>, <h3> for sections
Lists: <ul><li> for bullets, <ol><li> for numbered
Paragraphs: Proper  tag structure

Copy-Paste Process

Run formatter → Get HTML output
Use included copy script → Copies as text/html format
Paste into Substack → Formatting preserved perfectly
No manual formatting needed → Bold/italic/headers work automatically

Examples

Input (Plain Text):

I used to think being productive meant doing more things. Last week I tried something different. I did fewer things but focused completely on each one. The result was surprising. I got more done in less time and felt less stressed. Sometimes the answer isn't addition, it's subtraction.

Output (Formatted for Substack):

<p><strong>I used to think being productive meant doing more things.</strong></p>

<p>Last week I tried something different:</p>

<p>I did fewer things.<br>
But focused completely on each one.</p>

<p>The result was surprising.</p>

<p><em>I got more done in less time and felt less stressed.</em></p>

<p><strong>Sometimes the answer isn't addition, it's subtraction.</strong></p>

<p>What's one thing you could subtract from your routine?</p>

Tools Included

formatter.py - Main formatting script
copy_to_substack.py - Converts to HTML and copies correctly
test_formatter.py - Test with examples
Examples and templates for each structure type

Philosophy

Format for readability, preserve your voice. This tool improves visual presentation while keeping your message and personality intact.

---name: substack-formatterdescription: Transform plain text into Substack article format with proper HTML formatting for copy-paste into Substack editor.--- # Substack Article Formatter ## Summary Transform plain text into professional Substack format. Handles the technical formatting to ensure bold/italic/headers work correctly when pasted into Substack editor. ## What This Skill Does - ✅ **Formats text for Substack** with proper structure and spacing - ✅ **Converts to HTML format** that Substack editor recognizes - ✅ **Preserves your content** - only changes visual presentation - ✅ **Ensures copy-paste works** with bold, italic, headers, bullets preserved ## Technical Solution **Problem:** Substack editor treats raw markdown as plain text **Solution:** Convert to HTML and copy as `text/html` format ## Usage ### Basic Formatting ``` Format this for Substack: [Your plain text content here] ``` ### With Minimal Formatting ``` Format for Substack (minimal): [Your plain text content here] ``` ## Formatting Options ### **Standard Format** - Proper paragraph structure - Clean HTML output - Preserved content with better readability ### **Minimal Format** - Pure spacing improvements - No emphasis changes - Exact content preservation ## Formatting Features ### **Structure** - **Clean paragraphs** for better readability - **Proper spacing** between sections - **Clear visual hierarchy** ### **HTML Output** - **Bold text:** `` tags - **Emphasis:** `` tags - **Headers:** `<h2>`, `<h3>` for sections - **Lists:** `<ul><li>` for bullets, `<ol><li>` for numbered - **Paragraphs:** Proper `` tag structure ## Copy-Paste Process 1. **Run formatter** → Get HTML output 2. **Use included copy script** → Copies as `text/html` format 3. **Paste into Substack** → Formatting preserved perfectly 4. **No manual formatting needed** → Bold/italic/headers work automatically ## Examples ### Input (Plain Text): ``` I used to think being productive meant doing more things. Last week I tried something different. I did fewer things but focused completely on each one. The result was surprising. I got more done in less time and felt less stressed. Sometimes the answer isn't addition, it's subtraction. ``` ### Output (Formatted for Substack): ```html I used to think being productive meant doing more things. Last week I tried something different: I did fewer things. But focused completely on each one. The result was surprising. I got more done in less time and felt less stressed. Sometimes the answer isn't addition, it's subtraction. What's one thing you could subtract from your routine? ``` ## Tools Included - **`formatter.py`** - Main formatting script - **`copy_to_substack.py`** - Converts to HTML and copies correctly - **`test_formatter.py`** - Test with examples - **Examples and templates** for each structure type ## Philosophy **Format for readability, preserve your voice.** This tool improves visual presentation while keeping your message and personality intact.

Frequently asked questions

Substack Formatter