NovellaMate vs Author Clock: Beyond the Literary Clock Object
A product note on how NovellaMate differs from Author Clock
Over the past months, we’ve been asked a question again and again:
“How is NovellaMate different from Author Clock?”
It’s a fair question. Because this question keeps coming up — we thought it was worth writing a clear, respectful explanation.
It’s a product note about what we learned from listening to real users — and what we chose to build as a result.
Author Clock is a beautiful idea.
Author Clock proved that a literary clock can be more than a novelty.
It can become a daily ritual, a gift, a conversation piece — and for many users, a gentle companion.
Without Author Clock, this category might not exist at all.
So NovellaMate didn’t begin with the intention to “compete.”
It began with a different question:
What would a literary clock look like if we built it around the feedback and wishes of existing literary-clock users?
Listening closely to user feedback
When people love an idea, they start asking for more — not because the idea is flawed, but because it’s valuable enough to extend.
Across reviews and user discussions, we repeatedly saw the same kinds of requests. Below are the most common themes we noticed — and how we chose to respond.
1) “Why do I need to buy two products just to get time and weather?”
One of the most frequent points of confusion we saw was about product separation.
Author Clock focuses on time told through literature. And Author Forecast focuses on weather told through literature.
For many users, the question was simple:
“Why isn’t this one product?”
“Why do I have to pay twice to get the full experience?”
So we made a clear choice with NovellaMate:
We unified the experience into a single device.
NovellaMate brings together:
Time Quotes (the core literary clock experience)
Weather Quotes (the poetic weather layer users wanted)
Inspiring Quotes (for those who wanted something more uplifting and motivational)
Our belief is that users shouldn’t have to assemble the experience by purchasing multiple devices.
If time, weather, and mood are all part of daily life — a literary clock should be able to reflect them together, in one place.
2) “The screen is beautiful, but it’s hard to read.”
Many users — especially older readers — mentioned that smaller screens can feel cramped, and that text becomes difficult to read at a glance.
Another frequent piece of feedback was about reading at night.
Because Author Clock uses a non-backlit display, some users mentioned that reading quotes can become more challenging in low-light environments, such as in the evening or at night, unless additional lighting is used.
For users who place the device on a bedside table, this influenced how and when the clock could be comfortably enjoyed.
So every NovellaMate device uses a 7-inch, back-lit display.
Not only to make text larger and more legible during the day,
but also to ensure that quotes remain readable at night.
We also designed a dedicated Night Mode, carefully tuned so that:
the text stays clear in low-light environments
brightness is reduced to avoid glare
the display remains comfortable even when placed beside the bed
Not because brighter is better,
but because readability is part of respect —
and because a literary experience should adapt to the rhythms of real life, including the quiet hours.
3) “Why can’t it wake me up?”
A clock that lives beside you should do more than display time.
Alarm functionality was one of the most requested features — especially for bedside use.
So we added Alarm, designed to feel like part of the device, not an afterthought.
4) “I keep seeing the same quotes.”
This feedback was very consistent: repetition breaks the magic.
A library of ~13,000 quotes sounds large — until you live with the device every day.
So we invested heavily in content.
NovellaMate is built on a time-quote library of over 420,000 quotes, designed to drastically reduce repetition and extend the lifespan of the experience.
This was one of the biggest efforts in our development, because we believe the longevity of a literary clock is inseparable from the depth of its library.
5) “I wish it could read the quotes aloud.”
For some users, reading isn’t always comfortable or possible.
So we added voice playback, so quotes can be read aloud — improving accessibility and creating a more intimate form of presence.
6) “The controls feel slow and not very intuitive.”
We also saw feedback about interaction speed and ease.
So we designed NovellaMate around a touch-based interface — direct, responsive, and modern — because the experience should feel fluid, not friction-filled.
A different conclusion, not a correction
All of these choices came from the same place:
We set out to build the literary clock many users were wishing existed.
NovellaMate is our attempt to expand what the literary clock can be — by listening carefully and adding what users repeatedly asked for.
One idea, two paths
Author Clock opened the door.
We chose to explore further.
Both approaches can — and should — exist.
If you already love Author Clock, we understand why.
If you’ve ever wished it had weather, inspiring quotes, alarms, a larger screen, voice, and faster interaction — that’s exactly the space NovellaMate is designed for.
— The NovellaMate team
