Moment Magazine Seeks Features Editor

“Moment Magazine seeks an experienced features editor. This editor works closely and collaboratively with other editors and writers to steer Moment’s inventive, well-researched and descriptive articles from story ideas to print. Past articles include a profile of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, the first in a ground-breaking series on Israel’s Arab citizens, a letter from Burma and the 2010 Symposium featuring Mel Brooks, Leonard Nimoy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and many more. The perfect candidate will be a well-rounded, inquisitive, patient, friendly individual who will work tirelessly to turn good ideas into great stories and do much more in our small office. Four-six years of magazine experience. Knowledge of Jewish/Middle East politics, culture, history and religion is helpful. Moment Magazine is a national independent publication of Jewish politics, religion and culture co-founded in 1975 by Elie Wiesel and Leonard Fein. This is a wonderful opportunity to join the team of a magazine Slate calls a ‘must read.’ Salary is competitive with other nonprofit publications and commensurate with experience.” More info/application instructions here.

Friday Finds: Tech Tutorials

This week brought two helpful resources to my tech-challenged self.

First, I present David Pogue’s New York Times article, “For Those Facebook Left Behind.” Some people will surely find it too “basic,” but the article does provide a useful, simple overview of major social-networking sites. “You may find absolutely nothing of value to you in these sites,” Pogue writes, “and that’s fine. But isn’t it better to make that decision now that you know what you’re ignoring?”

Second, Jane Friedman has assembled a lengthy blog post titled “Ultimate iPhone Apps for Writers: 30+ Productivity & Creativity Boosts.” As I mentioned in our latest newsletter, I finally jumped aboard the iPhone bandwagon last winter. I’m still getting to know the “apps” that are out there, and this post is one I’ve bookmarked for future reference.

Have a great weekend, folks. (Oh, and in case any of you are envying me the temporary “summer Friday” freedom from the office job I also referenced in the latest newsletter, envy me not: Since we had Monday off for the Independence Day holiday, everyone in my office is expected in today.)

Thursday’s Pre-Publication Post: Giving Thanks

This week’s post will be relatively short and sweet. The crux of the message is simple: THANK YOU!

You have all been wonderfully receptive and supportive since I began tracking the pre-publication life of my story collection, Quiet Americans, earlier this year. You’ve read these posts. You’ve commented. You’ve opined.

I’m so grateful for all of that. I’m also grateful to those of you who have taken the time to send me messages privately. Some of you have written incredibly comprehensive messages packed with advice from your own experience and expertise. And since I’ve sometimes been on the giving end of the advice spectrum, I know how much time that can take. So here’s a special, public thank-you to you (and what really amazes and humbles me is that among you are both people I know in “real-life” and practicing writers I didn’t even know read this blog until I received their messages).

Whether you’ve offered me sage advice, the names of contacts for potential reviews or readings, or, in one case plucked from this week’s correspondence, an actual venue where I can sign copies of Quiet Americans next year, your generosity means more to me than you can imagine. So I’ll say it one last time (for now): THANK YOU.

Introducing JewishFiction.net

When I first heard about the establishment of JewishFiction.net, two aspects of the new online venue for English-language fiction on Jewish themes caught my attention.

First, I was impressed to learn that Toronto-based Dr. Nora Gold was the editorial brain behind the venture. I discovered Gold’s story collection, Marrow, several years ago, thanks to a presentation at a conference of the Society for Jewish American and Holocaust Literature. And I thought the book was terrific.

I was less impressed, however, when I found out that the journal was going to charge $15 as a submission fee. I can be antsy about submission fees even for contests that promise cash prizes. I become very nervous when a journal charges a submission fee without even the chance of earning some pay for the work.

Happily, the editor informed me earlier this week that the submission fee requirement has been removed. If you’re interested in submitting, or simply want to learn more about the project, please click here.