Better goals for 2025; black plastic rescued; pretty books: Newsletter 1 January 2025
| |

Better goals for 2025; black plastic rescued; pretty books: Newsletter 1 January 2025

Newsletter 75: Resolving to make better New Year’s resolutions, Melania’s stickiness, new agents and publishers, plus three people to follow and three books to read. High resolution Have you made a New Year’s Resolution? You will fail, you know. But if you want to fail successfully — and eventually succeed — here are some questions…

Simplicity Unbound; Taylor Swift’s Errors Tour; Six-figure Ghostwriters: Newsletter 18 December 2024
| |

Simplicity Unbound; Taylor Swift’s Errors Tour; Six-figure Ghostwriters: Newsletter 18 December 2024

Newsletter 73. A nuanced look at simplification, the Author’s Guild’s AI rights position; a mega-agency that might forget creativity, plus three people to follow, three books to read, two podcast interviews, and a partridge in a . . . no, enough of that already! It’s complicated We crave simplicity. Boiling things down to their essence…

Why integrity matters; AI doesn’t make you competitive; well-compensated ghosts: Newsletter 4 December 2024
| |

Why integrity matters; AI doesn’t make you competitive; well-compensated ghosts: Newsletter 4 December 2024

Newsletter 72. Integrity is a pain in the ass, but the only long-term way to live with yourself. Plus, AI grannybots to annoy spammers, a ghostwriting compensation study, three people to follow, three books to read, and my self-serving holiday gift recommendations. The price of integrity A few years ago, I was given the opportunity…

What is AI good for; The Onion swallows InfoWars; fake bear damage: Newsletter 20 November 2024
|

What is AI good for; The Onion swallows InfoWars; fake bear damage: Newsletter 20 November 2024

Newsletter 71. Why technology’s long-term impact is unknowable, HarperCollins pays you to train AI on your books, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s imaginary world, plus three people to follow and three books to read. Everyone predicting the AI future is wrong I spent last Friday at MIT, attending a conference called “BIG.AI@MIT” (Business Implications of Generative…

AI in the creator economy; the state of publishing; a rubric for storytelling: Newsletter 13 November 2024
|

AI in the creator economy; the state of publishing; a rubric for storytelling: Newsletter 13 November 2024

Newsletter 70. When artists should (or mustn’t) use AI; standing desks aren’t worth it; low satisfaction for publishing workers. Plus three people to follow and three books to read. Should you use AI to create? Many of us make our living by creating. This includes both freelancers in the so-called creator economy and people who…

Who to hate; how to listen; how autocrats rule: Newsletter 6 November 2024
|

Who to hate; how to listen; how autocrats rule: Newsletter 6 November 2024

Newsletter 69. Some post-election reflections on blame, plus three people to follow and three books to read. The people we hate Socialists Educated people Bleeding-hearts Undocumented immigrants Homeless people Poor people People on public assistance Puerto Ricans Jews Muslims Hindus Palestinians Arabs Blacks Native Americans Indians Asians Gay people Trans people Old people Young people…

AI for teaching writing; Elon’s Kamala risks; crappy books in bookstores: Newsletter 30 October 2024
|

AI for teaching writing; Elon’s Kamala risks; crappy books in bookstores: Newsletter 30 October 2024

Newsletter 68. Banning student AI is stupid. Plus, how print-on-demand books get on shelves, the spreadsheet blooper reel, why Elon Musk loves Trump, three people to follow, three books to read, and my interview with Jane Friedman. A five-paragraph essay reveals how to revolutionize the teaching of writing It’s time to retire the venerable five-paragraph…

Ethical editing; Scribe’s implosion revealed; students stop reading: Newsletter 9 October 2024
| |

Ethical editing; Scribe’s implosion revealed; students stop reading: Newsletter 9 October 2024

Newsletter 65. Raise your right hand and promise to edit faithfully. Plus, Tucker Max spills the truth, Jane Friedman reveals the fakes, and the copyright office in the crosshairs. The editor’s oath Doctors take a Hippocratic oath, a set of promises to their patients. This is necessary because the patient needs to know the doctor…

Arguably essential; publishing shrivels; AI-powered fraud: Newsletter 2 October 2024
| |

Arguably essential; publishing shrivels; AI-powered fraud: Newsletter 2 October 2024

Newsletter 64. Why progress requires embracing people’s right to be wrong. Plus the decline in publishing workers, Gucci vs. Lord & Taylor, three people to follow and three books to read. The freedom to be wrong We’ve gotten to a point where we rip people apart for being wrong, when we should be celebrating them….