Oyster River Pages Creative Nonfiction Editorial Internship 2025
Position: Creative Nonfiction Editorial Internship
Location: Remote
Duration: 9 or 12 months (intern’s discretion)
Time Commitment: 10–15 hours per week (may be more or less depending on the intern’s reading speed)
Wage: Unpaid or for course credit where applicable
Reports To: Creative Nonfiction Editor Brian Borchard
Job Overview:
In 2025, Oyster River Pages seeks an entry-level candidate interested in publishing to join our team and support our 8th issue as a creative nonfiction editorial intern. At ORP, we are dedicated to publishing diverse and/or underrepresented voices that must be heard (read more about our mission here) and hope to find an intern as passionate about our goal as we are. As a creative nonfiction editorial intern, you will assist your supervising editor in all aspects of the publishing process, from acquiring submissions and author meetings to editing and final publication. If this all sounds interesting to you, we encourage you to send us an application. All applications will be read, thoughtfully considered, and replied to, though individual feedback will not be possible due to the amount of applications we receive. Note that you need not have any experience to apply, editorial, literary, or otherwise.
Prospective applicants from marginalized or underserved communities are encouraged to apply and welcome to self-identify on their applications.
Responsibilities:
Reading and evaluating creative nonfiction essay submissions. We averaged fifteen submissions a week during our 2024 submission period, though this number fluctuates based on the week.
Attending weekly meetings with the creative nonfiction editor to discuss submissions and give opinions on each piece. An intern based in the NYC metropolitan area has the opportunity to attend in-person meetings.
Assisting with editing and proofreading selected submissions. This includes big-picture, structural, and line edits.
Communicating with authors both over email and in editorial meetings.
Formatting final pieces, author photos, and author bios on our website
Attending monthly all-staff meetings.
Interns opting for the 12-month internship will take point on the creative nonfiction section of the intern-led special issue.
Qualifications:
Passion for uplifting historically decentered and marginalized stories
Interest in the publishing industry, particularly literary magazines
Capable of completing assignments unsupervised and in a timely fashion
Understand (or have the willingness to understand) the key differences between fiction stories and creative nonfiction essays, including their respective editing processes
Knowledge of grammatical rules
Avid reader (of nonfiction is a plus)
Sensitive to vulnerable topics
Excellent communication skills
Some administrative and editorial experience is a plus, but not required
Some Squarespace and Submittable experience is a plus, but not required
To Apply:
Submissions are completed only over Submittable. Any applications sent over email will not be considered. We require a one-page résumé, a one-page cover letter, a reference, and a creative writing sample in addition to the questions found at the submittable link. In your cover letter, please address your interest in this position and creative nonfiction as a genre, any literary experience/involvement you have (though not a prerequisite to apply), how you became aware of this position, and an essay from our seventh issue that resonated with you. For your reference, we would appreciate it from a supervisor from a job or a professor you have worked with one-on-one, though we understand this is not always possible. If possible, we would prefer to see samples of your creative nonfiction work, but fiction is also acceptable.
Applications are due on December 1st, 2024. If selected for an interview, you will hear back from us before December 15th, 2024.
Please direct any questions to brian@oysterriverpages.com
ORP recruits and trains interns regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, nationality, sex, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, disability, age, veteran status, and all the other fascinating characteristics that make us different. At ORP, we have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, stay, do, and share their best work with the world.
