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

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In the entirety of my career, I’m not sure I’ve ever observed the level of anxiety and fear that now surrounds AI among writers. So I spend considerable time each week reading about AI news and sorting through vastly different perspectives. I want to be prepared to answer questions from writers on the issue—to the extent that is even possible. The tech itself and people’s opinions on it keep changing, and I find myself wondering how we’ll approach AI when the buzz finally fades. And I may have gotten a small glimpse of that.

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A couple weeks ago, I attended my 30-year high school reunion in my hometown in rural Indiana, where mixed drinks cost $3.75 at the local bar. I talked with a couple classmates about AI, one who works in home inspection and the other in industrial design. When I asked them about tools like ChatGPT, I did not expect them to say they were using it. But they’ve proactively been using AI to assist them in their jobs. Their attitude: it’s just another tool. They did not fear for their livelihoods.

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Do writers and other creative people have more to worry about? I can’t predict the future, but I do admire the attitude I observed at the reunion: It’s here and we’re getting on with our work as always.

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Jane

P.S. Most popular blog post this month: ​Crafting Memoir with a Message​

​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.)

Threads now has columns!

I left X/Twitter when they started charging users for column functionality, and I’ve been avidly waiting for Threads—my chosen alternative—to offer columns. Now they have. 💃🏻

Otter is getting expensive 😕 Now what?

For years I’ve recommended Otter for audio transcriptions, but they recently changed their pricing/plans in a way that makes it less desirable for my business. Moreover, Mark and I have discovered that its automated transcriptions are not nearly as accurate as the ones generated by Vimeo, another service we use. So we won’t be keeping our Otter plan when it comes up for renewal. (Also, via Recomendo, I learned about a lower priced alternative to Otter: Notta.)

Do you know about the InDesign and Photoshop alternative?

Speaking of expense: If you don’t like the ongoing cost (or the terms) of Adobe products (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), you might appreciate a cheaper alternative, although with fewer bells and whistles: Affinity. Pay once rather than every month or every year. Includes a free 7-day trial and works on MacOS, Windows, and iPad. (Yes, Affinity can import Adobe files.)

Literary Agents of Change auction

Last year, the Literary Agents of Change auction raised more than $15,000 to help lower the barriers to entry for those seeking a career as a literary agent. They’re running the auction again this year from June 10–16. You’ll find opportunities for written critiques, consults and chats, virtual visits, and more from agents, editors, authors, and illustrators. It’s a rare opportunity to work with some excellent professionals. Take a look. The auction may not be live and browsable until Monday, so bookmark the site and add a reminder to your calendar if needed.

NEXT ONLINE CLASS

June 19: The Psychology of Character Development for Memoirists with Lisa Cooper Ellison

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Developing great characters is hard work. It takes artistry and an understanding of psychology to replace clichés and tired tropes with fresh descriptions and an interiority that hints at a rich inner world, while giving rise to clear motivations. Yet many memoirists struggle to do this—for good reason. While understanding both real and made-up characters who aren’t you is challenging, analyzing yourself is more difficult. The key to developing compelling characters is to craft the inner, use it to build the outer, then combine the two to reveal your character’s emotions and motivations.

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Your turn: Discoveries at the library

In the last issue, I asked you to share the most recent author or book you discovered because of the library. Here’s a small selection of what you said:

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• My favorite found fiction author is Sophie Irwin (A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting) and for nonfiction, I have to go with Adam Kucharski (The Rules of Contagion). —Jess Feder
• I have never responded to your newsletters but felt compelled to give a shoutout to one of the best books I have read in a while: Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse. I was wandering the isles of my local Seattle library branch and saw this memoir placed on top of a shelf and after thumbing through it briefly, took it home. When I cracked it open, I couldn’t put it down. The fabulous writing, the bold story, I loved every minute spent with this book—and now have recommended it to everyone I know! —Bethany Brodsky
• I found Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart in my library’s excellent mystery section when I was taking out the next Tony Hillerman for my husband. I just happened to turn my head and there was this spine with wonderful Asian iconography and the book had the word dragon in the title, so I couldn’t lose, right? And Jade Dragon Mountain, the first in a series of three, is absolutely wonderful! It takes place in 18th-century China, its detective is a librarian, and his sidekick is this always-makes-me-smile storyteller. I loved how Hart paced the story. It was like reading a tea ceremony, immersive, stately and dramatic. —Sonja Hakala
• One great book I found by browsing the library was Andrew Leland’s debut memoir called The Country of the Blind. It was fantastic: well-researched, thoughtful, articulate, and incredibly honest. —Jeannie Ewing
• Last time I went to my local library, I stumbled on After the Forest by Kell Woods. Equal parts fun and spooky with a sprinkle of speculative elements, this author’s debut combines half a dozen fairy tales to make this a pacey page-turner. Loved it! —Stacy Alderman
• Jamie Varon’s book Main Character Energy. She's found a way to deal with the chaos, pain and trauma of family without making it a Gabor Mate workshop. In fact, it’s a delightful tale about a writer, insecure in her talent for many reasons, who is offered an opportunity to purge the doubt. You’re not always sure she will and that’s what keeps you turning the pages. —Staci B.
• The Jacksonville Public Library hosted a conversation/book signing with Jeff Goodell, author of The Water Will Come and its even less cheerful followup, The Heat Will Kill You First. He has traveled all over the world to report on these issues (and others) and met amazing people, whose stories are in the book. Sure, climate change isn’t a fun topic, but his books are interesting, well-researched, and easy to read. If anything will convince you that the problems of global warming are already here, these will. —Abigail Welborn
• I have a long commute so I listen to a lot of audio books. Stumbled upon Shauna Robinson and The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks. Robinson is a sheer genius. Writers who are readers will love her covert nods to classic literature. —TonyaAnn Pember

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I received so many more wonderful recommendations. Don’t miss them—browse the full list!​

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Next question: Do you have a home printer that you love (really)? Let me know about it. Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share.

Free resources featuring Jane

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• Video: Humorist Bob Eckstein explains his rise and fall in publishing
• July 7: Efficient & Accessible Online Classes: Behind the Scenes with Jane & Mark
• Huffington Post: Should I Feel Guilty for Checking Out a Book Instead of Buying It? (Spoiler alert: Jane says no.)

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Upcoming online classes

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• ​The Psychology of Character Development for Memoirists with Lisa Cooper Ellison, June 19
• ​Writing & Pitching Hybrid Memoir in Today’s Market with Courtney Maum, June 26
• ​How Authors Can Unlock Brand Recognition with Andrea Guevara, July 3​
• ​Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot with Jane K. Cleland, July 10
• ​Will Your Nonfiction Book Sell? with Jane Friedman, July 18
• ​Zero-to-Platform Bootcamp with Allison K Williams, July 20–21
• ​Run a Paid Newsletter That Actually Pays with Jane Friedman, July 25
• ​Establish (or Improve) Your Email Newsletter with Jane Friedman, Aug. 8

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Meet Jane at an event

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• ​Write to Publish (Chicago), June 11–14, 2024
• ​Midwest Writers Workshop (Muncie, Ind.), July 11–13, 2024
• ​Willamette Writers Hybrid Conference (virtual), July 31–August 4, 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 | Threads | Discord​ P.S. I have a paid newsletter, too.

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