Brink’s publishing internship program seeks to bring underrepresented and diverse voices into the publishing industry itself. Through our fifteen-week program, interns learn the essential ins and outs of the industry and become crucial contributors to the positive social change Brink affects every day.
Professional Experience
Are you eager to foster a love of literature and stories? Do you believe in the power of the pen? Are you motivated by a desire to discover hidden gems of literary beauty and bring them to light?
An internship with Brink will provide you with firsthand experience in the publishing industry. Our programs are designed to bridge the gap between learning about publishing and working in the business.
Our internships are conducted entirely online, so applicants from anywhere in the world can participate in this remote publishing internship as long as they have access to WiFi. Typically, interns work approximately 10 hours a week. Every Brink intern is given a small stipend of $300.
Our Program
Editing
Guided by our professional staff, interns will receive extensive editorial training that covers everything from initial content and broad structural editing to perfecting final copies. Interns will work with general and contest submissions, polish pieces to be published in F(r)iction, and try their hands at both navigating the slush pile and interacting with celebrity authors.
Publishing
The first half of the internship includes an intensive training program with our professional editorial staff. Interns learn how to coach writers from first drafts to polished publications. For the remaining half of the internship, interns will have the opportunity to work as independent Junior Editors. Interns will assist in the creation of F(r)iction and gain experience in every step of the publication process, including editing and general content management. Additionally, interns are asked to assist with the marketing and distribution of F(r)iction.
Outreach
Interns will gain experience in industry correspondence: they will reach out to literary agents and publicists, request advance review copies for the season’s most anticipated books, and conduct Q&As with celebrity authors.
Editorial Writing
Brink provides interns with the opportunity to hone their own craft and technique in order to sharpen their editorial lens. Interns will write short pieces for group writing projects such as Dually Noted and draft book reviews for upcoming titles.
Production
Interns will practice the basics of magazine layout and InDesign while learning about a production’s department’s workflow and role as part of an art and literature publisher.
Marketing
Interns will assist with the management of marketing materials, social media accounts, and online publications.
How to Apply
Brink offers two internship sessions every year—spring and fall—with each internship lasting fifteen weeks.
Spring Cycle
Applications Open: Aug 1
Applicant Deadline: Dec 1
Referrer Deadline: Dec 15
Cycle runs: Jan/Feb – Apr/May
Fall Cycle
Applications Open: Mar 1
Applicant Deadline: July 1
Referrer Deadline: July 15
Cycle runs: Aug/Sept – Nov/Dec
Want to make your application stand out? Check out our Internship FAQ page.
Applications are OPEN!
Testimonials
This internship helped me feel confident that I can succeed in the literary world! As an intern at Brink Literacy Project, I learned about every aspect of running a literary journal, from the ins and outs of editing to the nitty-gritty of typesetting pieces on InDesign. I felt so supported and valued, knowing my editorial instincts and creative insights are taken seriously. This internship offers so many exciting opportunities to get involved with the world of non-profit publishing—including interviewing successful authors, editing submissions from the slush pile, and even writing and publishing my own articles in F(r)iction Log!
Ciena Valenzuela-Peterson
Spring 2024 Intern
I can’t praise Brink enough for this incredible, inclusive, and inspiring internship experience. I felt valued and respected by every member of the staff, and each person I met showed me how deeply everyone believes in Brink’s mission to spread literacy, transform lives through storytelling, and to create a world that values unconventional and challenging writing. Not only has Brink given me the skills to carry that mission forward in my own life, they’ve also given me something that you cannot put a price on: confidence. Their kindness and their faith in me has revealed my own value, and I feel more prepared than ever to pursue a career in editing and publishing.
Ari Iscariot
Spring 2024 Intern
Interning at Brink was one of the best experiences of my life. I am graduating from this internship with new skills, but I am also taking with me a more informed perspective about how I can channel my own love for literature and storytelling to create positive, meaningful change in my community. Witnessing how well programs & staffers alike embody Brink’s mission gives me so much hope for a more just, equitable, and inclusive future.
Aubrey Unemori
Fall 2023 Intern
I don’t think I could have gotten any luckier, having Brink as my first publishing internship. Not only is what they stand for amazing, but the way they take care in how they do their work is too. The way they’ve taught me as an intern and treated me as part of the team is something I will never forget. I now have more skills than I know what to do with and have come across so many networking possibilities previously unimaginable. I cannot put into words how grateful I am to have had this opportunity.
Inanna Carter
Fall 2023 Intern
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to all aspects of the publishing industry, from editorial to marketing to production, and learn so many useful new skills. Brink’s staff is incredibly warm, supportive, and friendly, and guided me through the internship process while providing me with valuable individualized feedback along every step of the way. I know that I will bring the skills I’ve acquired to future opportunities.
Eliza Browning
Fall 2022 Intern
