Exploring Internship Opportunities at Candlewick Press

Candlewick Press, an independent publisher known for its high-quality books for children and young adults, offers a variety of internship opportunities for students and recent graduates. These internships provide invaluable hands-on experience in the publishing industry, allowing interns to develop professional skills and make important contacts. Based in Somerville, Massachusetts, Candlewick Press is a dynamic company that offers excellent opportunities to acquire firsthand knowledge of the publishing world.

General Internship Information

Candlewick Press offers internships in the fall, spring, and summer, aligning with the needs of its various departments. The internships typically require a time commitment averaging fourteen hours per week for up to twelve weeks. These internships are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the publishing process.

Candlewick Press' paid internship initiative runs for approximately 12 weeks at a pay rate of $15 per hour. Internships can be used for college credit if approved by the interns' educational institution. We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) offers grants for diverse candidates during the summer semester.

It is important to note that as internships are determined on a need basis, there is a chance a particular department may not host an intern every semester.

Departments and Opportunities

Candlewick Press internships are available in various departments, including editorial, marketing, design, production, and publicity. Each department offers unique experiences and responsibilities, allowing interns to explore different facets of the publishing industry.

Editorial Internships

The editorial internship is particularly appealing to those with a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail. Interns in this department assist with manuscript reviews, proofreading, and research. They may also help with the development of book proposals and learn how to navigate the creative relationships between authors, illustrators, and editors.

Editorial Interns will work closely with a mentor in the editorial department and learn about the entire editorial process, from initial submission to printer's proofs. Intern tasks often include reading submissions, writing reader's reports, and drafting rejection letters; researching comparable titles in the market; fact-checking; researching third-party permissions for visual and textual material incorporated in books; drafting jacket/cover copy and ad card copy; and checking in-house page proofs and printer's proofs. Additionally, interns may attend meetings based on availability, which may include weekly covers, production, and picture book team meetings as well as project-specific meetings with members of the editorial, editorial services, and design teams.

Design Internships

The Design internship is particularly well suited to students who are looking to become children's book illustrators or book designers. Design interns assist picture book and fiction designers with scanning illustrator sketches and final artwork, font research, preliminary page set up, and image placement in layouts. They help the Art Department Assistant unpack and log artwork, circulate materials, and make book dummies; and assist the Art Coordination Manager with art exhibitions, award submissions, maintaining illustrator sample files and reviewing art submissions. Design interns also attend departmental meetings on illustrator selection, cover designs, and art direction whenever possible. Other tasks and projects may be assigned on an as-needed basis. Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, especially Photoshop and InDesign is required. Familiarity with handling original artwork, knowledge of contemporary picture book illustration, and experience with box cutters and X-acto knives and tiling images is preferred.

Marketing and Publicity Internships

Marketing and publicity interns focus on promoting Candlewick’s titles through social media campaigns, press releases, and event planning. These internships offer valuable experience in the world of book promotion and public relations.

Production Internships

The design and production internships provide an opportunity to explore the visual and technical aspects of book publishing. Interns in these areas work closely with designers and production managers to create stunning book layouts, covers, and promotional materials. The ideal candidate majors in publishing or a related area of study and has a desire to learn about printing, estimating and the art of book making. Responsibilities include: Checking and circulating proofs and advanced copies of books; estimating and completing margin requests for potential reprint orders; reviewing invoices for sales materials; drafting memos and correspondence as needed; filing and archiving. Requires exceptional writing, communication and organizational skills, attention to detail and a positive attitude. Knowledge of printing is a plus. Must be proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Adobe and Outlook on a PC platform.

Publishing Technologies Internships

The Publishing Technologies internship offers hands-on experience with several areas related to our digital publishing and marketing programs. The qualified intern will gain a thorough understanding of PDF creation and optimization using Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat; assist the supervisor with video editing and post-production projects using Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects; help produce promotional videos used to market our novelty children's books; assist with setup and production for occasional on-site video shoots with authors and illustrators; learn to use digital photography in a controlled shooting environment in order to create promotional images for pop-up books, flap books, merchandise, box sets, giveaways, and more; shadow the supervisor on occasional e-book production projects to gain knowledge in e-book creation, file preparation, file testing, and on sale support. Candidates for this internship must be proficient on Mac OS and should understand the basics of design, video and audio editing, using the Adobe Creative Suite. Any e-book and basic HTML experience would be a bonus.

MIT Kids and Teen Imprints Editorial Internship

In collaboration with MIT Press, our MIT Kids and Teen imprints publish engaging and ambitious books with a focus on STEAM themes for kids ages 0-18. Our list is predominantly nonfiction, and we work with scientists, artists, inventors, writers, and thinkers to make beautiful, cutting-edge books for young audiences. We are in search of a detail-oriented intern who can complete photo research, fact checking, reader's reports, and a variety of other tasks to help bring our projects from submission to finished book. Depending on availability, our intern can expect to attend production and design meetings as well as editorial brainstorming sessions, and to get a front row seat to the bookmaking process.

Application Process and What Candlewick Looks For

Typically, applicants are asked to submit a resume, cover letter, and a short writing sample. Candlewick Press offers valuable internship opportunities for students and recent graduates eager to gain hands-on experience in the publishing industry.

Candlewick’s reputation for excellence in creating beautiful, high-quality children’s books is accomplished through a staff of dedicated, focused, and energetic individuals who enjoy an innovative, team-oriented work environment and a very generous compensation and benefits package. Candlewick Press is an equal opportunity employer. Because of the volume of submissions, we regret that we cannot respond to every resume upon receipt. We do, however, hold onto resumes for a period of one year for review as positions become available. Should a future opportunity complement your qualifications, we will contact you directly.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

One notable feature of Candlewick’s internship program is its commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity. The company actively seeks candidates from various backgrounds to ensure its books reflect the world’s rich tapestry of experiences.

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