[Electric Speed] Wordle spin-offs | Do you read the manual first?

A note from Jane

Are you the type of person who reads the manual or tosses it aside?

My husband and I couldn’t be further apart on this issue.

When we moved into our new place this month, he was faced with an unfamiliar washer/dryer set. I say “he” and not “we” because he does all the laundry and I’m not even sure I’m allowed to do it.

After a week elapsed with dirty clothes piling up, I realized he was paralyzed. He couldn’t find the washer/dryer manuals. But this is a common appliance, right, not rocket science. Just push some buttons, what’s the worst that could happen? The clothes get washed a little less or a little more than you’d like.

That is not how he sees it. He wants to be armed with official guidance and proper instruction. Thank god he did find the manuals somewhere, and I knew without asking because his mood went from sour to ebullient. And I now have clean clothes.

My approach is trial and error, to figure out things on my own. I encourage writers to do the same with a writing project, an email newsletter, a brand-new social media platform: Go experiment! Don’t be afraid! You can’t do it wrong. You can recover from any mistakes. Learn as you go.

But not everyone enjoys that, and it’s taken me a while to recognize and respect varied learning styles. If you think you need a manual or if you want a manual, then you should find one. Eventually, though, we all have to dive in. Achieving mastery—over laundry or writing—requires experience.

I assume most of you have heard of Wordle by now (and if not, you must not be into word games).

Since there is only one Wordle puzzle per day, you might be left hungry for more. Don’t miss these offerings.

Dordle: Guess two mystery words instead of one
Quordle: Guess four mystery words
Octordle: Guess eight mystery words
Latin Wordle: Exactly what it sounds like
Nerdle: Like Wordle, except it’s numbers and math calculations
Heardle: Name that tune, based on 1-second increments
Semantle: Guess the word based on semantic similarity (devilish)

A healthy, vibrant writing group can increase your creativity, productivity, and motivation. But not all groups or group formats are helpful. Even groups brimming with enthusiastic, supportive members can stall your progress if what they offer clashes with what you need. So how do you find a writing group that matches your goals, skill level, and the stage of your writing project? This class will examine the different kinds of writing groups writers can form, how these groups support different stages in the writing process, and how to find—or create—the group that’s right for you.

In the last issue, I asked you to tell me about your drawing tablets and tools. The favorite is clear! Here’s what you said:

After a lifetime using a PC, I recently purchased an iPad Pro (with second generation Apple Pencil and Paperlike screen protector) in order to use Procreate. Why? I was inspired by Natalie Goldberg’s inspiration, when she said that being creative in one field adds to creativity in another, not subtracts. Also, I have two cats who love dabbling in oils, watercolor, and ceramic clay themselves. The iPad Pro seemed like a good, portable solution. —Lakota Grace
I bought myself an iPad, Apple Pencil, and the Procreate app for my hand lettering business. I couldn’t afford the pro model, but it has still been the best investment for my small business. —Vanessa Rasanen
My parents bought me a UGEE M708 Pen Tablet for my birthday ages ago, and it still works as it did when I first received it possibly twelve years ago. They may have updated the model or something, but that’s what I use. —George Elmer
I use an iPad Pro, with a Paperlike screen cover. It adds a ‘drag factor’ that makes it feel much more like drawing on paper, instead of gliding over glass. I use an Apple Pencil as well, mainly for writing and illustrating my children’s picture books, and occasionally using it to brainstorm story plot threads. I do all this on Procreate. —Matthew Goodall

Next question: Do you have a smart home device you can’t do without? A light switch? Thermostat? Something else? Hit reply to this message to let me know, or share on the Discord server for Electric Speed subscribers.

Key phrases

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