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…
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…
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…
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….
Newsletter 63: A revolutionary new take on management; the lie that Harris and Trump agree on; five ways to write a book. Plus three people to follow and three books to read. What if you actually asked your people what they wanted? Today’s newsletter is a little different. It’s dedicated to my review of a…
Newsletter 62: Thoughts on diversity and monoculture, seven terrible author habits, three people to follow, and three books to read. What teams must share — and what they mustn’t In more than 40 years of work, I’ve been part of some amazing teams. Looking back, what strikes me is how effective and functional almost all…
Newsletter 61: As traditional publishing declines, hybrid is a viable alternative for serious authors. Plus, Amazon and B&N flush misleading book summaries, the Internet Archive faces another copyright setback, three people to follow and three books to read. It’s time to fully embrace hybrid publishing A hybrid publisher is a publisher you pay to publish…
Newsletter 60. Why our culture fetishizes the new and what to do about. Plus, little free libraries take on book bans, the FTC bans fake reviews, why everyone should write a book proposal, three people to follow, and three books to read. Change is Seductive, But It Creates Cognitive Conflict I want you to think…
Newsletter 58: The five ways brilliant people are different, why St. Martin’s press isn’t doomed, and Kamala Harris’ — er Harris’s — er, hmm. Plus three books to read and three people to follow. Five-fold brilliance In our work, we sometimes encounter individuals who inspire us. They seem to have such creativity and clarity about…