Our national reputation as one of the top ten periodicals that publishes fiction and poetry belies the size of our staff. We depend heavily on the support of our volunteers and college interns, who, under the direction of the Managing Editor, may undertake a variety of tasks, including:

  • Updating submissions database
  • Computer-inputting issues
  • Corresponding with subscribers
  • Updating indexes
  • Providing writers with guidelines
  • Researching queries
  • Processing copyright releases
  • Assisting with bulk mailings
  • Screening mail
  • General clerical

Requirements

Ten hours/week for one semester is the minimum commitment.

Compensation

This is a volunteer job. We cannot afford to pay interns except by giving them credit in the magazine’s masthead and complimentary copies of Ploughshares.

Location

Our office is located at 10 Park Plaza in downtown Boston, nearest to the Boylston T stop on the Green Line. We are also withing walking distance of the Orange and Red lines. The office is wheelchair-accessible.

Skills

Interns should be familiar with our publication and should have a strong background and interest in contemporary literature and publishing. Students currently enrolled in a college or university, or recent college graduates, are preferred. Requires good communication and typing skills, and computer literacy.

Academic Year Internships

Ploughshares accepts applications for academic year internships from Emerson College students only.

Summer Internships

Summer internships are open to all applicants. Applications for summer internships are due April 15th.

Internships Currently Available

WEB/MARKETING INTERN

The web/marketing intern will:

  • Keep tabs on Ploughshares’ public image, authors, and guest editors
  • Update the Facebook and Twitter accounts with relevant stories and information
  • Help write press releases and create press kits
  • Find audiences for potential readers/ subscribers, as well as potential event attendees
  • Find potential reviewers (bloggers, etc)
  • Create spreadsheets containing contact information for relevant organizations and audiences
  • Come up with and help run marketing/ publicity campaigns
  • Brainstorm ways to publicize Ploughshares in the future
  • Help maintain the website and blog
  • Format archives
  • Implement web advertising and promotions strategies

Preferred skills:

  • Have a good working knowledge of various forms of social media
  • Familiarity with marketing campaigns
  • Familiarity with book/ magazine publicity
  • Good research skills
  • Creativity!

MULTIMEDIA INTERN

The multimedia intern will helm the multimedia section of the Pshares blog. Duties will include creating videos and podcasts, posting multimedia on our website and coming up with new ways to use multimedia with a literary journal. The multimedia intern should have knowledge of video editing and podcast creation, and have access to equipment necessary for production.

EDITORIAL INTERN

The editorial intern will assist the staff with various editorial and administrative duties.

Internship Dates

Spring: Mid-January through late April (Deadline for applications: December 31)
Summer: May through August (Deadline for applications: April 15)
Fall: September through December (Deadline for applications: July 31)

How to Apply

Applicants wishing to apply for an internship should mail a cover letter, résumé, and a completed Ploughshares intern application form (download Editorial here and Marketing here) to:

Managing Editor
Ploughshares
Emerson College
120 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116

or e-mail to: Pshares.managingeditor@gmail.com. 

Multimedia applicants: You do not need to complete an intern application form. Instead, please provide links to your creative work, and make sure to include information about relevant programs you have knowledge of in your cover letter or résumé.

All Applicants: All interns are expected to be detail-oriented, and this quality should be reflected in your application. 

It is fine to call and make sure your application has been received. Every applicant will receive a response to their application.