Internships in Publishing for English Majors
English majors often express interest in doing internships in the field of publishing, so we have made a special effort to develop partnerships with a number of editors and small presses in the Duluth-Superior area. These publishing internships are available to any eligible student in the UMD English B.A. and M.A. programs. They can provide excellent opportunities to learn more about the field of publishing and to develop skills in editing, proofreading, marketing and publicity, production, design and development through hands-on experience.
Some internships are set up with a certain department, such as Editorial or Marketing, while other internships are less structured and provide opportunities for a diverse range of publishing responsibilities. Areas and skills you may be able to develop through an internship include:
- Design: Learn about designing layouts and graphics, coordinating artwork, artist contributor database update, and coordinating photo shoots.
- Development: Learn about publishing budgets and fundraising, researching and writing grants, supporting individual donors, soliciting sponsorship for events and programming, donor database upkeep, preparing mailings, and coordinating with volunteers, donors, and vendors.
- Editing: Learn about proofreading, fact checking, editing manuscripts and promotional materials, working with authors and agents, production schedules, handling permissions requests, and manuscript database upkeep.
- Event planning: Learn how to plan and conduct events such as book signings, fundraisers and outreach events, author readings, and book fairs.
- Manuscript evaluation:Learn about identifying and evaluating manuscripts with publishing potential; preparing and sending manuscript rejections, requests, and submission guidelines.
- Marketing and Publicity: Learn about marketing and publicizing books, writing and sending pitches, arranging author tours and interviews, creating and distributing press releases, filing and sending out review copies, securing and tracking reviews, revising and editing catalogs, creating promotional materials such as advertisements and posters.
- Production: Learn about producing the entire physical object of the book, from its layout to its cover, type, and interior art.
Internship Sites
Listed below are businesses or organizations that offer, or may consider offering, internships to UMD English majors and graduate students. Contact the Internship Coordinator at [email protected] prior to contacting any field agencies directly. Note: All italicized and labeled with are businesses or organizations offer publishing internships.
| Animal Allies | |
Company or organization: |
Animal Allies Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Description: | Animal Allies Humane Society is an innovative animal companion humane society that strives to ensure a lifetime of loving care for every pet by reducing overpopulation, increasing adoption, and fostering humane values. Animal Allies provides temporary, high quality animal sheltering services, including spaying, neutering, and micro-chipping; places stray and abandoned animals in adoptive homes; and offers education programs to schools and other groups in the Twin Ports area. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Marketing and Communications and/or Fundraising and Events Positions will offer the opportunity to broaden experience with a variety of responsibilities including print and social media marketing, website development, event support and execution, and assisting with various communications including, but not limited to, newsletters, radio, television, and press releases. The position will help the adoption, spay/neuter and humane education programming, with a close tie to brand management. This position will report to the Marketing and Communications Manager and may require occasional evening and weekend hours. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
English majors who are creative, highly motivated, and care about animal welfare. |
| Holy Cow! Press | |
Company or organization: |
Holy Cow! Press Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
Holy Cow! Press publishes literary works of writers primarily in the Upper Midwest. Owner Jim Perlman's vision and careful selection of titles has, over the past 32 years, led to Holy Cow! being called “one of the best small presses in America.” Nineteen of Holy Cow! Press' books have been finalists for the Northeast Minnesota Book Award; three of the poetry titles received the top award. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Preliminary reading of manuscripts and preparation of potential responses to submitters. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
Mature graduate students who are particularly interested in literary analysis. |
| Lake Superior Writers | |
Company or organization: |
Lake Superior Writers Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
The mission of Lake Superior Writers is to support the artistic development of writers and foster a vibrant literary arts community. LSW is a member-supported organization, offering mentoring, workshops, reading and networking opportunities to writers at all levels, from the experienced, published writer to the emerging artist. LSW activities include the Duluth Poet Laureate, an annual writing contest, writing workshops, regular genre-based writing groups, poetry readings, and a monthly e-calendar of events. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Interns at Lake Superior Writers contribute to the organization’s efforts through activities such as assisting with the annual area writing contest, working on the website and improvements to digital communications, planning and implementing events such as readings and fundraisers. The focus of each internship will depend on the skills and interest of the intern and on the current needs of the organization. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
English majors and graduate students with an interested in supporting the local literary arts community. |
| New Moon Girl Media | |
Company or organization: |
New Moon Girl Media Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
New Moon Girl Media is an online community and print magazine for girls ages 8 to 12, dedicated to helping girls discover and honor their true selves. Safe, educational, and advertising-free, New Moon Girl Media helps girls develop their full potential through self-discovery, creativity, and community. Through sharing their own poetry, artwork, videos, and other creations; engaging in meaningful, adult-moderated discussions; and challenging cultural stereotypes of physical beauty, members build self-esteem and positive body image. New Moon Girl Media is for every girl who wants her voice heard, her dreams taken seriously, and her creativity celebrated. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Past internship opportunities have included multi-media editorial internships. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
Self-motivated individuals interested in youth education and/or women’s studies. |
| Savage Press | |
Company or organization: |
Savage Press, Inc. Superior, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
Description: |
Savage Press dates to 1989 and has published more than 100 nonfiction, fiction, and poetry titles. As a small publisher, owner Michael Savage uses guerilla marketing strategies to create demand for his titles and take them to market. Arranging book signings, sending out review copies, appearing on talk shows, and meeting the public at book fairs are among the activities of this publisher. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Student interns will gain knowledge of all of the activities that go on in a publishing house, learning the language of publishing as well as how this publisher approaches taking a book to market. He or she may have the opportunity to execute marketing tactics, practice writing letters and other documents, and create promotional materials for specific titles. A knowledge of Pagemaker is helpful. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
Professional Writing minors and English MA graduate students with interest in Publishing & Print Culture. |
| The Duluth Depot | |
Company or organization: |
The Duluth Depot Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
The Duluth Depot is home to the Duluth Art Institute, the Duluth Children’s Museum, the Duluth Playhouse, the North short Scenic Railroad, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, and the St. Louis County Historical Society Museum. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
The Duluth Depot is looking for interns to help with public history projects, including writing and proofreading the Depot’s quarterly magazine, The Junction; researching and writing a tour book currently being composed; grant writing. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
Mature, focused individuals with some interest in history. |
| The Hillsider | |
Company or organization: |
The Hillsider Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
The Hillsider is a non-profit board encouraging and promoting the good things about Duluth's Central Hillside, East Hillside and Lincoln Park neighborhoods. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
The Hillsider is interested in an intern to assist with writing and editing its newspaper. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
Students interested in editing, print culture, and newspaper or magazine publishing. |
| Tight Squeek Press | |
Company or organization: |
The Tight Squeek Press Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
The Tight Squeek Press is a letterpress shop and bookbindery specializing in limited edition hand work. Manuscripts and art work are both accepted from outside sources and are generated in house, and generally include multicolor block-printed cards, prints and fine press books. All work is performed in-house. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Potential internship activities include hand composition using lead type; letterpress operation including set-up, proofing, corrections and make-ready, edition runs; paper cutting, tearing, folding; and hand binding including gathering, sewing, backing, cover fabrication, and book assembly. For more information, contact Professor Evan Brier at [email protected]. |
Recommended for: |
Students best suited for this placement would have strong interests in art and literature, with creative skills and dedication toward the application and exercise of fine craftmanship. |
| Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota Duluth | |
Company or organization: |
Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota Duluth |
|---|---|
Description: |
With a permanent collection of over 7,000 art objects representing a range of cultures and periods of art history, the Tweed Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth is a major cultural and educational resource for the Upper Midwest. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Interns may assist in art research and writing, exhibition writing and design, marketing including social media, and special events planning. More information and application form are available from the Tweed. |
Recommended for: |
Students interested in art, history, culture and museum studies. |
| Whole Person Associates | |
Company or organization: |
Whole Person Associates Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
Whole Person Associates publishes stress management and wellness promotion resources and self-care products. |
| > Potential Internship Activities: |
Whole Person Associates is looking for interns to do proofreading, editing, social media marketing, research, and more. |
Recommended for: |
Ideal candidates would be able to work afternoon hours and would have an interest in learning about a small publishing firm and the kinds of books produced by Whole Person Associates. |
| Duluth Playhouse | |
Company or organization: |
Duluth Playhouse Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
Founded in 1914, the Duluth Playhouse is one of the nation's oldest community theaters and produces a year-round season of dramas, musicals, and children's productions. Its mission is to offer exceptional entertainment, training, and performance opportunities in theater arts that may inspire, challenge, and engage residents of Minnesota’s Northeast Region. The Playhouse incorporates the Children’s Theatre Arts program, The Play Ground Theatre, and the new Conservatory for the Performing Arts and is located in the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center in downtown Duluth. Internships are offered in summer and during fall and spring semesters. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Duties include assisting with marketing, promotion, and advertising of playhouse events. For more information, contact Tessa Lenneman, Promotions Manager, at [email protected] |
Recommended for: |
This internship position is recommended for English majors with an interest in theater and/or marketing, promotion, and advertising. An interest in theater arts is desirable. |
| Lake Superior Magazine | |
Company or organization: |
Lake Superior Magazine Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
Description: |
Lake Superior Magazine, a family-owned publication, is published for the audience that resides in and visits the region surrounding Lake Superior, including Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. It balances need-to-know and want-to-know solid journalism with lighter lifestyle, recreational, profile, and travel articles. |
Potential Internship Activities: |
Internships at Lake Superior Magazine provide an introduction to the field of publishing, giving student-interns experience in all parts of the business, from planning to production and marketing. The full experience will reflect the intern's skill level and will include shadowing or interviewing in each of the departments--publisher, advertising, marketing, customer service, and circulation--to give a complete picture of the business. Lake Superior Magazine will accept at least one intern each semester, generally for 8 weeks at 20 hours a week. |
Recommended for: |
The successful intern working onsite at Lake Superior Magazine will be a mature, conscientious individual, interested in learning about the publishing of a bimonthly magazine and willing to sign a confidentiality agreement. Strong communication skills and work ethic are important. |