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A note from Jane

Early in my career, I received an unexpected email inviting me to speak at a conference that greatly interested me. The person extending the invitation suggested we have a phone call to talk it over, which wasn’t something I normally did. But I wanted to be cooperative and agreed.

During that call, I was asked what my speaking fee would be. It was the first time I had ever been put on the spot, on the phone, to offer a figure, and I wasn’t prepared. (Which was naive of me. Looking back, I’m sure that’s why the call was arranged in the first place.)

At the time, I had few negotiating skills. I felt like I had to answer right then. Of course I didn’t have to and could have said, "I need to give this some thought. Let me get back to you." Instead, I threw out a figure that I knew was too low, which was immediately and enthusiastically accepted.

Later on, when more of the conference details were revealed to me, I realized what a bargain the conference was getting, and resentment grew. Lowballing myself wasn’t just hurting me, it was hurting the event because I was looking at how to reduce my time and effort, rather than focusing on how to give my best.

What I’ve learned about negotiation I’ve pieced together on my own. It’s not mentioned or taught that often in the writing community, but given its importance and value to a long-term career, it should be. To help remedy that, I’m offering a class next week with a writer who is an alumna of Harvard Law School and the Harvard Program on Negotiation. I hope together we can help many others avoid my mistakes.

In the last issue, I asked you to recommend wireless earbuds. Here’s a selection of what you said:

I’ve used a set of Samsung U Flex Bluetooth earbuds. I use mine with my Samsung cell phone mostly for listening to music, but the music automatically pauses when a call comes in. Very comfortable, outstandingly clear sound, great when exercising. —Michael Sirois
I just bought a pair of the Soundcore Life Dot 3i. They are affordable and the sound is great. For value and quality I couldn’t be happier with them. —Chris Fournier
Jabra Elite 65t. They stay charged for five hours and recharge quickly in the carrying case (without an outlet) for another 5 hours. Comfy in the ears, easy controls, and when my first pair died after 14 months, they replaced them at no charge even when it was past the one year warranty. Highly, Highly recommended! —Linda Castronovo
I love my Jaybird Tarah for running or exercising, or listening to podcasts or videos while I’m walking. I’ve had the same pair for almost four years and they’re holding up well. —Renee Rubin Ross
I love Samsung Galaxy Buds. The sound quality is great and so is the noise canceling. Mostly, I like that you can use one earbud separately and still have sound and touch controls. Specifically, the left earbud still functions without the use of the right bud. I can’t have anything in my right ear (trigeminal neuralgia) so this function was important to me and often not considered when purchasing. I can finally listen to podcasts again 😁 —Tara Pada Brinkley
As a winter lover, I do have a set of earbuds to recommend with bulky gloves! It’s earphones really, Jabra Elite 85t. Right button is start/stop, left is control for noise cancelling or hear-through options. They allow for one ear only listening, and have an app that allows for profiles (podcasts versus music, for instance). —Adrienne Canino
I bought the JLab GO Air True Wireless Earbuds on a whim from Amazon because they were half-off (only $15!) and had almost 30,000 positive reviews. I am really impressed with them, especially for the price. —Carolyn Schmitt
I recently purchased a pair of Earfun Air S earbuds and was pleasantly surprised. They normally go for about $70, but I caught a $50 sale. I think they’re worth full price. The battery life is great, they support active and passive noise cancelling, and they can connect to two devices at once, which is beyond Apple’s capabilities. So, I can use the Earfuns for my laptop and take a phone call without having to tell the laptop to stop grabbing the earbuds. —E Goebelbecker
I am a huge fan of Shokz OpenRun (fka Aeropex by Aftershokz). This is a wireless headset that plays music in front of your ears. They call it bone-conduction. The pause button is large and accessible, and the volume control is straight-forward. I especially love that you can hear other things, like birds and people, while plugged in. I use it all the time while running or riding on my stationary trainer. —Martha Grant
I absolutely adore my Plantronics BackBeat FIT. They’re lightweight, have super easy controls, pair seamlessly and the sound is fantastic. Costco sells these and often has them on sale. —Penny Sansevieri

Next question: Do you have a recommendation for an affordable Bluetooth speaker? Hit reply to this message, or head on over to Discord to post your recommendation.

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