College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Arts, Media, Entertainment,Publishing
Career Center Contacts:
Garry Klein (garry-klein@uiowa.edu)
Exploration
This field includes everything from editing/publishing jobs, videography and graphic design, to working in a theatre or as a journalist.
The most important thing to remember with a creative position is that the salaries may not start as high as business jobs, but they will hopefully be in an environment you love and the work will feel very fulfilling. To enter these fields you will need some experience and to perhaps be familiar with others in the field. We strongly encourage volunteer work, internships (both paid and unpaid) and sending your work out for publication (if writing) while in college so that you have laid a foundation before entering the post-collegiate years.
If you are moving to California we'd like to invite you to join our English Hawkeyes - California Facebook page so you can keep in touch with each other and have a support system. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1792382774413179/
Click here to skip down to internships
Journalism:
Be inspired! Check out the archives of The Daily Iowan (read 1939 as an example). All majors are encouraged to write for The Daily Iowan. There are also opportunities to have a radio show. If you want to learn this writing style take CNW courses. You may also want to double major in Journalism or minor in Mass Communications. The important thing is to be researching, reporting and writing while you are still in school. Check out our videos on the computer in the Career Corner and see alum Michael Roston who works for The New York Times.
Creative Writing:
We have graduates writing in all genres around the country. The difficult part is keeping track of them. Remember this when you become an author, please, and keep us updated. Writing full time involves self-discipline, an outside source of income, and being willing to confidently take on assignments that may seem outside your initial comfort zone. We will try to post contacts here as they come to our attention. Your best bet is to get to know your writing instructors, to join a writing organization and to participate fully in the Iowa City writing community.
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Susanne Davis offers unpaid internships for her Words on Fire Studio and workshop ventures.
Susanne’s short stories have been published in many journals including American Short Fiction, Notre Dame Review, descant, St. Petersburg Review, Zone 3, Carve and numerous others. Her nonfiction has been published in Harvard Magazine, Harvard Law Bulletin and Mothers Always Write, along with many other newspapers and journals. She holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and teaches creative writing at Trinity College, and the University of Connecticut. She also conducts writing workshops at the Mark Twain House in Hartford, CT, as well as workshops and private consults with writers in her Connecticut home and online. You may read more about her offerings at her website: www.susannedavis.com.
To get an MFA or to not get an MFA
Click here to skip down to other internships
A company that hires writers in L.A., California
Video Game Industry:
Advice from previous student in the industry
VideoGame Company that uses writers
Entry-Level Job Search Engine (be aware that many jobs may not be posted and may be found best through contacts you make at conferences, etc.)
Book Arts:
Laura Capp (MFA/PhD from University of Iowa) shares about her business
Arts Management or Pubic Relations/Marketing:
Playwriting:
Internships in Minneapolis: https://pwcenter.org/internships
Submit plays by July at Theatre Cedar Rapids to win a chance to have them staged as part of the Underground New Play Festival.
Film/Cinema/TV/Acting:
Brigid Marshall has made her way in L.A. writing and performing comedy. She shared this tidbit after her visit with us: "I think one thing I might have added is the need for students to develop a 'special skill,' if they intend on truly pursuing a creative passion, writing or otherwise. For example, if they want to write short stories (or fiction, newspaper articles, blogs, what have you) -- it's not going to pay the bills right away, so they need something that allows for a flexible schedule; I would recommend something like learning photoshop, or simple web design, if they don't think they can stomach a job working in sales (ie a day-job). More and more I see the need for skills like that when students come away with degrees like English, which do not have set career paths. Thanks again for having me! Feel free to give my email to students who might find themselves with more questions or want some humor-filled, yet practical advice."
Brigid Mashall in a commercial
Possible Places to Check for jobs:
NHN Entertainment USA - Santa Monica, CA
Possible Faculty Mentors:
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INTERNSHIPS:
Please check Hire-a-Hawk for local internships as they continue to have new ones regularly.
Editing and video-related internships at TEGNA in Seattle, WA
Film-related Internships and jobs with Tiny Hero (CA)
Playwriting Internship (Minneapolis)
Theatrical (Eugene O'Neill Theatre)
Shakespeare Theatre Company (Wash DC) Paid Professional Fellowships (post graduation)
New Dramatists Internship for those in playwriting, management,directing, stage management
Theatre Cedar Rapids (unpaid internships in marketing/PR, production all might be possible, contact them)
Site for Positions in Editing (Media Bistro)
Editorial positions around the country (internships)
MIssouri publishing/editing internships near Columbia, MO
Local Long-Standing Internships:
Audio Internship - Prairie Lights Bookstore, academic year
Time: 5 hours per week, average
Tasks: Editing the audio from "Live at Prairie Lights" to prepare it for uploading to the store's website. Additional research projects may be involved.
Supervisor: Lauren Haldeman, Univ College and Jan Weissmiller, Prairie Lights
Contact: lauren-haldeman@uiowa.edu by June for fall start date.
Unpaid, but can be registered for 1 semester hour if desired.
Options: https://careers.uiowa.edu/students/reporting-credit-options
Sarabande Books
2234 Dundee Road, Suite 200
Louisville, KY
Phone: 502.458.4028
Web: http://www.sarabandebooks.org/
University of Iowa Press Internships:
The University of Iowa Press has two positions available to students for the academic year beginning in August 17:
Editorial Internship at the University of Iowa Press
The University of Iowa Press publishes approximately 35 to 40 titles per year on a wide array of topics in the humanities, from midwestern history and natural history to poetics, fandom, agriculture, book history, literary criticism, and theatre history. We publish poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction through prizes judged by the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the University of Iowa’s nonfiction writing MFA program.
UI Press is seeking an editorial intern for the 2019/20 academic year, to begin as soon as late May/June 2019. The internship is open to University of Iowa undergraduates only. We welcome applications from all interested students, with a preference for those who want to work in book publishing after graduation. We expect the student to work onsite in our offices about 10 to 12 hours per week, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, working around the student’s class schedule. The position is unpaid.
However, University of Iowa students may arrange to receive course credit through the English Department. The following is a sample list of standard job duties/publishing experience the student can expect through the internship: • Evaluate proposals and manuscripts • Assist marketing as needed on specific projects • Assist with proofreading of manuscripts and marketing materials • Proofread indexes • Prepare files for copyediting • Proofread, fact check, and check revisions against proof pages • Manage lists of books in print and books in series • Prepare and submit CIP applications • Assist with photo research and niche projects • Manage database of freelancers • Proof e-books against printed text • File project materials and help maintain the filing system Contact If interested, please email your cover letter and resume by March 29,to: Susan Hill Newton, Managing Editor, susan-hillnewton@uiowa.edu
Marketing Assistant Internship (paid) will work 12 hours per week, four days a week. This position is listed on Hire-a-Hawk in February. See that for details. Any student can apply for that.
The Iowa Review (TIR) Internships:
The Iowa Review seeks three editorial interns for the 2019–2020 academic year.
Interns will work 4 hours per week: 3 hours reading and 1 hour helping in the office. Duties will include reading and evaluating submissions to The Iowa Review in one of three genres (Fiction, Poetry, or Nonfiction) as well as office tasks as needed, including proofreading and social media. Interns will attend meetings of the reading group in their genre and read submissions primarily in that genre, although reading outside one’s own genre might be required at times. Weekly progress reports are required. Occasional attendance at outside events may be required.
The wage will be $10/hour. Renewal of position for Spring semester is contingent on the intern’s successful completion of assigned tasks.
Applicants must be entering their junior or senior year and willing to manage their time commitments to meet the required number of hours working for TIR. Desired qualities include passion for and knowledge of contemporary literature, as well as administrative experience, social media familiarity, and a background or interest in creative writing and/or publishing.
Please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and contact information for two references, as well as indicate your first, second, and third choices of genre, when applying. Applicants who become finalists for the position will be given a test in which they are asked to read and evaluate sample submissions. Please note this position cannot be registered on your transcript as an internship as it is not 10 hours a week. * To apply, email iowa-review@uiowa.edu. The deadline is April 19
IceCube Press: They seek highly autonomous interns in unpaid positions once in awhile. Check his page. The owner is alum from English. You will work on a project from start to finish and need to have initiative and be self-directed. He only takes one intern at a time.
http://www.icecubepress.com/about-us/interns-at-ice-cube-press