A note from Jane
Mark and I have been watching—savoring, really—the TV series All Creatures Great and Small, the 2020 version, based on books by veterinarian James Herriot. If you’ve ever heard people say they read for the “vibes” rather than the conflict, that very much applies to watching this show. The conflicts are slight and easily resolved, and that’s the way we like it. (That said, we’re only through season two, so no spoilers, please!)
One of the oft-repeated maxims in the show is that it’s just as important to treat the humans as the animals. Because I can’t help but turn every maxim into something that applies to the world of publishing, I find the same is true when working with writers.
When I started in the business, I didn’t pay much attention to how I treated the writer; I was solely focused on the work and getting it into shape. Notably, when I was in college, writing workshops took a similar approach: focus on the page and don’t let the writer speak. (That is changing, thankfully.)
The best editors—or any publishing professional, really—eventually realize they can’t operate like that for long and be considered a professional. Otherwise, both the writer and the work end up suffering and none of your expertise or guidance will be put to good use.
Jane
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My preferred tech for recording calls
I do a lot of reporting for The Bottom Line, and in recent months, I’ve decided I much prefer setting up phone calls than Zooms or Google meetings. People tend to be more relaxed on the phone and not in front of a camera.
Fortunately, I use an iPhone, which now allows you to record a call natively right in the phone app (no third-party app required). When the call is finished, the resulting audio file is automatically saved to Apple Notes. From there, I export it to my preferred speech-to-text service, ElevenLabs, but Notes can transcribe for you as well depending on your region/language.
Mobility training: Range of Movement app
This recommendation pairs well with last week’s mention of my new office chair. Range of Movement Coach is a lovely little app that offers a library of routines to help you target any problem areas—everything from your neck down to your foot. The free version is very generous; the paid app offers more bells and whistles. The coach, Eric, has a fantastic YouTube channel as well.
Encore mention: Teleprompter apps
I heard from reader Patrick Henry about his experience using one of the teleprompter apps I recommended: “An old friend, independent filmmaker Amos Poe, passed away recently, and his memorial is being held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (they bought his collection last year). Amos wanted me to be part of the event, but health issues make it difficult to travel, so his widow agreed to use a video tribute from me to be played during the event.
Long story short, I remembered your tip on this app, and got the free basic version. I used it to tape my tribute and it came out great, with me looking straight into the camera—no looking up and down at my notes or speech.”
I don’t have a recommendation for Android or PC users. If you do, hit reply and let me know.
Op-ed about AI disruption by someone I respect
I’ve been reading Paul Ford for a long time, so I could not be more thrilled to see him appear on this topic in the New York Times. Many people ask me about the extreme predictions about what AI will do in the future (and how quickly that future will arrive), and it’s hard for me to offer a qualified opinion because I know so little about the writer or the source—or their motivations. But that is not the case here; I trust what Paul says. So please read Paul Ford (gift link). And then take a look at how engaged and thoughtful he is in the comments.
Making Time & Space for Your Writing with Jessica Strawser / March 11, 1–2 p.m. EDT
Whether your writing is your hobby, a part-time passion you hope to grow into more, or your dream full-time job, commitment to your craft involves quiet concentration amid noisier responsibilities competing for your immediate attention. Jessica Strawser sold her first three novels while juggling a full-time job and motherhood to two young children, and she’s learned not to be precious about writing rituals. In this one-hour workshop, she’ll help you both rethink and restructure the way you prioritize writing in your life, while being both realistic and ambitious about setting writing goals that you can actually meet.
Your turn: nonfiction science books 📚
In the last issue, I asked for your recommendations of nonfiction science books. Heres some of what you said.
- I recommend Dr. Anna Lembke’s Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence. It is a psychological exploration of the pursuit of pain and pleasure, and her explanation of dopamine as more than just a “feel-good chemical” is easy to understand for laypeople like me. The book features real-life situations of Dr. Lembke’s patients over the years. If you can get past the disturbing first chapter, I think you’ll find it as insightful as I do. —DF
- While reading Ed Yong’s An Immense World, I bombarded my unsuspecting friends with texted animal science facts that they probably didn’t care about. I freaking loved that book and I hope your mom does too! —Jessica Snyder
- My favorite read from the last year is Tree Story by Valerie Trouet. Much more fascinating than you might think. Another beautiful read that changed how I look at the nighttime world is the Darkness Manifesto by Johan Eklof. —Beverly
- This genre was most of my reading list last year. The Rules of Contagion by Adam Kucharski compares viral epidemics (like malaria) to social epidemics (like the 2008 crash and TikTok trends), showing how our social decisions mirror our biology. Eve by Cat Bohannon is about the evolution of the female form. And Stolen Focus by Johann Hari and Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee are two of the best books I’ve ever read about the science behind our communal distraction and how to stop it. —Jess Feder
- Headspace: Sniffer Dogs, Spy Bees and One Woman’s Adventures in the Surveillance Society by Amber Marks is a fantastic piece of creative nonfiction charting the development of smell technologies from the perspective of a barrister turned investigative journalist. It’s a fair few years old now so the science might be out of date, but it’s a great read! And Breath by James Nestor. Pretty sure you’ll get loads of recommends for this, and if you read it, I guarantee you won’t breathe the same ever again! —Sam Parsley
- I just finished Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton. It’s an illuminating nonfiction account of living with a wild hare in a barn conversion in England. If your mom likes learning about animals, this book might be a good pick for her. It has many ‘who knew?’ moments. It also has delightful drawings of hares at the start of every chapter … a nice bonus. —AK White
- Why Fish Don’t Exist by Lulu Miller. A mix of memoir, biography (of the scientist/ichthyologist David Starr Jordan), and science (the taxonomy of fish). Lots of research by Miller, and yes there’s a metaphor at work. One of my top 10 favorites. —Andrea A. Firth
- The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn, oldie (1962) but goodie, and very readable. Leans toward a history of science, but also explains how society eventually adapts to the new truths science can reveal (or does not adapt). Scary-relevant to present times, because it also traces way, way back that money has been buying off truth for a centuries. —Grace Burrowes
- Recently, I took an interest in quantum mechanics and read several books about it. In particular, I loved Brian Greene’s books. His ability to make the complexities of quantum mechanics easy to understand is amazing. I loved The Elegant Universe along with his three other books on quantum. —William Ranshaw
- Fire Weather by John Vaillant is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat, non-fiction read about the 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, climate change, and how global warming is actually changing the nature of wildfires. I read it through twice, it was that good. —Jessica Hetherington
💙 This was a popular question! Browse all responses.
Next question: What’s the first thing you do when you get home from a multi-day conference or business event? Hit reply and let me know.
Do you have a tools or resources question you would like Jane to ask all readers? Offer up your suggestion, and she might feature it.
Free resources featuring Jane
Upcoming online classes
- Making Time & Space for Your Writing with Jessica Strawser, March 11
- Story Structure & Momentum with Tiffany Yates Martin, March 18
- Platform Building When You’d Rather Write with Jane Friedman, March 19
- Create Live or Virtual Retreats That Sell with Allison K Williams, March 21
- Do I Need Permission for That? with Christopher Hoffmann, March 25
- The Business of Newsletters That Pay with Jane Friedman, April 1
- Writing Memoir Without Fear with Allison K Williams, April 8
- Marketing Your Book Without Social Media with Jane Friedman, April 9
- Find and Refine Your Memoir’s Narrative Arc with Lisa Cooper Ellison, April 29
- How to Research Agents and Publishers Like a Pro with Jane Friedman, May 7
Meet Jane at an event
- AWP Conference (Baltimore, MD), March 4–7, 2026 (Booth #624)
- Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop (Dayton, OH), March 26–28, 2026
- ASJA Conference (online only), April 20–24, 2026
- Publishing Professionals Network Conference (Berkeley, CA), April 24, 2026
- Stockholm Writers Festival (Sweden), June 13, 2026
- Midwest Writers Workshop (Muncie, IN), July 16–18, 2026
- Romance Writers of Australia (Darwin, Australia), Aug. 21–23, 2026
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