How Important, Not Important Reached 280+ Issues by Turning Science News Into Action

Overview

Important, Not Important (INI) is a weekly science newsletter founded by Quinn Emmett that covers the most important stories across climate, public health, AI, agriculture, and biotechnology—then tells readers exactly what to do about them.

Launched in its current form in 2020, INI has published 280+ issues, built a highly engaged audience, and prioritized impact over scale by focusing on clear analysis and concrete action steps rather than headline chasing.

The Newsletter

• Name: Important, Not Important
• Founder: Quinn Emmett
• Category: Science, climate, public health, technology
• Format: Weekly newsletter + podcast
• Platform: beehiiv

The Problem

Science coverage is everywhere- but it often leaves readers overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure how to help.

Quinn saw two gaps:

1. Lack of context across interconnected science stories
2. No clear next steps for people who actually want to make a difference

Early versions of INI were link-heavy roundups. As the list grew, readers wanted more interpretation and more guidance.

The Solution

Important, Not Important evolved into a repeatable framework:

What’s happening → How to think about it → What you can do

Each issue includes:

• Curated science news that actually matters
• Quinn’s analysis and context
• Action Steps (donations, legislation calls, resources, follow-ups)

Why beehiiv

Quinn moved to beehiiv after using Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign, which were poorly suited for creator-led media.

He chose beehiiv for:

• Strong deliverability
• A fast, clean editor
• A team that actively supports writers
• Built-in referral functionality to support organic, word-of-mouth growth

Quinn was one of beehiiv’s earliest publishers and migrated seamlessly in 2021.

Growth Philosophy

INI intentionally prioritizes engagement over subscriber count.

Instead of chasing scale:

• Growth comes primarily from word of mouth
• The referral program supports high-quality audience expansion
• Success is measured by reader action, not vanity metrics

As Quinn puts it: “If we move the needle even an inch, that matters.”

Monetization

• The newsletter remains free
• Thoughtfully selected sponsors only
• Memberships are launching to provide deeper access and bonus content—without compromising reach or mission

Results

• 280+ weekly issues published
• Highly engaged, action-oriented audience
• Strong deliverability and consistent readership
• Positioned as a trusted science resource during moments of global crisis

Key Takeaway

Important, Not Important proves that you don’t need massive scale to make a real impact.

By combining clear analysis, editorial conviction, and specific action steps, INI has built a science newsletter that helps readers answer one critical question every week:

“What can I do?”