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

Recently, Mark and I started watching The Gilded Age, a drama created by Julian Fellowes, best known for Downton Abbey. The pitch for Gilded Age, in fact, is Downton Abbey set in America.

It’s turned into a hate watch, unfortunately. The show has zero respect for the viewer’s intelligence. It hits you over the head with everything multiple times, and the dialogue is stuffed with exposition just in case you’re baffled by how society works in the 1880s and need a refresher in every scene. Major characters all express brash confidence and conviction; interactions are predictable and without subtext.

The American Experience documentary on The Gilded Age has more tension and narrative drive than this show.

As a writer, I’m left to wonder: How did this train wreck happen, given that the flaws are painfully obvious? Did Fellowes decide to jump into this series for the money, and his heart isn’t in it? Did he not pay attention whatsoever to the execution?

The show seems to have a small budget. In the background of some scenes, you can tell the horses are computer-generated. And the settings are, shall we say, limited, I assume to keep costs in line. So could they not afford writers either? It’s almost as if AI wrote the whole thing, except AI would do better.

It’s a grand example of how talent does not, by itself, lead to great work.

Jane

P.S. Most popular blog post this month: Is Deep Third an Actual POV?​

​Bob Eckstein​

ISSUE SPONSOR

Jane’s Electric Speed List

Here are some of the latest things I’ve discovered. (I am not paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.)

Banish (or better manage) the persistent cookie notices from websites

If you get annoyed by the cookie notices everywhere you go, consider the browser extension Super Agent. It helps you manage cookie notices and reduce the interruptions. Works with most browsers.

Play 2,000 board games online at no cost

​Tabletopia allows you to play board games online with friends or anyone else in the world. If you decide to pay, you can have more simultaneous game sessions and access to premium games.

How to make normal conversations better

​This article by Sasha Chapin was shared in multiple newsletters I receive, and for good reason. You’ll find many surprising insights, including this one: “During the sad years of my life, when I dealt with varying levels of suicidal ideation for extended periods, I thoroughly appreciated when people kept things light and funny, and didn’t treat me like a leper. It pissed me off when I detected that my comforters were engaging in a rote form of empathy signaling, which is a common mode.” Read.​

Doughnut statistics! 🍩

As some of you know, my husband is a doughnut aficionado. So we were very excited by this delicious piece of data analysis that delves into America’s doughnut landscape. It proves my husband’s assertion that we lived in sad doughnut land while in Virginia, but we were surprised by the city that came out on top as the doughnut capital.

NEXT ONLINE CLASS

July 12: Write Powerfully in Deep Third POV with Tiffany Yates Martin

Deep third-person point of view (POV) is a narrative technique that can greatly enhance the reader’s immersion in a story, but using it requires skill and attention. Career editor Tiffany Yates Martin will show you what sets deep third apart from other points of view, how to most effectively use its power, and what it looks like to drive readers deep into a character’s direct experience. We’ll look at plentiful published examples to see what makes deep third work, to open a window into your characters’ direct experience while serving the story and moving it forward.

Your turn: bug bite prevention and remedies

In the last issue, I asked you to share your secrets for avoiding and/or soothing bug bites. And wow, the response was so incredible that I’ve compiled a page with all the suggestions. Below is a sampling.

• I’m eaten alive by mosquitos too. For me, Lucas’ Papaw ointment works best. If I put it on the bite immediately after I was bitten, it’ll be almost gone by the next day! I bought it in Australia but I saw that you can order it online. It’s a bit pricy but a little goes a very long way. I brought home two of those small pots with me ten years ago and have still not used them up! —Miriam
• The camphor oil in Vicks VapoRub will end the itching of a bug bite (or other itches, too). —Eilene Lyon
• Put lavender essential oil on the bite immediately. —Susan Hodge
• My recommendation for prevention: Cutter Skinsations Insect Repellent. I use the pump spray and spritz it all over my arms and legs. It smells nice, is gentle on my super sensitive skin, and works really well for me. My recommendation for soothing: After Bite Advanced (liquid formula). —Leah Price
• I use Avon Skin So Soft sunscreen with bug repellent. I’m sensitive to most smells but I can tolerate this and it works! Baking soda paste made with water will even take the sting 🐝 from a yellow jacket. —Antoinette Arsic
• The only thing that works for me is genuine, strong peppermint. Spray it all over your clothes and skin, and refresh frequently. (It also wakes you up and improves focus.) —Grace Burrowes
• ​Browse all recommendations. (Thank you!)

Next question: What are your favorite games—inside or outside (non-digital/non-video)? Hit reply to this message, or head on over to Discord to share.

Free resources featuring Jane

• July 16: Spotting Scams & Bad Deals with Jane Friedman

Upcoming online classes

• ​Write Powerfully in Deep Third POV with Tiffany Yates Martin, July 12
• ​Establish (or Improve) Your Email Newsletter with Jane Friedman, July 13
• ​The Author Platform Accelerator with Catherine Baab-Muguira, July 26
• ​Writing Irresistible Picture Books with Mary Kole, Aug. 9
• ​Will Your Nonfiction Book Sell? with Jane Friedman, Aug. 17
• ​The Psychology of Memoir (three-part series) with Lisa Cooper Ellison, Aug. 23 | Sep. 27 | Oct. 26

Meet Jane at an event

• ​Midwest Writers Workshop (Muncie, Ind.), July 19–22
• ​Into the Springs Writers Workshop (Ohio), Aug. 4–6
• ​Writing in the Ozarks (Eureka Springs, Ark.), Oct. 12–14

“At electric speed, all forms are pushed to the limits of their potential.”
—Marshall McLuhan

Created by Jane Friedman I report on the publishing industry and help authors understand the business of writing. Connect on LinkedIn | Instagram | Discord​ P.S. I have a paid newsletter, too.

​

109 Dorsey St., Cincinnati, OH 45202
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​