Electric Speed is a free newsletter that shares resources for creative people (since 2009!), brought to you by Jane Friedman. | View in browser | Sign up here

A note from Jane

What fills you with so much liveliness that you want to do the work yourself?

James Clear posed this question recently in his newsletter, a question that particularly resonates with me as AI gets used as a shortcut, both good and bad, to getting work done.

It’s a question I’m keeping in my back pocket when authors ask me how to build their platform or promote their books. There’s been considerable online debate lately about what “moves the needle” on book sales, and I’m seeing authors express frustration that activities they never liked in the first place didn’t sell copies after a short-term effort.

What would your marketing and promotion look like if it were fun? Lively? Born out of your own interest in the world? Creative?

Like this newsletter or James Clear’s newsletter
Like the classes I offer for free on the business of writing and publishing
Like Leigh Stein’s Instagram experiment
Like Jeffrey H. Ryan’s LL Bean tour in a Vanagon

The best marketing and promotion carries your liveliness and feeds your own values and interests. And that makes sales so much more likely.

Jane

Bob Eckstein

ISSUE SPONSOR

Maximize Your Book’s Reach with Ingram iD

Simplify Your Book Marketing with Ingram iD

Promote your book where it matters—on Facebook, Instagram, Google, and in trusted reader emails. Ingram iD gives you one simple platform to run ads and get discovered by millions of readers. Easy setup. Measurable results. All in Ingram iD.

Sponsorships support Electric Speed. Learn more.

Jane’s Electric Speed List

I am not paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.

Onomatopoeia odyssey: animal sounds across different languages

This charming, interactive essay by The Pudding analyzes animal sounds and their similarities and differences across languages.

Use Loom but don’t like the price?

Loom is one of the most popular screen capture apps, but the free version comes with considerable limitations. If you’ve found yourself frustrated with Loom’s limitations or costs, take a look at the open-source alternative Cap. It’s free for personal use. Available as a download for Apple and Windows.

For advanced Mac users: OnlySwitch

Certain Mac features and utilities require much digging and menu surfing just to toggle on and off. OnlySwitch is a Mac menu bar app that offers a series of toggle switches for quickly enabling/disabling certain features. The app is free, but it’s stored on GitHub, so you’ll have to be a bit tech savvy to install it.

What is the environmental cost of AI?

Until this month, I could not find a clear answer to this question. So I was grateful when a former physics teacher started doing the math. Here’s a big-picture overview to start with. Then follow up with his response to a recent report from the MIT Technology Review. And here’s a data scientist who cares about sustainability (and has published a book on the topic) who agrees with his conclusions.

Will Your Nonfiction Book Sell? How to Evaluate the Strength of Your Project with Jane Friedman. $89 webinar hosted by Writers Digest University. Thursday, May 29, 2025. 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern.

Will Your Nonfiction Book Sell? with Jane Friedman / May 29, 1–2:30 p.m. EDT

Hosted by Writer’s Digest: If you want to publish a nonfiction book that lands you a literary agent or a contract from a sizable publisher (with a decent advance in the four or five figures), then current market conditions—and your position in that market—will affect your ability to secure a deal. Without research, it’s easy to miss the major dealbreakers that lead to rejection before an agent has even read the first page of your proposal or manuscript. In this live class, publishing industry expert Jane Friedman will help you understand how publishing professionals evaluate nonfiction book concepts and make decisions on what to publish.

Your turn: trusted book recommenders 📚

In the last issue, I asked you to tell me about a specific person/institution you trust for book recommendations—a reviewer or critic, influencer, library, bookstore, podcaster, etc. Here’s a selection of what you said.

Though a figure that draws mixed reviews, Bill Gates’ book recommendations on the non-fiction side are often worth reading (though unclear how many of them are quid pro quo with his publisher). An example is Bad Blood, which I read after he recommended it and which turned out to be an engaging read. —Allie
There are two bookstores in Toronto: Type Books and Queen Books that are so well curated that I trust what they stock. I think that carries over to many independent booksellers. They love books and they have so many gems to recommend. —Sandy Reynolds
There’s a “young man” (I’m 67, everyone’s looking young) I follow on Instagram who I find fascinating. I have no affiliation to him, but find him to be thoughtful and I like his more intellectual approach—A Life on Books. —Diana M. Wilson
The Currently Reading podcast is my absolute 100% go-to for honest, clear and varied book recommendations. The ladies offer “spicy opinions” in an honest and well-read manner that allows listeners to think about the books according to their own preferences. The podcast is free, but they also have a Patreon with a WEALTH of bookish supports and resources. —Libby Broadbent
My favorite book recommendation person is my friend (and Boston Globe book critic) Rebecca Steinitz! She used to have a blog that we all relied on but then she posted to Facebook and we all complained when Facebook hid her posts so she finally moved to Substack. … The ones she says are a slog but worth it, are a slog but worth it. She’s never a snob—she loves trashy books and sophisticated books and big books and small books. She’s also a gossip but in the best way, making you feel like an insider even when you don’t know any of the people (and she doesn’t either). —Dawn Friedman
I no longer live in Seattle, but I continue to subscribe to the Phinney Books Newsletter. It always includes book recommendations—e.g., New Book of the Week; Old Book of the Week; Kids’ Book of the Week—by Tom Nissley, the bookstore owner (and eight-time champion on Jeopardy!), and others who work there. —Angela J. Fountas
I can’t recommend Elise Loehnan highly enough. She is a writer herself and has a newsletter and podcast focusing on authors writing about psychology and some more woo-woo topics. I wasn’t really into the woo-woo topics before I began reading some of her suggestions, but she is extremely intelligent, discerning, and clearly respects the art and integrity of writing. Her suggestions have broadened my perspective immensely and for that I am truly grateful to her. —Jessica Kiesler
I have followed for The Book Club Mom for many years and subscribe to her newsletter. Thanks to her book reviews, I have been introduced to books I may never have encountered and expanded my tastes in reading. Like you, she has stayed focused and been amazing with giving of her time for those of us who love to read and write. —Christine Wenzel

⭐️ This was a popular question! Read all of the responses.

Next question: Which single physical object on your desk (gadgets count!) measurably improves your focus or inspiration, and why? 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.