💡 WiseUp! Vol. 45 — We come bearing gifts (guide)
If you love talking about books, you’re in good company. This week we're discussing the art of sharing the stories we care about and how to talk about the books that truly resonate.
On the app side, we've launched Podcast Transcripts, our most requested feature, now available on both mobile and web. We also added a ChatGPT Import to help you cut through noisy AI conversations and save only the insights that matter. Read on for all the details or check out our log of weekly improvements.
🎄 Our team has also put together a Holiday Gift Guide, perfect for serious readers. That can be you or someone you care about. You'll find the guide link at the end of the recommendations.
Before we get into the tips…
📍 Let's start with a reading recommendation
On talking about reading (And how to get better at it)
Reading is a big part of our identity at Readwise, but we could be better at talking about what we read. You know that moment when someone asks for a recent favorite and you say, “Um, this one… I couldn’t put it down,” then wish you could explain why it mattered? EJ Johnson has been there too, so we’re trying her tips for speaking about our reads with more depth. “Books do not exist in a vacuum. While you may be sucked into the world of what you are reading, there is a great big world around you, too. Try to connect the literary world you are engrossed in with the world you are living in. Does the plot remind you of movies, magazines, music, or art you’ve seen? Do the characters resemble anyone you’ve encountered in your movement through the world; relationships with lovers, family, service workers, colleagues, or otherwise? What landscapes, animals, or events does the book make you think of?”
From the support inbox
Have questions about using Readwise or Reader in your workflow? We'd love to be your guide! Reply to this email with your question and you might be featured in an upcoming issue. Even if your question isn’t featured, we’ll respond to every message.
❓ A Readwise question from Jeffrey W:
Can I edit my highlights in Readwise?
Readwise lets you polish your highlights so they look the way you want, especially when a PDF or scanned page comes in a bit jumbled. Just tap the edit icon and make your changes. This keeps your notes clear for later reading. It is handy whenever the import gets something wrong.
❓ A Reader question from Matthew T:
What keyboard shortcuts can I use when I’m watching videos in Reader?
Shortcuts give you quicker control of your videos so you spend more time watching and less time fiddling with the controls. Press the space bar to pause or play, the comma (,) or period (.) to slow down or speed up, and the arrow keys to jump backward or forward by 15 seconds. It keeps your viewing flowing.
📖 New help doc of the week
Save podcast transcripts to your Reader Library
You can now save podcast episodes to Reader and get a high-quality transcript of the content to highlight, annotate, chat with, and archive for posterity. Check out Cayla’s new docs to learn how to add a new podcast, generate a transcript from a podcast RSS feed, and more.
🎬 New video of the week
99 Problems but book recs ain’t one
This week we’re sharing the second installment of our book recommendations series, this time for non-fiction readers. We’ve partnered with Professor of Economics Ashley Hodgson, who’s sharing 10 books that will help you apply systems thinking to complex problems and industries, like climate change, politics, and technology. If you loved the book Thinking in Systems, you’ll love Ashley’s recommendations 📚
📰 Nov 22 - Nov 28 updates
What's new in Reader and Readwise
🎙️ NEW! Podcast Transcripts — Thanks to Scott and Mati, you can now use Reader as a podcast companion! Save episode links from Spotify, Pocket Casts, Apple, and Overcast to get a permanent, highlightable transcript. Subscribe to a podcast's RSS feed in Reader and generate the podcast's transcript with a tap of a button.
🤖 NEW! ChatGPT Copilot — With Readwise’s new ChatGPT Import option, you can now effortlessly capture the important takeaways from your ChatGPT conversations as highlights, right from the ChatGPT site. Thanks Piotr!
➡️ Fixed Content Shift — Mati fixed a glitch that was causing the mobile layout to shift left or right past the edge of the screen.
📧 What’s To Come — Tristan rounded up the last few months of updates into Public Beta Update #13. Check it out for a peek behind the curtain of what we’re working on now, and some behind-the-scenes commentary on what we’ve built lately.
🛜 Parsing Updates — Krzys made improvements to how Reader handles posts from smbc-comics.com/, washingtonpost.com, and substack.com.
🎄 A Gift Guide for Serious Readers
From the CX team
Something to read on Christmas 📖
Did you know Tolkien wrote letters from the North Pole to his kids? You can dive into the wonderful adventures from Santa, his helpers, and his reindeer in this first ever edition that compiles them all.
Something to stuff your stocking 🧦
Start a new holiday tradition by customizing a mini book collection ornament to celebrate a full year of reading.
Something to upgrade your reading experience 🎄
Perhaps our most used company swag to date, these luxe pajamas are perfect for the cozy reader in your life (or yourself). Some teammates even bought a second pair so they are never without them on wash day. While ours are embroidered with the Readwise logo, you can add a special touch to yours with a monogrammed pocket. ✨
💬 From the Readwise group chat
"Do you always read at balls?"
A few members of our team made their way to the Dragonsteel Nexus and its ball. It was a great opportunity to meet fellow readers, discuss upcoming adventures, and talk book recs! We also love any excuse to wear a cloak ;)
See you next week!
Warmly,
the Readwise customer support team