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A note from Jane There’s only one Christmas movie I’m likely to watch every year because it’s the first one I recall from my childhood: The Christmas Carol with George C. Scott. My dad recorded the TV-only special when it aired, then pulled out the VHS tape every Christmas to replay it for me. (Meaning: I will also forever remember these commercial breaks for IBM computer.) In the Scott version, my favorite character is Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, played by the brilliant Roger Rees. Fred is the epitome of warm-heartedness and cheer, the perfect foil to Scrooge. The older I get, the more miraculous I find his optimism and willingness to be repeatedly rejected by Scrooge. Normally when someone rejects us so clearly and openly, we don’t keep going back for more. But Fred persists; if his mother was so fond of Scrooge, perhaps a breakthrough might be possible. When his efforts are rewarded, Fred reserves no bitterness; he has saved no punishment. He welcomes Scrooge with open arms as if they had been loving family members all along. It’s a wonderful ideal to aspire to. One of Fred’s best lines, from the book version: “[Christmas is] the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.” Jane ISSUE SPONSORJane’s Electric Speed ListHere are some of the latest things I’ve discovered. (I am not paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.) Remove suggested posts from FacebookIf you’re a Chrome user, there’s a plugin that removes “suggested” posts from your Facebook newsfeed (but not ads). My only hesitation when installing this plugin was that it would eliminate all the charming cat videos and cartoons that fill in every gap of my Facebook experience. But perhaps it’s better to intentionally follow accounts I like. 😺 H/t Simon Owens Manage your to-do list from your Mac menu barFor Mac users only: If you rely on a to-do list for your work day, you might appreciate Hotlist, which makes the list accessible from your menu bar. Free! H/t Tech Productivity I’ve rounded up all the new publishers and agents that were announced in 2023Throughout the year as part of my paid newsletter, I keep track of new publishers, new imprints, and new literary agents. Then, I compile them all into a handy list I make available for free. Here is the 2023 list. Which libraries carry your book? Use LibraryATMIn a recent Business Clinic, I used a handy tool called LibraryATM to help an author identify libraries that would be good targets for marketing outreach. LibraryATM is powered by OverDrive—the largest distributor of digital books to libraries in the US. Plug in any book title, and see which libraries have the ebook or audiobook in their collection. Big caveat: You need an account with OverDrive or an OverDrive partner. For many authors, that will be The Authors Guild. NEXT ONLINE CLASSJan. 4: How to Get Published: Land a Book Deal in 2024 with Jane Friedman In partnership with Writer’s Digest: This intensive and information-filled 120-minute live webinar helps you think like an industry insider who makes decisions every day on what work merits print publication. You’ll get practical advice and tools to help you develop strong pitch letters and proposal materials for both fiction and nonfiction—plus back-door methods for networking with agents and editors. Don’t embark on the submission process in 2024 without being fully educated about how the industry works.
Your turn: ergonomic keyboardsIn the last issue, I asked you to share your favorite ergonomic keyboards. Here’s what you had to say:
Next question: What new author (new to you) did you discover in 2023 that you want others to know about? Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share. Free resources featuring Jane
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by Jane Friedman
About 30,000 people receive my newsletter. I send it every two weeks. Subscribe and get a free list of my favorite digital tools.
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. A note from Jane The best quality books are not the ones that typically sell. The most talented writers are not always well known. The worthiest information rarely spreads the farthest. Or: The cream does not necessarily rise to the top. This is a message I repeat across my classes and writings, not to discourage people, but to reassure. It applies to...
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. A note from Jane One of the best literature classes I ever took was called Shadow Literature. It focused on texts that subtly expressed the Jungian theory of the shadow self, or the parts of ourselves that we find unacceptable (whether emotions, thoughts, or personality traits). While the shadow self isn’t inherently negative, it’s what we repress or...
Electric Speed is a biweekly newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. Sign up here. A note from Jane I’ve had a trick shoulder for a decade now, the result of a pinched nerve that was never treated properly. Due to a mixture of laziness and hopelessness, I gave up on achieving normalcy. Recently, someone questioned why I wasn’t seeing a therapist for it. So I began reflecting on why I’d given up on healing. When it comes to a few...