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 only thing I knew for sure about Yellowstone National Park—before visiting earlier this month—is that it’s the home of Old Faithful.

Good news/bad news: Old Faithful is exactly as advertised. Anyone who visits the park can rest assured they’ll see the eruption of the world’s most famous geyser, if they can be patient for 90 minutes or less.

What I didn’t know is that Old Faithful is surrounded by geysers of all shapes and sizes: bigger ones, smaller ones, less predictable ones. Cute ones. Weird ones. Not to mention Yellowstone is full of countless, fascinating thermal features, like Mammoth Hot Springs, a complex of hot springs on a hill of travertine.

I mentioned to my husband that Old Faithful is—how do I put it?—boring in comparison.

Without missing a beat, he responded with one of my own lectures: sounds like what you always say about successful writers.

They keep showing up, day after day, doing the work. There isn’t anything all that exciting, or secretive, about the most well-worn path to success. Consistency leads to results.

Well, then, credit where credit is due, Old Faithful. Your fame is deserved.

Jane

P.S. Most popular blog post this month: I Received Conflicting Advice on My Query Letter. What Now?​

​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.)

A grand resource for naming things

Need to name your characters? Imagined fantasy worlds? Your new business or product? Your baby? Your pet? Take a look at Onym. You’ll find a compendium of online dictionaries, thesauruses, word generators, and much more. I’ve featured Onym in the past; it just keeps getting better.

International travel power adapter with USB

This recommendation comes from reader Kris Tsetsi, who’s married to an airplane pilot: a universal travel power adapter that includes two types of USB plugs in addition to electric plugs for US, UK, EU, and Asia. It’s available at many different retailers.

Need or want to stay on top of trending topics?

​Exploding Topics keeps you aware of what’s trending right now. It’s useful for publicists and book marketers, as well as anyone who wants to brainstorm op-eds or trend pieces they might write. Trending at the time of this writing: micro weddings, rotating car seats, and … banana ketchup.

The most magical stretch I’ve discovered

Years ago, I pinched a nerve in the back of my shoulder (probably too much screen time), and ever since then it has become prone to tightness and painful flare-ups. About a year ago, I discovered a stretch that works miracles at keeping things loose: the banded lat stretch (video). I can’t describe it in words, so check out the brief video. It does require a heavy-duty stretch band knotted around something heavy, but it’s worth it. Also helpful: an Acumobility ball for overall neck/shoulder tension.

NEXT ONLINE CLASS

Sept. 21: Writer Mind, Marketing Mind with Allison K Williams

Selling your book means marketing, even with a Big Five deal and more so with a small or hybrid press. But that doesn’t require time-consuming social media or dancing on TikTok! This 90-minute class will teach novelists, memoirists and nonfiction writers the mindset shift from “ugh, sales” to “wow, this reader needs me,” so that marketing and selling become an extension of your mission and an expression of your integrity. Learn how to make evangelists for your work, get reviews that count, and bring your words to the readers who need them most.

Your turn: favorite smartwatch bands

In the last issue, I asked you to share favorite brands or retailers of smartwatch bands. Here’s what you said.

• I have tiny wrists and found a set of five adjustable Apple watch bands from Adorve suit my needs. They’re elastic and slip on, so no buckles or pins to match with holes that were never in the right place for me. Lots of color/pattern combinations to choose from. —Terry Odell
• No specific brand to recommend, but I do really like the velcro bands lately—especially since you can really adjust them to your wrist, particularly helpful for small wrists. —David Kazzie

Next question: Is there a book that you think is even better to experience as an audiobook, rather than in print? Hit reply to this message, or head on over to Discord to share.

Free resources featuring Jane

• Sunday Business Sermon (Sept. 17): Negotiating Book Contracts​
• Business Clinic (Oct. 27): Attracting Students to Online Classes​

Upcoming online classes

• ​Writer Mind, Marketing Mind with Allison K Williams, Sept. 21
• ​Author Website Mistakes with Jane Friedman, Sept. 22
• ​The Psychology of Memoir (Part 2: Revise) with Lisa Ellison, Sept. 27
• ​Effective Book Marketing for Any Author with Jane Friedman, Sept. 28
• ​Start on Substack with Power & Purpose with Dan Blank, Oct. 4
• ​Master the Flashback with Tiffany Yates Martin, Oct. 18
• ​Social Media Bliss with Jane Friedman, Oct. 19
• ​Build Your Developmental Editing Business with Allison K Williams, starts Nov. 1

Meet Jane at an event

• ​​Writing in the Ozarks (Eureka Springs, Ark.), Oct. 12–14, 2023
• ​Craft & Publishing Voyage (cruise ship!), April 28–May 5, 2024

“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.

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