For many, working with books for a living is a dream job. And while the competition is stiff, opportunities are out there. With a determined mindset and the right approach, getting into publishing is achievable — and an internship in publishing is a great way to start. Here are our best tips and techniques for landing that publishing internship and embarking on your own career in literature.
By Kaitlyn Johnston
Get to Know the Industry📚
First things first — read up on the publishing landscape. Familiarize yourself with publishing houses both big and small, and learn about the different types of roles that employees in the publishing industry fulfill. Identify which publishers produce the kind of literature that most excites you. That way, you’re not going in blind when you start applying for internships.
Identify Your Top Choices ✍️
Once you’ve got the lay of the land, make a long list of your favorite publishers, agencies, and outlets — places where you’d be excited to intern.
Tip: Don’t limit yourself to the industry’s biggest publishers. Valuable internships can be found at smaller presses, universities, literary agencies, and other literary companies!
At this point in your search, you’ll need to decide if you’re looking for an in person or remote internship or are open to either. This mostly depends on your location. To intern in person, you’ll need to live in a major publishing hub like New York City or be able to move there for the duration of your internship. Remote internships, on the other hand, can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. So decide which option works for you, and filter your search accordingly.
Where to Look for Openings 👀
Information about internship opportunities at a publishing house or book-related business can often be found on the company’s website or by searching its career portal. Social media is also a good place to browse, as agents and employees often post there about upcoming openings.
In addition to keeping an eye on individual career portals and social media feeds, a daily perusal of sites like Bookjobs.com and LinkedIn might turn up the opportunity you’re looking for.
If there’s a specific publisher or agency that sounds like a great fit — or one where you’d be stoked to intern, but you can’t find any information about internships — consider reaching out directly to ask if that’s something they do. If you’re feeling extra bold, you can even propose your own internship. No guarantees it’ll work, but it wouldn’t be the first time if it did!
Tip: Not everyone accepts cold emails — if the website says they’re not going to read it, they’re not going to read it. However, other places do, so if you decide to reach out, be sure to personalize your introductory message to bolster your chances of getting a response (more on that below).
Use Your Connections — or Make Some New Ones 🤝
There’s no shame in using connections to find a good internship in publishing. If you have ’em, use ’em.
That might be a conversation with your aunt about internship opportunities at the publishing house where she works, or it may be an email to a professor who was once a book editor. It might be a phone call to a former schoolmate who graduated a few years ago and is now working in publishing. Any connection is worth exploring.
Of course, a lot of folks looking for publishing internships don’t have the luxury of a direct relationship with a person on the inside, and that’s totally fine. You’re not out of the running.
Connections can be made through networking, and that can happen in a few ways — both in person and online. Attending a publishing career fair or the AWP Conference can be a great way to meet people in publishing and publishing-adjacent fields. Events like these don’t happen every day, but if you’re lucky enough to be near one, take full advantage of it.
Thankfully, networking online is way more accessible. Hop on sites like LinkedIn and reach out to people in publishing. You can ask about certain roles, about their own career path, or even to see if they’d be willing to give you an informational interview over the phone. You may not get a response, but if you do, you just made a new connection. Make your message friendly and genuine, and don’t be dissuaded by the possibility of it being left unread — or even just unopened (it’s not personal).
Tip: Talk to everyone. You never know who knows someone. You may get the intro you need because your mom’s coworker’s daughter works in publishing. She might even create a student internship for you. It’s happened at least once — to me! 👋
Time to Apply⏱️
So you’ve fine-tuned your list and now you’re ready to apply to different internships. First step? Tailor your application to the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers and recruiters get heaps of applications, which is why they carefully craft their internship listings to attract the right candidate. They put thought and effort into the listing. Now it’s your turn to return that effort and attention to detail in your application.
Every application you submit is going to be different. Your résumé should be crisp and clear, with obvious connections to the internship you’re pursuing. Use keywords in your experience descriptions that mirror what the internship requires.
For example: If you’re applying for a design internship in publishing, highlight the specific graphic design and illustration classes you took in high school or college. If you’re applying for a content marketing internship and the job description mentions SEO research, highlight your experience as a student marketing assistant at your university and describe how you used Google Trends to conduct SEO research to improve traffic to the university’s site.
Presentation Is Key🌟
We all know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover — but we also know that’s just not how the world actually works. Presentation matters, and that applies to your résumé. If you’re not confident in the look of your résumé, try using a template instead of tinkering with the layout on your own. You can find lots of templates for free online with a simple search, or check out the options built into the application you’re using. Canva is a great resource for creating an attractive résumé, too, and the free version has plenty of solid templates ready to go.
In addition to customizing your résumé, customize your cover letter so that it details why you’re right for this specific publishing internship. There are plenty of fish in the sea and even more internship hopefuls in the applicant pool. Tell the hiring manager why you’ll be a valuable intern in this position. Celebrate your skills and express your passion for publishing. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who are qualified and eager to learn. Tell them why this publishing internship excites you.
References and Recommendation Letters📝
References are generally a required part of the application process; letters or recommendation may not be. Both, however, can set your application apart from the pack. After all, a glowing referral from an employer, a professor, or a colleague uniquely speaks to you.
When you ask someone to write you a recommendation letter for your internship application, be sure to give them the description of the position so that they can write about your best and most relevant qualities. Similarly, when you list someone as a reference, make sure you’ve asked them first — that phone call should not be a surprise. You want your reference to expect the call so they’re ready to talk about your valuable skills and traits and to give you their seal of approval.
A Few Final Thoughts:
Mark Your Calendars 📆
Most internships in publishing are geared toward students and run in cycles based on the academic year, which means they open up at the same time for spring, summer, and fall. Be prepared to apply to a lot at once. This doesn’t mean internships are only hiring during one season, though. They can pop up randomly at any time, especially remote internships. As such, remain vigilant to catch that perfect opportunity — and don’t wait to hear back from one publishing house before applying for another one that interests you!
You’re Allowed to Be a Little Bit Picky🤔
Be realistic about what kind of publishing internship is going to serve you. The point of an internship is to familiarize yourself with the industry, gain experience, and make connections. If a potential internship won’t deliver on at least one of those things, it may not be the right fit for you.
Stay Positive!✨😁✨
We know that getting an internship in publishing is a lot of work — seriously, it’s a job unto itself! Try not to get too discouraged if you aren’t getting responses, or if the ones you are getting aren’t what you’re hoping to hear. Be patient and keep at it. Show the publishing world why you’re passionate about literature, and the right opportunity will find you. You’ve got this!