[Electric Speed] Incredible scheduling tool | Age-positive imagery (yay!)

Digital tools and resources for creative people
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Electric Speed from Jane Friedman
A note from Jane

I have spent the last 10 years living in Charlottesville, Virginia. While I moved here for a new and exciting job, that job ended two years in and not exactly according to plan.

My husband, Mark, and I decided to stay put because moving is a pain and as a freelancer I could work from anywhere. When people ask why we live in Charlottesville, my stock answer has been inertia.” And it is true. We simply can’t be bothered. (A friend of mine calls Charlottesville the velvet ditch. Make of that what you will.)

Yet I’ve never had much (any) fondness for this town, and I feel sorry for the people who think they can warm me up over email or social media by talking about how much they love Charlottesville and UVA, how beautiful it is, etc. It’s a sure way to make me less enthusiastic about connecting. (Sorry if you are one of these people. I try not to hold it against you, I promise.)

But finally Mark and I overcame our inertia.

Over the holidays, as I visited family and friends in Cincinnati and Indiana, I swore up and down I would not engage in nostalgic thoughts or conversation about moving back. Sentimental hogwash!, I told myself, in the voice of Mr. Potter.

But as I drove through fields of gold—yes, still gold in wintertime Indiana—and walked my old Cincinnati neighborhood, I realized it wasn’t nostalgia at all. It was meaning and love. These places resonate with me. And Charlottesville simply does not. I no longer want to grow old in a place I don’t care for.

Mark and I move back to Cincinnati in April. We’ve been away long enough.

Jane

P.S. The most popular blog post at my site this month:
What If Your Memoir Is Middle Grade?

P.P.S. There is more to this newsletter. Keep scrolling!
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The Write Malloy Book Coaching

I’m Caroline Malloy, Ph.D., a Historian and Book Coach, and I help writers just like you turn your story into HISTORY. Whether it’s narrative nonfiction or memoir, I’m here to help with everything from plot to proposal. I believe in you and have the system, tools and expertise to help you translate your knowledge and experience into a compelling story.

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.)
Probably the most streamlined scheduling tool I have ever seen
Recently a colleague reached out via email to schedule a meeting. Right in the body of the email was a calendar with her available times. I clicked on an appointment slot, and—within seconds, without me having to type a single letter—the meeting was booked and on my Google calendar. I literally had to do nothing else.

I immediately looked up the tech behind this magic. It’s called Mixmax and the instant scheduling tool is free. It’s been a long time since I was so seriously impressed.

What makes writing more readable?
I love The Pudding, and one of its latest studies focuses on what makes writing more readable or accessible. The results are unlikely to surprise, but it’s a useful reminder with excellent examples. Consider its lessons when you’re writing marketing emails, website copy, FAQs, and more.
Attention Google Trends users!
Google Trends is a free resource from Google that shows what people are searching for and what topics are trending. (As I write this, trending topics include Lakers, Ash Wednesday, and Mardi Gras 2022.)

Glimpse is a Chrome extension that works in tandem with Google Trends to bring you even more insights. For example, when I searched for author Brandon Sanderson, Glimpse told me the monthly search volume for his name over time and which social channels talk about him most (YouTube and Reddit, it turns out). You get 20 free searches per month.

An alternative to perfect-looking young people
The Centre for Ageing Better has launched a free library of 400+ stock images of people age 50 and over. You’ll also find age-positive icons. H/t Dense Discovery newsletter.
 
Instagram Smarts for Writers with Ashleigh Renard. $25 webinar. Thursday, March 17, 2022. 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern.
NEXT ONLINE CLASS
March 17: Instagram Smarts for Writers with Ashleigh Renard
In this 90-minute class, author Ashleigh Renard will teach you how to harness the power of Instagram’s creative features and build an audience of fans who will buy your book. Learn the strategies that work well for authors, and how to leap over the tech hurdle if youve been struggling with how to post videos and Reels.
Your turn: favorite quotation sources
In the last issue, I asked you to tell me your favorite source for quotations. Here’s what you said:

  • As a former speechwriter, I always kept quote dictionaries on hand. But online, good sources are BrainyQuote and SearchQuotes. But beware: these sources skew white and male. —Amy on Discord

  • Lib Quotes: 100-percent sourced quotes. —Michelle Miller

  • Library of Congress, Bartleby, LitQuotes, Lib Quotes, Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (1955) —L Rockhill

Next question: Your favorite gadget for charging gadgets? Hit reply to this email or share on Discord.
 
Free resources featuring Jane
Upcoming online classes
More than 20,000 people read Electric Speed


“At electric speed, all forms are pushed to the limits of their potential.”
—Marshall McLuhan
Jane Friedman
Created by Jane Friedman
I report on the publishing industry and help authors understand the business of writing.

Connect on Twitter | Instagram

This recipe is so easy I made it during a weekday lunch hour. Amazing. 🫑
 
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Older messages

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[Electric Speed] Literature clock | A game about language

Saturday, January 22, 2022

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[Electric Speed] Fun new word game | Can you break the rules?

Saturday, January 8, 2022

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[Electric Speed] Most popular resources of 2021

Saturday, December 25, 2021

4-minute verbal creativity test | Old book illustrations | Curious search engine ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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