The toughest obstacle authors face is their opening pages. In fiction and nonfiction drafts, there’s often a lot of throat-clearing in the opening sections.
In fiction, authors think readers need to know the main character in detail, so they dump a lot of that person’s history into the opening sections. In nonfiction, writers introduce the history of some event or person before getting on with the show. Both equal dull, slow pacing almost every time.
The trick is to weave that historic material into the opening section. The main focus should be on something that is important to the character, or in nonfiction, a specific part of the overall topic. As opportunities arise, slip in a few sentences or even a few paragraphs with relevant bits of backstory.
Special note in fiction: Avoid flashbacks! Use them only infrequently, and make sure to use them for all the right reasons. Too often it’s an easy way for authors to handle backstories. It is well worth the effort to weave the material in. The flow will be smoother, and agents and publishers know that’s a mark of a true professional author.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for true stories and poetry for three upcoming titles.
Dreams & Premonitions: stories about dreams and unconscious signs, and how they influenced your life.
Make Your Own Luck: stories that reveal how you’ve made your own luck.
Christmas: stories about Christmas including Chanukah and Kwanzaa.
Length: 1,200 words.
Line count for poetry: open.
Payment: $200 per story or $100 per devotional.
Deadlines for all three titles: March 31, 2014.
Submission guidelines here.

The University of Massachusetts Press is looking for an experienced and creative Executive Editor to develop the Press’s current strengths in American Studies, particularly history, and to build new strengths in emerging related fields. The position is based at the Amherst campus.
The University of Massachusetts Press (www.umass.edu/umpress) has been the book-publishing arm of the University of Massachusetts since 1963. The Executive Editor will sign 20 new projects per year: monographs, general interest titles, texts, and digital projects, will engage with the scholarly community at UMass and nationally, and will attend conferences and review relevant literature.
The Executive Editor will work with the director in Amherst and the acquisitions editor in Boston to chart the Press’s editorial program.

Hiring Salary Range: $49,900 – $62,700
Normal Starting Salary: $49,900 – $56,300

The Position Description for the Executive Editor can be viewed in its entirety at https://www.umass.edu/umpress/about/job-openings.

Please go to http://umass.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=56554 and submit a résumé and a letter of application articulating your overall approach to acquisitions and the areas or fields upon which you would concentrate. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references will be required prior to interviews. To receive priority consideration, please submit your application materials by the priority deadline of February 17, 2015. Applications will be accepted after the priority deadline until the position has been filled. Please include Search #R49293 on your application materials.

Candlewick Press is a premier independent publisher of books for children based in Somerville, MA. It is searching for an experienced individual to direct their library marketing group to execute all library marketing efforts and oversee the library marketing staff.
Interested individuals should send their resumes with a cover letter noting salary requirements to: careers@candlewick.com.

Columbia Journalism Review, one of the most respected magazines for journalists, is looking for writers. This is for their US Project, which monitors the quality of journalism. Details here.

Fantastic book for anyone involved in arts from writing to painting. Feel supported and understood with these wonderful words! Here’s the press release and the link:
“Making Your Life as an Artist,” a free ebook, takes a serious and at times mordantly
humorous look at the creative process of surviving and thriving as a professional artist
The arts in America are thriving. And American artists are astonishingly hard-working, driven,
and adaptable. So why are so many artists exhausted, overwhelmed, and broke?
In his new book Making Your Life as an Artist, Andrew Simonet – choreographer, writer
and, for 20 years, Co-Director of Headlong Dance Theater – offers answers to why anyone
would choose the life of an artist, and how to manage that life. He shares what artists already
know: building a life as an artist is a creative act, and using your artistic skills outside the
studio can make it sustainable.
The book is downloadable here. http://www.artistsu.org/making/

Ethical Travel (ET) newsletter is looking for a travel writer. They work internationally so you can work for them no matter where you live. Details here.

Guinness World Records is looking for a publishing sales coordinator. All the usual requirements:
Liaise internally with teams in London/NY for sales materials and strategy, assist with management of book distribution in North America, internal reporting, manage digital publishing program; file processing, sales tracking, promotions, etc.
They are seeking an “enthusiastic personality with a passion for the Guinness World Records brand,” 2-3 years professional experience, prior experience in trade book publishing highly preferred. Fluency in Spanish preferred but not required.
Link here for details.

Avalon is searching for a travel writer to write a book about a national park. Details here.

The Loft, the nation’s largest independent literary center, is looking for a new director. The Loft is celebrating it’s 40th year, and changes are coming. Be part of this dynamic and well-known organization. Details here.