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  5. [Electric Speed] Literature clock | A game about language

[Electric Speed] Literature clock | A game about language

Digital tools and resources for creative people
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A note from Jane

Several years ago, my husband and I attended a day-long workshop hosted by author Alain de Botton (at School of Life) on making romantic relationships last. I’ve long been a fan of de Botton’s work ever since I read his novel On Love in 1998. He has an amazing ability to describe emotional states of being that you can’t put into words yourself.

His workshop did not disappoint, and I now rely on a practical tool offered that day: It’s OK to view your significant other as the small child they actually are. De Botton explains in this talk:
When a small child has done something wrong—let’s imagine you have a small child, you cook them dinner, they’re two years old, three years old, you have broccoli and some schnitzel and you put a plate down in front of them and they just swipe it off and go, “Ech!” and start screaming.

Now, what do you do as a modern parent? You don’t hit them. You don’t go, “I’m so offended, I’ve had a hard day at work, and now this—you’re persecuting me!” You don’t say that. Instead, you go, “Maybe my poor child’s got a sore tooth, or maybe he’s a bit jealous of his sister being born, maybe that’s kind of weighing on him, maybe he’s a bit tired, that’s why he’s behaving like this.”
Some consider this attitude patronizing if expressed toward an adult. But we forget, de Botton says, how generous, how kind, how truly loving it is to treat someone in this way—to be generous in one’s interpretation of another person.

This insight really hit home when I took it a step further and wondered: Do I grant myself such grace?

For creative people, the process of submitting or putting your work into the public can beat you up. Negative thought-spirals lurk around every corner. I’m too old. I don’t have enough time. I’m not making progress. So many others are doing better than me.

What would you say to a cherished and loved person in your life who was experiencing these thoughts? What would you say to a child feeling this way?

What would it be like to direct that generosity toward yourself?

Jane

P.S. The most popular blog post at my site this month:
How to Plan & Host Worthwhile Online Book Events

P.P.S. There is more to this newsletter. Keep scrolling!
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Sponsorships help support Electric Speed.
 
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.)
I love this literature clock
When you visit the literature clock, it takes note of your local time, then delivers a passage from literature that matches it. I happen to be writing this at 2:57 p.m. and received the following excerpt from Ulysses by James Joyce:

“The superior, the very reverend John Conmee SJ reset his smooth watch in his interior pocket as he came down the presbytery steps. Five to three. Just nice time to walk to Artane.”
Foodie recommendation (off topic, but it is too good not to tell you about)
Over the last year, I’ve become familiar with Brooklyn Delhi products and fallen in love with their Tomato Achaar. It works in so many different contexts— soups, sauces, sandwiches, curries—anything that needs to be taken from “blah” to “yum.” You can order online and I’ve also spotted their products at Whole Foods.
A game about language and how it dies
This recommendation comes from reader Gretel Hakanson. In the game of Dialect, you tell the story of a community by building their language. Players take away both the story they’ve told and the dialect they’ve built together. For 3 to 5 players, takes 3 to 4 hours.
Easily clean up pictures
At no cost, remove any object, people, or text from your pictures using this straightforward cleanup tool. Retouching is also possible. The free version will export up to 720px.
 
How Memoirs Resonate with Dinty W. Moore. $25 class. Friday, January 28, 2022. 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Eastern.
NEXT ONLINE CLASS
Jan. 28: How Memoirs Resonate with Dinty W. Moore
You have a memoir idea, maybe even a first draft, but still worry whether other people will want to read your story. It’s a basic concern facing all writers of memoir. Though our stories—the truth of our pain, our struggles, our progress, our redemption—reverberate on a personal level, we don’t write for ourselves, we write for others. So, how do our personal stories become universal, resonating with readers who don’t know us? In this class, noted memoirist Dinty W. Moore will tackle the insecurity we share about our own stories and highlight specific structural, voice, and craft choices that help stories resound deeply with potential readers.
Learn more and register
Your turn: favorite smartphone cases
In the last issue, I asked you to tell me about your favorite smartphone case and/or accessories. Here’s what you said:

  • I love the Snugg leather wallet cases because not only can I keep notes about my inspirations in the card slots inside, but most importantly it protects my screen when I drop my phone. —Julie Noparstak
  • Trek Tech is a women-owned company with phone cases that let your hands roam free—to do the billion other things we all have to do. They will custom create a case if you have an older model and the back wallet also acts as a stand for your phone. I’ve been using mine for three years and just love it! —Brooke
  • I love phone cases that double as wallets, like the kwmobile case I currently use. —Gwen Tolios

Next question: Do you have favorite, inexpensive frame options (for photos, artwork, illustrations)? Hit reply to this email or share on Discord.
 
Free resources featuring Jane
Upcoming online classes

Learn about my mission for online classes.
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Jane Friedman
Electric Speed is a free newsletter by Jane Friedman that launched in 2009. More than 20,000 subscribers receive it. You can support it by (1) sponsoring an issue or (2) sharing it with friends and colleagues. “At electric speed, all forms are pushed to the limits of their potential.” —Marshall McLuhan
Thai-inspired chicken meatball soup—fabulous during cold months. ❄️
 
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