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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Recently I hosted a free class with Tiffany Yates Martin on the writing demons, or negative self-talk and other ways we undermine our own success. While we chatted prior to class, she observed that whatever demons I have, I rarely divulge them.

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I like that she didn’t assume I have no demons at all. Everyone has them.

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So I told her the story of how the two panels I pitched for the AWP Conference in Los Angeles next year were both rejected. The last time I pitched two panels, both were accepted, but that was a long time ago, in 2011. I told Tiffany, “I fear I’ve become a fossil.”

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Before a bunch of you hit reply and say, “You are NOT a fossil” (please please don’t), I am self-aware enough to know on what level that assessment could be true or false, as well as the range of justifiable reasons my panels were rejected. But when you’ve spent 25 years in an industry, one does have a reasonable fear of fossilizing—I’ve watched it happen to others when they stop growing and calcify in their positions, cold as stone.

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True or false, valid or not: How do you decide to act when demons whisper in your ear?

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As I said when introducing Tiffany’s talk, the longer I’m in the business, the more I find that writers’ ability to deal with the psychological pitfalls, year after year, can become more important than raw talent or skill. Because it’s how you respond to these demons that play a role in how you grow your skills and put to work the talent you do have.

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Jane

P.S. Most popular post this month: 3 Bad Ideas for More Creative Writing​

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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.)

Business Book Author ROI Study

I am skeptical of most author earnings surveys and reports. Most are too broad, inclusive of so many genres and even professions—academics, business people, celebrities, novelists—that the results rarely mean anything for the average author. (Here’s the longer explanation.)
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But if you’re able to survey super-specific author segments, you might be able to say something useful for authors working in that segment. The Business Book Author ROI Study is a new and strong effort to capture what business authors earn and how they earn it. The survey reached about 300 authors who had published a nonfiction book. All prescriptive nonfiction authors would likely benefit from reviewing the study—it’s free.

AI and publishers: licensing deal tracker

Recently, I discussed the various deals that have been struck by book publishers to license their backlist for AI training, for millions of dollars. Those deals continue to be made, with new licensing companies stepping into the fray. But I’m not sure many authors, much less the general public, are aware of just how many deals have already been struck for legal and licensed training. This webpage will help you keep track.​

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• Have questions about AI licensing? See this FAQ from The Authors Guild.

Want an anthropological or sociological lens to help decipher the latest dust-up on X/Twitter?

It requires following a TikTok account, tellthebeees. Here’s a background interview with the creator so you know what to expect and why it might be useful.

Mac dictation app: Flow

The tool recommendation I’m asked about most frequently? Dictation software. Here’s one to try if you’re a Mac user: Flow. It lets you speak naturally and will transcribe your words across every application. The free plan gives you 2,000 words a week.

NEXT ONLINE CLASS

Oct. 30: Irresistible First Chapters with Tiffany Yates Martin

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Studies show people make judgments about your character in a tenth of a second—and readers, agents, and editors may decide almost as quickly whether or not to keep reading your story.

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First pages and chapters carry a lot of weight: They must introduce characters and give readers a reason to care about what happens; set up enough suggestion of conflict to intrigue; and create questions that keep us turning pages.

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In this class, career editor Tiffany Yates Martin shares the principles she’s culled from editing thousands of manuscripts to help you create irresistible opening pages.

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Your turn: digital photo organization

In the last issue, I asked you to share a favorite tool or app that helps you keep photos organized (aside from native apps such as Photos on Mac/iPhone). The best answer it seems, for now: Adobe Lightroom.

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• Regarding an app for organizing photos, I use Adobe Lightroom. It’s a robust program (available for PC and Mac) that allows you to label, describe, categorize, and keyword your photos, as well as mark the best ones with stars or colors. More than that, it’s a very powerful editing program that can greatly enhance the look of photos. It includes, among other things, some AI features for removal of objectionable items. Another similar program is On1 Photo RAW, which I also use occasionally. —Norm Reid
• I used Adobe Lightroom for my photo catalog management. It has many features, such as keywords, collections, and ratings that allow someone to sort/organize their photos. However, there are two downsides. First, like most Adobe products it has a big learning curve. Second, it’s available by subscription only ($10/month). DxO has a similar product, PhotoLab. I haven’t tried it but at least it doesn’t require a subscription. In my opinion, both are probably more useful to pro or semi-pro photographers. —Scott Gilbertson

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Next question: Do you belong to a book subscription service? Tell me about it! Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share.

Free resources featuring Jane

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• Video: Dealing with the Writer Demons with Tiffany Yates Martin
• Oct. 29: Author Platform Mastery: Website, Social Media, Newsletter, free Zoom-based Q&A with Jane, hosted by StoryOrigin
• Nov. 15: The Surprise of LinkedIn, a business clinic with Jane Friedman and Allison K Williams

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Upcoming online classes

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• ​Irresistible First Chapters with Tiffany Yates Martin, Oct. 30
• ​Memoir Bootcamp with Allison K Williams, Nov. 6, 13 & 20
• ​Effective Book Marketing for Any Author with Jane Friedman, Nov. 7

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Meet Jane at an event

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• ​NYU Advanced Publishing Institute (NYC), Jan. 6–10, 2025
• ​AWP Conference & Bookfair (Los Angeles), March 26–29, 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​

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