Do you ever wonder what it’s like to be a
publishing intern—What skills must you
possess to land the internship? What will your daily duties be like? Will your
internship really prepare you for the competitive publishing industry?
Today we hope to answer all these questions and
more through the words of a recently departed summer intern, Emma Nichols, on
her last day on the job (Still looking for a fall internship? We have a few
Editorial and Publicity slots still available!).
We miss you Emma; Best of Luck in your senior
year!
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I find myself walking around the office in fits
of pre-stalgia—is there already a term for nostalgia that occurs
too early? Even the mundane tasks of my day—printing out a UPS
label—have me wondering if this will be the last time. Maybe this morning
was the last time I’ll search for books in the stacks, making a mental list of
the titles I’d like to read. I know when I come back to visit, these piles will
be replaced; maybe that’s partially the cause of my pre-stalgia—I’ve become
attached.
Unlike Michael—one of my bosses and a former Overlook
intern—no one has asked me what it’s like to be a publishing company intern.
But I’m going to tell you anyway. I’m lucky enough to be a double-intern,
working in both editorial and publicity. My work in editorial is pretty simple:
read & report. My editorial day came just once a week, so at times it took
three weeks to read a manuscript through, but the thrill of recommending we
publish a title—and imagining it in print—was worth the time and effort. I even
had the opportunity to proof the manuscript I was most excited about—Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen
Campbell (coming soon to a bookstore near you).
My duties in the publicity department—which occurred
twice a week—were more varied and equally as enjoyable. I’ve written galley
letters and blog posts, mailed review copies, searched blogs, tracked down
email addresses and book reviewers, mailed review copies, social networked,
thought of interview and reader’s guide questions, mailed review copies,
learned Microsoft Excel, posted events, created email lists, and mailed some
review copies. (I never realized how many free books media outlets receive; maybe
I need to reconsider my job aspirations for the sake of my personal library).
These are just some tasks I could expect to do on any given day. But I also had
the opportunity to assist at a double launch event for The
Boxer’s Heart by Kate Sekules (at the infamous Gleason’s Gym!) and
attend BEA for a few hours.
If I had to choose, attending BEA was probably
the highlight of my Overlook experience—discounting the wonderful people I’ve
worked for, of course. If you’ve never been to the Book Expo, simply imagine a
giant arena of publishers, publicists, agents, reviewers, and stacks of free
galleys laid out on make-shift streets flanked by fold-out tables. Still, that
can’t encapsulate the sheer joy I felt, browsing publishers’ tables and
discussing literature with publicists. I had to concentrate on not appearing
overwhelmed and overjoyed, lest someone realize I hardly belonged—an intern
simply intent on soaking up the literary scene rather than advancing my career
or writing a book review (although I am interested in both).
I see my internship at Overlook as more of
an apprenticeship; though we’re only paid in books, we’re not overworked and
we’re certainly gaining worthwhile experience (I never fetched a single cup of
coffee). What I’m saying is, unpaid internships build character! And I’m now
better prepared for a full-time job in publishing.
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Emma Nichols is a former publicity/editorial
intern at The Overlook Press. Her favorite Overlook title is Phantoms on the Bookshelves by Jacques Bonnet.
She is currently a student and the editor-in-chief at Petrichor
Review.
