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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I don’t think I approach my romantic relationships like a business, but evidence may suggest something to the contrary.

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My first marriage was to a Czech citizen attending grad school in the US. After living together for five years, we both became frustrated with his limited and low-paid work options on a student visa. So I suggested we get married as an expedient solution to that problem. He readily agreed. We lasted another five years—no regrets.

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Mark and I were together for nine years when we learned he would lose his 20-year salaried job, along with our health insurance plan. On a train ride home from a business trip, I suggested we set a date to get married within a few weeks to streamline our lives, since he would join my business and we could enjoy a variety of logistical and financial advantages if we were married. He readily agreed.

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Today it’s been five years since Mark and I tied the knot at home. (It was so much cheaper that way.) No regrets.

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Jane

P.S. Most popular blog post this month: How to Write a Story Retelling​ ​ P.P.S. Mark and I are celebrating over the next few days, so you’ll wait a little longer than usual if you have questions, need assistance with classes, etc.

​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.)

Universal book links: help people buy books at their preferred retailer

Recently I moderated an Authors Guild panel on building platform for self-publishing authors, where we mentioned two tools for creating universal book links, particularly for author websites: Books2Read (free) and Geniuslink (not free). Remember: Don’t link only to Amazon if your book is widely available unless you want to antagonize booksellers and retailers.

Be inspired by the daily routines of writers, artists, and other interesting people

Even though it’s no longer updated, Daily Routines remains a terrific archive to help you get unstuck if your creative routines aren’t working for you. Orhan Pamuk says, “I have always thought that the place where you sleep or the place you share with your partner should be separate from the place where you write. The domestic rituals and details somehow kill the imagination.” Browse.​

A book marketing idea: take better advantage of direct mail and the postal service

Does your book appeal to people living in a specific neighborhood or city? Then check this out: You can pay the US postal service to hand-deliver a card to everyone who lives on a specific route. Moreover, you can look at the routes in a community and narrow down the list by residential, business, age, and income. Take a look. Or search for routes by community. H/t Tools for Reporters.

I accidentally bought a counterfeit pet food supplement on Amazon

As someone well-aware of bookish counterfeits sold on Amazon by third-party sellers, I always avoid purchases that aren’t listed as sold by Amazon or a company I trust. But in a rush to replace my depleted supply of Fortiflora (a probiotic supplement for cats, sprinkled right on top of pet food), I mistakenly ordered from a third-party seller. I didn’t recognize anything was wrong until my cat absolutely refused to touch the food she used to love. Even then, my first thought was that Purina must’ve changed the Fortiflora formulation—how dare they! (The packaging was identical, just small printing variations.)

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Then I checked the Amazon reviews and saw a string of customers reporting that their cats wouldn’t touch the “new formulation” either. I compared that with reviews on Chewy, where no one was complaining about such things. So I ordered a new box of Fortiflora from Chewy, and my cat happily ate it again.

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That’s when I took a closer look at the origins of the Amazon product. It was sold by “Authentic Seller” (yes, really) in Turkey.

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All that to say: Be careful out there, and I hope your pets are as discerning as mine when presented with a bad product. I did notify Purina, who asked that I ship them the counterfeit product for analysis.

NEXT ONLINE CLASS

August 15: Workbooks That Work with Anne Janzer (1 p.m. EDT)

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Are you a nonfiction author looking to amplify the impact of your work and engage your audience on a deeper level? Discover the untapped potential of adult workbooks to complement your books, expand your impact, and get your ideas into the world. For readers, a workbook is a guide to internalizing topics otherwise buried in books. And for authors, a workbook based on your existing intellectual property can boost group sales, anchor workshops, and sweeten speaking opportunities. We’ll look at ways to design and structure workbooks to fit a variety of business models and content areas, and cover the the nuts and bolts of production and formats.

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Your turn: custom or personalized journals

In the last issue, I asked you to share where you buy custom or personalized journals. But no one responded! 😱 So instead, I’m running a selection of your favorite paper-based journals that you shared with me in 2020. I’ve narrowed the field to a few companies where you can order a custom or personalized version.

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• I keep a journal (usually many) for each book project, and I love the Moleskine Cahier in L or XL. I buy in bulk with the Kraft Brown covers and blank pages. They’re a great empty canvas for my ideas, and during the duration of the project I decorate the plain covers with stickers gathered in my travels. That way, each notebook ends up as a sort of a time capsule of what was going on when I was writing the associated book. —Leslye Penelope
• For actual brainstorming and book planning, I use the LT 1917 dotted. Many people use these for bullet journaling and calendar or diary work. But watch out for the too-juicy pens. —Lyn Washington
• I’m a journal addict! I have so many. I love to feel them, look at them, buy them! So I can say with assurance that my favorite journal (so far) is The Monolith by Code & Quill: The paper is so smooth and creamy, and the book opens flat. —Renae Gregoire

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Next question: I’ll ask an easier question this time. Do you have a favorite travel dress or travel pants? Let me know. Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share.

Free resources featuring Jane

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• Pipeline Symposium (video): wide-ranging conversation about the publishing industry with Jane and Jeanne Bowerman
• Authors Guild panel (video): Platform Building for Self-Publishing Authors​
• Authors Guild panel (video): Marketing and Promoting Self-Published Books​
• Aug. 25: Why Nonfiction Book Proposals Often Fail, free critique opportunity with Jane Friedman
• Sept. 6: When Your Email Newsletter Growth Has Stalled, a business clinic with Jane Friedman

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Upcoming online classes

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• ​Establish (or Improve) Your Email Newsletter with Jane Friedman, Aug. 8
• ​Workbooks That Work with Anne Janzer, Aug. 15
• ​POV Mastery (3-part series) with Tiffany Yates Martin, Aug. 21–Sept. 4
• ​Start on Substack with Power & Purpose with Dan Blank, Sept. 11
• ​Improve Your Author Website with Jane Friedman, Sept. 12

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Meet Jane at an event

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• ​Book Proposal Intensive with Jane Friedman (Cincinnati), Oct. 17, 2024
• ​Writer’s Digest Annual Conference (Cincinnati), Oct. 17–20, 2024
• ​NYU Advanced Publishing Institute (NYC), Jan. 6–10, 2025

“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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