A note from Jane
The number of AI-powered scams targeting writers this year has become overwhelming. And sadly, the high alert level in the community has started feeding on itself: I’ve recently encountered a few lawyer-powered, predatory schemes that target writers who feel wronged and want to fight back. (For an example, see ClaimsHero.)
What’s a writer to do? There’s really only one principle to follow: be suspicious of strangers emailing you out of the blue about your book for any reason, or who discuss “protecting” your intellectual property. (And follow Writer Beware or the Authors Guild.)
As I continue to make my way through the first volume of The Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant (read this if you want the backstory), I take some consolation in that writing, when it first emerged, was used for commerce. It was a tool for collecting taxes, tracking property, making loans. Histories, poetry, epics—literature of any kind—came later.
I don’t know what the future of AI holds, but the current moment seems to fit historical pattern. A new technology gets immediately used for commerce. Later comes the art.
Jane
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Jane’s Electric Speed List
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Customized ornaments with miniature books
Calling all book lovers: check out these customized ornaments (via Etsy) that include up to 25 miniature books. Discovered via BookRiot.
Also for book lovers: “I’m Booked” coffee mug
This recommendation comes from reader Irene Zabytko: “I thought I would drop a line to mention a wonderful Christmas present for writers and book lovers that I recently discovered and thought was very clever: ‘I’m Booked’ coffee mug, with cute bookish graphics which would be enticing enough. But the real twist here (plot and otherwise) is that you can find a daily interactive literary quote from the QR Code on the mug by pointing a camera and tapping the link on the screen (no codes or logins). It’s sold by a Brooklyn-based company and they also donate to charitable causes.”
Article recommendation: the decline of deviance
One of my favorite non-publishing newsletters is Experimental History by Adam Mastroianni. Recently he published an article on “The Decline of Deviance” that discusses how people are less weird than they used to be (with lots of evidence to support that assertion). In a nutshell, because we live longer, we’re more likely to play it safe. I especially felt the truth in this passage: “People who are playing life on slow mode care a lot more about whether their lives end, and they care a lot more about whether their lives get ruined. Everything’s gotta last: your joints, your skin, and most importantly, your reputation. That makes it way less enticing to screw around, lest you screw up the rest of your time on Earth. (‘What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ Make sure I stand up from my desk chair every 20–30 minutes!)”
My 2025 year in review
When I look back on what happened in the writing and publishing community this past year, these are the developments and trends that stand out.
How to Get Published: Land a Book Deal in 2026 with Jane Friedman / Jan. 8, 1–3 p.m. EST
Hosted by Writer’s Digest: This intensive and information-filled 120-minute live webinar helps you think like an industry insider who makes decisions every day on what work merits print publication. You’ll get practical advice and tools to help you develop strong pitch letters and proposal materials for both fiction and nonfiction—plus back-door methods for networking with agents and editors. Don’t embark on the submission process in 2026 without being fully educated about how the industry works, from an impartial point of view.
Your turn: ergonomic seat cushions
In the last issue, I asked if you use an ergonomic seat cushion. Here’s a selection of what you said.
- Two Gelcos in the house: the G seat classic at my desk, a smaller Gelco at my dining table. The latter I could carry around with me if I needed/wanted to. Made in the USA. And of course I have one of those larger seat cushions in the car, which a massage therapist had me buy years ago. Supports the spine. —Debby Mayer
- I bought the ComfiLife seat cushion for my honey for our long car trips and now he can drive the whole way without pain. During a stretch of long sitting at the desk for me (agent querying, aaagh!) I pulled the cushion out of the closet and it’s saved my butt. Literally. It now lives on my office chair. —Naomi Bellina
- I have used ComfiLife seat cushions for years now—some a bit older than others, and they have served me well. I have one on my desk chair, one on my kitchen table chair and one other that moves around wherever I need it including our car for long trips. It is comfortable, relieves pressure on my tailbone which is good for my back and has an added benefit of making me a bit taller as my height shrinks with age, when I’m eating or playing games at the kitchen table. They are now selling more expensive cushions with “enhanced gel” in them, but the one I have in front of my computer has a non-slip bottom and even older ones have held up fine for me so I don’t feel a big need to get the newest one. —Dawn Nelson
- I love my ROYI brand economic seat cushion. It looks like it’s temporarily unavailable from Amazon right now, but it truly is the best. It allows me to sit all day (and sometimes all night) recording audiobooks, and it’s the most comfortable I’ve ever sat on! —Marni Penning
- My wife has coccyx issues and has bought many ergonomic cushions to help her but the only one still in use goes by a strange name, Fzitiy Gel Cushion. It has a honeycomb structure and is flat with a handle. —Colin Buchanan
Next question: If you receive holiday gifts you don’t want or can’t use, what do you do with them? Hit reply and tell me about it!
Do you have a question you would like Jane to ask all readers? Offer up your suggestion, and she might feature it.
Free resources featuring Jane
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Meet Jane at an event
- IBPA Boot Camp for Author Publishers (online only), Jan. 30, 2026
- IPNE Conference (online only), Feb. 20–21, 2026
- AWP Conference (Baltimore, MD), March 4–7, 2026
- Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop (Dayton), March 26–28, 2026
- Romance Writers of Australia (Darwin, Australia), Aug. 21–23, 2026
“At electric speed, all forms are pushed to the limits of their potential.”
—Marshall McLuhan
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Created by Jane Friedman
I report on the publishing industry and help authors understand the business of writing. My newsletter that helps pay the bills is The Bottom Line, where I recently recapped the top publishing news in 2025.
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