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A note from Jane
Earlier this year, I read The Lessons of Historyby Will & Ariel Durant, which was immensely engaging but incredibly short, leaving me wanting more.
Online, I started eyeing the Durants’ 11-volume series, The Story of Civilization, which was written and published over four decades. The first volume alone is 1,000 pages. These days, the publisher only sells the series in ebook format.
So my husband asked The Ohio Book Store, just down the street from us, to let him know the next time they acquired a set in good condition, which happens from time to time. Within a few months, we had one. It is so disused that some of the page corners remain bonded together from the printing.
I’m a few hundred pages into the first volume, and despite being rigorous and thorough, it’s as engaging and readable as the short book. The accomplishment is astounding, both for the authors and the publisher, who committed to the project for decades. I can’t think of anything that would be its equal today for a general audience. And what a testament to the power of good writing! I expect to make it through the entire series because it’s so enjoyable.
While I believe any lifelong reader would find these books engaging, I do wonder at how I’m drawn to this reading commitment. Partly it’s reassuring to know that six thousand years ago, humans faced the same sociopolitical problems that we do now, plus it is a stark reminder that no power lasts forever. It also raises the question of how much history is driven by grand logic (and we’re all just carried along in the waves) or whether certain individuals dramatically reroute history. For a brief discussion of that, I point you to this recent article in the New Yorker.
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Readers recommend: Trackbear
Over at my Discord group for subscribers (free to join), writers have been discussing a project tracking app they enjoy called Trackbear. Tealmc says, “It’s free and has some great features. One of my crit groups is doing a novel writing month and we are going to use this to track our individual progress and have a leaderboard.” Ray adds, “I just started using Trackbear and I love it. Most tracks only have word count tracking options but this allows you to track by time, chapter, page, word count, etc. And you can pick whether you’re outlining, brainstorming, drafting, or revising.”
Indie Author Day: Nov. 14, free to all
Indie Author Day is part of the Indie Author Project,a library-backed initiative that recognizes self-published authors. The day’s schedule includes free online education on book marketing and getting indie books into library collections. This year’s contest winners as well as the 2025 Indie Author of the Year will be announced. Learn more and register.
You can read interviews with previous award winners at my site. Here’s Ran Walker (2019) and Jami Fairleigh (2023).
A very cool way to show off your book while attending events and conferences
While speaking at the PNWA conference earlier this year, I met author Deb Miller, who was wearing her book like a purse. I was so impressed I took a photo. She wrote me afterward to say, “I continue to receive inquiries about this product whenever I’m wearing it at book events. I honestly cannot walk 10 feet without authors stopping me to inquire about it. While I have absolutely no connection to the creator, I feel compelled to follow up with you as it may be something to share in your newsletter. Here is the link to the creator’s website and Instagram where she has a huge following.” Thank you, Deb!
Deb Miller with her book Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness
I don’t have kids, but this is charming
Offline Kids is a website that helps you brainstorm things for kids to do indoors, outdoors, or during car tips. The about page says, “We know how busy life gets, and how important it is to have go-to ideas that are easy to set up, engaging for different age groups, and actually fun for kids (and grown-ups too!). That’s why every activity on our site is curated with care—categorised by age, energy level, mess factor, and more—so you can quickly find something that fits your day.”
Make Your Query Letter & First Page Stand Out with Jessica Strawser / Nov. 19, 1–2:30 p.m. EST
The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only: to entice the agent or editor into reading or requesting your work. At the most basic level, the query letter is a sales pitch and must convey a firm (and concise) grasp of the story’s premise. Many agents also request your opening pages, to give them a preview of how your story starts and demonstrate your command of the writing craft.
Jessica Strawser’s industry experience—both as a career editor and a USA Today bestselling novelist—gives her exceptional insight into what agents and editors see all the time, and what will or will not be memorable. This class will directly help you write a strategic, professional pitch for your story and avoid common mistakes on your opening page that can be deal-breakers for your entire submission.
In the last issue, I asked for your favorite annotation tools for reading, whether print or digital.
I absolutely cannot read nonfiction (unless it’s unrelated to my work) without a pencil. Full stop. I underline, put vertical lines beside passages, number items, add stars, exclamation points, and, if those aren’t enough, the words “IMP” and “VERY IMP!” in the margins. That pencil needs to have an eraser for when I change my mind, too. —Jessica
Re: Annotation tools, Kindle won me over to ebooks, especially for its highlighting and annotation features, which I find especially useful for nonfiction reading. I also like the fact that Amazon saves both in a personal cloud library that I can access online. —Salam
Next question: I’m looking for the best mechanical pencils. Do you use one? Hit reply and let me know.
Do you have a question you would like Jane to askall readers? Offer up your suggestion, and she might feature it.
“At electric speed, all forms are pushed to the limits of their potential.” —Marshall McLuhan
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. I recently ran an interview with Josh Bernoff on writers’ attitudes toward AI.
