Internships: Not Just For College Anymore

By Jill Earl

Recently, I’ve had a number of conversations concerning my internship with WOW! Women On Writing. The two most frequent questions:

“Cool! How’d you find that?”

or

“Aren’t they for college?”

Not at all. Online internships can be a valuable resource in building a writer’s skills, adding experience and gathering clips for the portfolio. They’re worth a look.

Aren’t They For College?

As an English major, I hoped to participate in a writing internship or co-op during college. Since I was a full-time older student who also worked to support herself, that wasn’t an option.However, I discovered that the communications division of the Christian campus group I belonged to was looking for interns for the fall, but my application was forwarded to their media production division because they felt that that could be a better fit for me.

I was accepted, and the fall after graduation, moved to Wisconsin. As a production intern, I wrote scripts, assisted in filming video pieces, and transcribed interviews, among other tasks. Once I returned to my home state, family obligations restricted travel, so I searched for online opportunities.

As a result, I worked as a research assistant for Writer Mama author Christina Katz. And currently, I intern for WOW!, blogging monthly and assisting with the Premium-Green newsletter.

How Did You Find That?

I found my internships because I subscribe to the WOW! and Writers On the Rise (Christina Katz’s) newsletters and applied for their calls for interns. Your favorite search engine will yield numerous writing newsletters to check out and possibly register for. Look into others such as:

Newbie Writers
The Practicing Writer
Writer Gazette
Freelance Writer Online International

You may not find something right away, but performing a through search may yield the opportunity you’re looking for.

So if you’re looking for ways to develop and expand your writing skills, consider an online internship. They’re not just for college anymore.

Jill Earl

Are Print Magazines Dying?

In a recent interview with Ann Moore, CEO Time, Inc. she had told us about her push for digital content. "We've actually been focusing on our digital strategy for some time, investing in our online assets since 2000," Ann said. She wasn't kidding!

April 20th will be LIFE magazine's last print issue, but readers will still be able to read LIFE online. Time started publishing the magazine in 1936, but this isn't the first time it was shut down. It closed its doors in 1972, but came back in 1978, before shutting down again in 2000.

When WOW! talked to Ann Moore, she gave freelance writers hope by letting us know online clips carry more weight than previously, and in fact, are now the same. "The print and online worlds are definitely no longer separated for journalists. Time Inc.'s biggest names in print are now writing for the web as well, and recognize it's a great way to have more articles published and seen by a growing audience." (Now I know exactly what she was talking about!)

Is this the fate of the magazine industry?

Meredith Corporation's Child magazine has also shut its doors, opting for online only. The same goes for IDG's InfoWorld, and Hachette Filipacchi Media's PREMIERE magazine.

Of course there are benefits to going online only: No more costly print, circulation, and operating expenses. But can they do as well with online advertising? It seems to me that if more magazines go strictly online it will raise the cost of online advertising. The market will need reevaluation.

What does this mean for freelance writers?

Good news for the future. With magazines moving to online and advertising rates rising, in turn, writers should be better paid and have more opportunities. Reasonably, it should create more openings, since online content needs to stay fresh and be constantly updated in real time. It may not be as glamorous for die-hard print fans out there, but online clips will be easier to buzz.

Still, there's nothing like holding a print magazine in your hand and seeing those beautiful glossy photos...

What do you think? Post a comment!