A note from Jane
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions per se, but once every few years, I’ll come across a quote so pithy and tremendously needed, I write it down and stick it to my computer monitor. Coincidentally I ran across this one a couple weeks ago:
“When someone tries to provoke you, don’t be provoked. When someone isn’t even trying to provoke you but you feel provoked anyway, don’t be provoked. When your opponents are trying to get you to talk about something, it’s probably because you shouldn’t. You don’t have to respond to everything. You can decide what your agenda is, and what your message is, and do your best to focus on that.” (Tom Hamilton’s words, via this Helen Lewis newsletter)
I am forever responding to people on social media (and elsewhere) because I have this idea in my head that if I am at all present, I must acknowledge and respond.
Of course this is not the case.
This little koan will help me greatly in the new year. Maybe it will help you, too.
Jane
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Reader recommendation: novelWriter
From Alan Langford: “novelWriter is a free, open source, and cross-platform alternative for Scrivener. It’s much less visual than Scrivener, working with text and using Markdown, so it’s not for everyone. Personally I find it has everything I need and the less fancy interface helps me concentrate on the work. … I found novelWriter when I was looking for some way to track how each of my scenes contributed to the structure and found Scrivener wanting. I was bouncing between a spreadsheet and Scrivener, trying to capture everything. This was tedious, especially when things changed. I wished for some way to just add metadata to each scene and pull it out to a spreadsheet automatically. I made a suggestion for this feature on the novelWriter project page, a long discussion with [the developer] resulted, and we came up with a strategy for making it work. This let me start adding the metadata immediately; official support should see production release before the end of the year. I’ve completely abandoned Scrivener now.” Check out novelWriter.
Time to update or upgrade your wifi router?
I’ve never given much thought to routers, but when my husband and I started experiencing intermittent wifi problems at home, we realized we were still relying on our 2016 Apple routers, which are a little long in the tooth and no longer being produced by Apple. We also moved to a home in 2022 with three separate floors needing coverage but never bought new equipment. So we switched to a mesh network and used Wirecutter’s recommendations to guide us to new system. Here’s what they say about routers and mesh networks.
My preferred wall calendar: 3–4 months at a glance
Every year, I buy the same wall calendar that shows three or four months at a time, with a date slider for the current day. Invaluable if you travel, speak, or teach throughout the year. Here’s an example. This style can be a little hard to find, but for me it’s worth the search.
A free alternative to Google Docs
For writers who like to collaborate on documents, but would rather not use Google Docs, try Etherpad. It’s an open-source app that works for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
How to Get Published: Land a Book Deal in 2025 with Jane Friedman / Jan. 16, 2025, 1–3:00 p.m. EST
Hosted by Writer’s Digest: This intensive and information-filled 120-minute live webinar helps you think like an industry insider who makes decisions every day on what work merits print publication. Don’t embark on the submission process in 2025 without being fully educated about how the industry works.
Your turn: favorite skin care products
In the last issue, I asked you to share your favorite skin care product. Here’s a selection of what you said.
- I have rosacea and very sensitive skin, so am always on the lookout for products that help keep my skin calm. My go-to is Avène XeraCalm A.D Cleansing Oil for my face, which is a huge bottle and lasts forever. I also use their XeraCalm A.D Cream as a night cream, again a huge bottle that lasts forever. —Melanie
- My favorite skin product for dry feet is not a fancy brand but a cream called Eucerin. An application before bedtime leads to softer feet in the morning, and an occasional foot bath of it with just a few ounces, during which I run foot over foot, produces near-spa-level results. Complement with a good foot file especially for the heels. —Wayne Jones
- Favorite skincare product: EVIL GOODS Whipped Beef Tallow and Manuka Honey Balm. I love this stuff! —Melissa Gardner
- I love the Om Organics skincare line and have been using it for four years. The bilberry and tucuma eye cream is amazing! I’ve tried most of the line and find all of the products nourish the skin—great for my dry/mature skin. I’ve got my sisters hooked on it now! Om offers rewards, freebies, and auto-order options, and it’s easy to buy using their website. It’s worth trying out one of their mini-kits to see if you like the products. —AK White
- Supergoop’s Superscreen Hydrating Daily Cream has no smell, and makeup doesn’t pill when you apply immediately afterwards—my two biggest reasons for skipping it all these years. I also really like their SPF-40 Bright-Eyed Mineral Eye Cream. It really does what it says! —Heather Ash
- My favorite skincare product is avocado. Not a commercial salve or cream, but the raw fruit itself. After scooping out the flesh to eat, I take what remains of it on the nut, and apply it to my hands, arms and legs. Avocado is both hydrating and astringent. Nothing is better for the skin, in my experience. After some skepticism on her part, my wife now follows suit! It absorbs readily and does not leave an oily residue. —Michael Cooper
- Favorite budget face and hand cream: Fruit of the Earth Vitamin E Skin Care Cream, less than $5 for 4 ounces. Lasts a long time. I use it every night on my face and throughout the day on my hands. I keep it in the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and bedroom. I’m 71 years old and have been using it since the 1990s or before. —Rhonda Wiley-Jones
- Guys don’t usually talk about skin care, but I want to recommend Bulldog men’s products. Their line is environmentally friendly and they do not test on animals. They have an entire line ranging from face washes, scrubs, moisturizers, body wash and shaving. —Tate Basildon
- During the pandemic, I somehow discovered the Il Makiage brand. Now I mostly wear their products (I particularly love the Icon High Volume & Intense Curl mascara). But my favorite product is their Power Rewind Eye Tightener, which actually does exactly what it promises: de-puffs and smooths the skin under my eyes, and camouflages the dark circles. The first time I applied it, I walked away because you have to let it set for five minutes and when I walked back to my mirror I was so shocked by how well it worked that I actually said “WHOA!” out loud! —Kelly Stanley
- My favourite skincare product is Dr. Organic Rose Otto Facial Serum. Smells gorgeous, isn’t outrageously priced and leaves your skin feeling soft and dewy. —Emma Baird
➡️ Browse all responses, with links to the products mentioned above.
Next question: Have favorite snow gear or supplies? Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share.
Free resources featuring Jane
Upcoming online classes
Meet Jane at an event
- NYU Advanced Publishing Institute (NYC), Jan. 6–10, 2025
- AWP Conference & Bookfair (Los Angeles), March 26–29, 2025
- My book launch event: Mercantile Library in Cincinnati, April 8, 2025
- ECPA Leadership Summit (Nashville), April 29–30, 2025
- NonfictioNOW Conference (Notre Dame, IN), June 11–13, 2025
- Craft & Publishing Voyage (cruise ship!), Aug. 27–Sept. 3, 2025
“At electric speed, all forms are pushed to the limits of their potential.”
—Marshall McLuhan
To get my mom to consume something other than Ensure, I make this soup. |
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