The 3rd Thing Assistant to the Press Intern is an unpaid position designed to provide introductory, hands-on experience and skill development in editorial and promotions aspects of independent publishing. At the same time, The 3rd Thing will rely on the person who fills this role to carry out work essential to the press’s core mission. It is worth noting that no one is paid at The 3rd Thing except the writers and artists we publish. The relationship between the Press and the Assistant to the Press Intern is conceived as reciprocally beneficial and mutually respectful and is dependent upon a shared belief that a book can be more than a beautiful object—that it can travel through time and space and connect us to one another. To write a book, to publish a book, to read a book is to create culture.
This internship is grounded in our belief that while diversity in the books and authors we publish is vital, it is equally important that the people publishing these books reflect that diversity. Toward that end, we strongly encourage applicants from historically marginalized communities who might otherwise not have access to publishing or to professional internships and whose participation at the press and continuation in the field would contribute to a more inclusive industry. In particular, we encourage Indigenous people and people of color to apply.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Assistant to the Press Internship will be a remote opportunity. It is therefor essential that the successful candidate have robust and reliable Internet access.
This position will requires a commitment of at least 10 hours per week. Additional hours may be designed into the role contingent upon an individual applicant’s skills and availability.
The Assistant to the Press Intern will work closely with the Editor/Publisher as they tend to the demands of backlist, forthcoming, and new releases at every stage in the publication cycle—acquisition, development, production, promotion and release. In addition to attending virtual events and participating in remote meetings as a member of the staff, the Assistant to the Press Intern will also have an active role in The 3rd Thing’s outreach efforts. As appropriate, we will tailor activities to align with the Intern’s particular interests and skills.
• Reading and writing reports on manuscripts under consideration.
• Soliciting endorsements and drafting catalog and promotional copy for forthcoming books.
• Reading print and online magazines to discover emerging writers.
• Researching other publishers’ titles to find market comparisons for 3rd Thing books.
• Attending literary and arts events to promote the press and our authors, and to discover new and interesting writers and happenings in the literary and arts community at large.
• Helping to cultivate industry and community relationships grounded in our values.
• Researching and contacting new sales, media, and advertising outlets, including those that reach diverse communities.
• Assisting with author and press event publicity/promotion.
• Assisting with the development of backlist marketing.
• Assisting with the development of copy and visual content for social media campaigns as needed.
• Assisting with the development and management of crowd funding and pre-sale campaigns.
• Assisting with creation, production, and distribution of our digital newsletter, The 3rd Thing “Dispatch”
• Assisting with the press website, as needed.
The 3rd Thing is an independent press dedicated to publishing necessary alternatives to what is already out there in abundance. We produce a suite of 4-6 projects a year that represent our interdisciplinary, intersectional priorities in terms of form, content and perspective. We think of these projects as a cohort—together representing a range of perspectives and approaches to writing—and contributing to our larger endeavor to create not just beautiful books, but also culture.
Often our books are the result of an artist working in a non-dominant discipline—a playwright writes a book of poems, a theater-maker writes a book of essays, a filmmaker writes a book of theory…. And while our emphasis is on print traditions, our projects may take any number of forms: books, broadsides, performances, installations, colloquia, video anthologies, etc.
We publish work primarily by artists and writers who identify as members of traditionally marginalized groups, primarily queer womxn and people of color.
What’s “the third thing?”
The third thing is the idea that emerges when we use imagination instead of compromise to solve a problem, meet a need, resolve a conflict, answer a question, question an answer, get where we’re going, go somewhere new.
We are looking for a motivated, creative, and enthusiastic candidate with the following attributes:
• Strong interest in book publishing, contemporary literature, and the literary community.
• A commitment to increasing diversity in and access to literature, and experience working with diverse and minority communities.
• Strong writing skills.
• Ability to work both independently and cooperatively with a very small staff.
• Ability to take the initiative in proposing and identifying additional tasks and projects.
• Tell us if you have any special—non-required—additional skills, such as design experience or familiarity with web development, design and production applications
• Be expansive in your thinking about any prior experience that will help you participate in the publishing process.
1. Your resume
2. Any of your public social media profiles
3. A cover letter
4. Two professional or academic references
In your cover letter, address the following questions:
a) Why are you interested in publishing?
b) Which books or authors have most influenced your ideas about and/or taste in literature?
c) What support would help you move forward in your education, and what are your long-term creative and/or professional ambitions?