PicoBlog

In this episode of the Sitting in Silence Premium Subscriber Podcast (“PSP”), I’m going to my Story Craft Explorer and offering thoughts on the fifth bullet point of the document. I use the Explorer on my own drafts and when I teach. My new book, The American Daughters, has been out for almost two weeks and the reviews and general response have been exce… ncG1vNJzZmilkaq%2Fqq%2FEnJirpJ%2Bov7ayxaKlZ6ull8C1rcKkZZynnWS9cLzSqWxmoZ6pv7Cw1JycZpldqMKxvM6rq6Kml2K8s3nOqaeoq5mjtA%3D%3D

Using advanced stats, like EPA per play, to assess quarterbacks has its flaws. EPA measures the value added by the entire offense on a play, yet in doing so assigns all the value to the quarterback. Yes, EPA is a team stat, but so are all the other advanced and traditional stats. The quarterback, in and of himself, isn’t fully responsible for passing yards or touchdowns. Even plays seemingly in their control, like interceptions, are influenced by the performance of teammates and players on the other side of the field.

The news is out! AUGUST LANE is coming from Grand Central in the Summer of 2025! It's an angsty, sultry, second-chance love story about a rock-bottom one-hit wonder who lied about writing his most popular song. His chance for a big comeback is jeopardized when he's blackmailed by the actual songwriter, a passionate, vengeful force of nature he's secretly loved since high school. This is the music WIP that I've been hinting at for a while now.

Hello and happy 2024! I somehow managed to acquire hundreds of new subscribers on my month break. A warm welcome to all of you. For those who are new here, let me introduce myself.  My name isHelena Price. I am aSilicon Valley creative who has spent more than a decade helping startups, corporations and consumer brands define their visual style. My past clients include Airbnb, Dropbox, Fitbit, Google, Instagram, Meta, Microsoft, Nike, Pinterest, Slack, Square, Twitter and Uber.

DrGupta.AI – The case for Healthcare AI Today I’m unveiling DrGupta.ai. Dr. Gupta is a virtual healthcare assistant that can help you access health information and simulate interactions with a physician. Our aim is to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for everyone. In the past, I faced criticism for raising the price of medicines, and I became a focal point for debates on pharmaceutical pricing. That surreal to me: pharmaceuticals only account for 12% of healthcare costs in the US, but they receive most of the blame.

When analyzing racecar drivers, I’m a big fan of trying to measure performance against a baseline of expectation using teammates and other comparison points. I’ve tinkered with this in NASCAR before by looking at adjusted points relative to various groupings of fellow drivers, but today I want to introduce a new (and in my opinion, more elegant) way of comparing drivers by looking at a weighted series of head-to-head winning percentages.

Today, we’re excited to open applications for Substack Creator Studio, a fellowship for the next wave of video stars to turn their TikTok channels into Substack shows and communities. This is an opportunity for video-native creators who want a more direct, intimate relationship with their audience and to make money from subscriptions.  We’ll select 10 fellows who cover a wide range of subjects and give them access to world-class strategic support and promotion.

It’s time to announce the second original ongoing feature on this here newsletter. This is the one I referred to as CODENAME ZOOBOOK in the original launch post. I’d like to welcome you all to THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH: WILD FICTIONS. For those of who are not familiar, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH is a series co-created by myself and Martin Simmonds that takes place in a world where the more people believe in something, the more true that thing becomes.

Hello everyone, Welcome to Issue #79 of CAFÉ ANNE! Oh my goodness, you guys. Last week, I ran a Q&A with Marcos, the panhandler who stands outside the Trader Joe’s on Court Street. At the end, I mentioned that Marcus, who is homeless and having a hard time finding work without an address, was saving to buy an e-bike so he can do food deliveries. Within an hour, I got a generous donation for Marcus from a reader.