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A note from Jane

Recently I read an article about why friend breakups hurt so much. In a nutshell: They are a kind of unrecognized grief.

That article has been on my mind after a sort-of-similar breakup: My husband and I left our personal trainer of three years to join another gym.

It’s not a change we planned on. We weren’t looking for a new routine or trainer. But as soon as this other place appeared on our radar, we realized it was time to move on.

My husband and I had extended conversations about how to break the news to our trainer, Jordan. When would we do it? How would we introduce the topic? Who would handle the talking? How would we soften the blow? Should we have a long goodbye and keep going with him for a couple more weeks, or make a clean break?

Before we had barely delivered the first lines of our rehearsed breakup speech, Jordan was asking how we preferred to get our refund for the remaining sessions and wishing us well. Then we were out the door and headed to our car when I realized we’d just had our last workout with him.

Often my husband and I joke that Jordan knows more about us than many friends. We see him more often, he witnesses our aches and pains, hears our complaints, knows why we’re not sleeping well because we tell him. And for our part, we have witnessed him buy a house, adopt two dogs, mature in a committed relationship, and navigate a harrowing death in his family.

It was a friendship of a kind, but one that only persisted because of an ongoing transaction. We all walked away easily, but I find myself wishing it hadn’t been quite so easy.

Jane

P.S. Most popular post this month: Dodging the Scarcity Trap

Bob Eckstein

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Need an author website? Two new DIY tools make it easier than ever

I’ve long emphasized the importance of websites for writers, even for those without a published book. (Learn why.) But for some people, the tech challenge stands in the way. Or there’s the cost if you want to hire a designer or developer to help you.

While I don’t often recommend DIY site-building tools, I’ve been experimenting with two new services that make author website setup easy while following best practices. One is from Tertulia; the other is from BookBub.

For now, BookBub has more features and functionality and is better suited for authors who are engaged in email marketing and advertising. Tertulia excels in providing a seamless, low-stress user experience. If you don’t have a website, you now have no excuse aside from the cost, which is minimal: $9.99/month for either service.

How to find terrific books

Jeremy Caplan at Wonder Tools has put together a collection of his favorite ways to find terrific books. Some of the resources will be familiar to readers of this newsletter, but you might find one or two sites you didn’t already know about. Take a look.

AI’s impact on the written word is overstated

This article from Byrne Hobart offers both historical perspective as well as rational, clear-eyed analysis on how much generative AI will affect the written word. The killer quote is at the end: “There’s already an effectively unlimited supply of people who are writing completely deranged things but can present them with the same design standards and theoretical distribution as a major media outlet (blogging! Substack!) and the same text-level production values, too (spellcheck!). We already implicitly opt out of the overwhelming majority of what we could read.”

While there’s no doubt some types of writing can and will be automated in the future, especially summaries and some forms of copywriting, writers should double down on what makes them weird or stand out in a crowded field. That’s not any different from the way it’s always been.

Will you be at AWP in Los Angeles on March 29?

The Association of Writers & Writing Programs is holding their annual conference at the L.A. Convention Center from March 26–29. You can register and attend on Saturday only for $25. Learn more.

It just so happens that Saturday, March 29, is when I’ll be signing the first on-sale copies of The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition. Come visit me at the University of Chicago Press booth (#622) from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. I’ll have some nice bookmarks for anyone purchasing a signed copy at the show.

On Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m., I’m moderating a panel on how much writers earn from book sales on the AWP Bookfair stage. (Spoiler alert: not much.) While this session won’t be recorded or otherwise available, the panel outline is available through AWP’s site.

The Business of Being a Writer: An Evening with Jane Friedman. Free event at The Mercantile Library, Cincinnati, Ohio. Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 6 p.m. reception, 6:30 p.m. program.

Join Jane in Cincinnati for her book launch

When: Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern

Where: The Mercantile Library, 414 Walnut St., Cincinnati, OH

The second edition of The Business of Being a Writer releases in April, and Jane’s first public event will be held at The Mercantile Library, a gorgeous and historic member library that first opened in Cincinnati in 1835.

Jane will be in conversation with local author and freelancer Jana Riess to talk about the business of publishing today. Copies of the book will be available for sale from Joseph-Beth, with signing after the conversation.

Learn more & register for free

Your turn: print magazine subscriptions

In the last issue, I asked you to tell me about any print magazines that you subscribe to and receive through the mail. Here’s a selection of what you said.

The only magazine I receive via snail mail is Chickadee by Owlkids (I know they have a younger version as well, this one is for ages 6–9). It brings learning to life with colours, mazes, puzzles, etc, making learning fun. (My son is in grade 1.) —Joan Ellen Kavanagh
I only receive two periodicals via snail mail anymore. Everything else is digital: ADDitude Magazine (ADHD and neurodivergence in general) and INDIE Magazine. I read these cover to cover. I subscribe to several digital magazines but often find I forget they’re on my Kindle. —Cristy Robinson
The Sewanee Review and The Paris Review; each is eclectic, stimulating, and handsomely designed. New York and The New Yorker: smart, sleek, and curious about all things NYC and beyond. —John from Albany
The Spectator. Politics and culture are much more palatable with a British accent. Plus, it’s the world's oldest surviving magazine (dating back to 1828) and all of their prior issues are archived online—so fun! —Kendra Burrows
UPPERCASE Magazine: Beautifully produced, ad-free, features lots and lots of makers of all kinds of art. Janine Vangool is pretty much a one-woman operation based in Canada, works hard to be highly sustainable in every facet of her production, and is facing challenges of the unknown since many of her subscribers are in the U.S. It’s a great magazine to have in your hands, and feels great to support her business —Kate McEnroe
Southern Living. The magazine is an icon for a reason, at least in the south. There is nothing like sitting back with a cup of coffee or glass of wine and reading the latest in design, travel, food, and personalities. And their writers are beloved with good reason. —Nicol Wright

➡️ I received far too many responses to run here. Browse the full list!

Next question: What book would you have never read on your own if it hadn’t been a book club selection? Hit reply to this message, or head over to Discord to share.

Do you have a question you would like Jane to ask all readers? Offer up your suggestion, and she might feature it.