Jobs and Internships
Considered one of the nation’s leading independent, nonprofit literary publishers, Graywolf Press publishes books that foster new thinking about what it means to live in the world today. From its headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Graywolf publishes an annual list of thirty to thirty-five new titles and organizes around two hundred local and national events featuring its authors each year.
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Jobs
Graywolf Press does not currently have any open applications for employment.
The 2022 fellowship will run from September 2022 through June 2023. The application period for the annual Citizen Literary Fellowship is now closed and will reopen in August 2022.
Internships
Applications for these roles closed on October 25, 2021. Graywolf Press is hiring two remote interns for a six-month Publishing and Editorial Internship. Internships are being conducted remotely, but applicants must reside in California, Hawaii, Minnesota, or New York for the duration of the internship.
This internship is intended to provide intensive educational and hands-on experience in the workings of a literary nonprofit publishing house, with projects from the Editorial, Marketing and Publicity and Development departments of Graywolf.
Over the course of the program, interns will have an opportunity to learn more about the publishing industry as a whole through focused conversations with staff members about the departments they work in and their careers. In addition to these informational interviews, interns will be invited to attend key all-staff and department specific meetings. Interns are also encouraged to take advantage of any opportunities to ask questions and learn more about areas of publishing that are of particular interest to them.
Interns will receive minimum wage ($15 per hour), paid twice monthly as regular wages. They will also receive a free copy of each Graywolf book published during the session. The internship schedule is a flexible fifteen hours per week for a period of six months starting January 10, 2022 and ending July 1, 2022. We expect interns to set aside ten office hours each week for check-ins, meetings, informational interviews, and online time when you’ll be reachable by email or Teams. Office hours to be determined based on availability between 10:00am and 5:00pm CT, Mondays through Thursdays, and 10:00am and 3:00pm CT Fridays.
While we understand that applicants will have simultaneous commitments such as school and employment, we will not consider applicants who will be enrolled in another book publishing internship, or who will otherwise be employed by another book publisher at any point during your internship with Graywolf. We do not discourage you from applying for multiple publishing positions at once, but we ask that you withdraw your application from Submittable as soon as you accept a position elsewhere. This restriction does not apply to those working in journal and magazine publishing.
We hope at the end of this internship that you will have learned:
- The publishing path from manuscript submission to final printed book
- How the editorial, marketing/publicity, and development departments work together and support each other
- What makes Graywolf different from other publishers and from other nonprofits
Internship Tasks and Duties
Interns will complete the following tasks and duties remotely. Applicants must have access to a workspace with personal computer and high-speed internet for video conferencing and email.
Interns will work on projects from every department. We anticipate about 50% of worktime being dedicated to editorial work, 35% to marketing and publicity, and 15% to development.
Tasks and duties will include:
- Reading, evaluating, and reporting on fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions
- Sending manuscript rejections, requests, and submission guidelines
- Soliciting endorsements and drafting copy for forthcoming books
- Reading print and online magazines to discover emerging writers
- Researching other publishers’ titles to find market comparisons for Graywolf books
- Researching and contacting new sales, media, and advertising outlets, including those that reach underrepresented communities
- Assisting with author events and tour publicity/promotion
- Research, fact checking, copy editing, and data entry as needed
Internship Qualifications
Due to the number of applications we receive, the acceptance process is highly selective. Ideal candidates will be self-motivated, detail-oriented, energetic, and eager to seek out and support new and original literary voices. Preference will be given to applicants in at least the third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree or who have equivalent experience.
Internships are being conducted remotely, but applicants must reside in California, Hawaii, Minnesota, or New York for the duration of the internship.
Qualified candidates will have:
- Curiosity and passion for the publishing industry
- Knowledge of contemporary literature, including Graywolf titles
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, organizational skills
- Computer literacy and experience in Microsoft Office and database management
- Dependability, flexibility, and a positive attitude
- Undergraduate experience in English or a related field (preferred)
- Advanced reading knowledge of a foreign language (preferred)
To Apply for an Internship
Applications for 2023 will open in October 2022 via Submittable.
Graywolf Press is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants of all races, ethnicities, gender and sexual identities, and disability statuses. To request an accommodation in the hiring process, please email access@graywolfpress.org.
The application will require the following as separate PDF, DOC, or DOCX files:
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Overview and discussion of a contemporary book of poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction, which incorporates at least two of the following items: assessment of the book’s aims and strengths, critique, personal response, and cultural or literary context. (One page maximum, single spaced.)
Citizen Literary Fellowship
The Citizen Literary Fellowship 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. The fellowship is intended to attract candidates who otherwise would not have access to publishing, and to therefore increase the diversity and inclusivity of the industry.
Throughout the year, the fellow will receive active coaching and encouragement from the whole Graywolf team. Our hope is that this fellowship will serve as a doorway to a successful career in publishing or a related literary field.
It is a part-time (24 hours per week), non-exempt, ten-month position starting in February 2021. Compensation includes $25,000 (paid twice monthly as regular wages), paid time off, and health and dental insurance.
Opportunity Summary
The Citizen Literary Fellowship is a paid, comprehensive ten-month fellowship designed to support a person who is interested in learning more about the publishing industry through an introductory, hands-on experience. Through substantial project-based work in the editorial and marketing/publicity departments, the fellow will gain a broad base in publishing and be prepared to launch or further a career in the field. We are flexible regarding the educational background of the candidate, but this position is not intended for those attending school full time.
This fellowship 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. As a result, the Fellowship is intended to attract candidates who otherwise would not have access to publishing, and to therefore increase the diversity and inclusivity of the industry. Throughout the year, the fellow will receive active coaching and encouragement from the whole Graywolf team. Our hope is that this fellowship will serve as a doorway to a successful career in publishing or a related literary field.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fellowship, which has been traditionally based in our Minneapolis office, will now be a remote opportunity. This is a part-time (24 hours per week), non-exempt ten-month position with a start date in February 2021. Compensation includes $25,000 (paid twice monthly as regular wages), paid time off, and health and dental insurance.
Key Responsibilities
The fellow will work closely with senior staff in both the editorial and the marketing/publicity departments as they follow new and forthcoming books through every stage of the publication cycle. In addition to attending virtual events and participating in remote meetings as a member of the staff, the fellow will also have an active role in Graywolf’s outreach efforts. When appropriate, we will tailor activities to align with a fellow’s particular interests and skills.
Key editorial responsibilities may include:
- Reading and writing reports on manuscripts under consideration.
- Working with our editors to provide feedback to authors on manuscripts that are in development.
- Soliciting endorsements and drafting catalog copy for forthcoming books.
- Reading print and online magazines to discover emerging writers.
- Researching other publishers’ titles to find market comparisons for Graywolf books.
- Attending literary events and reporting on new and interesting writers.
Key marketing responsibilities may include:
- Researching and contacting new sales, media, and advertising outlets, including those that reach diverse communities.
- Assisting with author events and tour publicity/promotion.
- Assisting with the development of backlist marketing.
- Assisting with creation, production, and distribution of seasonal Graywolf catalogs.
- Assisting with the Graywolf website, as needed.
Preferred Attributes and Experience
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.
- Prior experience that will help the candidate participate in the publishing process. Relevant experience is not exclusive to publishing or academia.
- Strong writing skills.
- Ability to work both independently and cooperatively with a 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 databases and/or web sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
[ more + ]- What if I am still in school (undergraduate or postgradutate)? Can I still apply for the fellowship?
- The fellowship program is not intended for someone with a full-time student’s course load.
- Is the ideal candidate for the fellowship early in their career, or just finishing school?
- The fellowship is open to a candidate at any stage of their career, and there are no set expectations regarding previous experience or education level.
- What are examples of the kinds of barriers mentioned in the position description?
- Barriers to previous entry into the publishing industry as a whole could include race, ethnicity, sexual identity/orientation, socio-economic background, disability, education, and more. Without being prescriptive or prohibitive, the fellowship hopes to attract applicants who might have otherwise been overlooked by the publishing industry.
- What does a fellow's typical day look like?
- The fellow generally works three eight-hour shifts Tuesday–Thursday, and a typical day might include the following:
- A meeting in which the Nonfiction Prize committee discusses possible finalist manuscripts from the pool of submissions
- Publicity outreach to media contacts for an upcoming paperback release
- Manuscript reading and reader reports
- Coordinating design for a digital ad
- Working with an editor on manuscript development
- Researching emerging writers and publishing possibilities
- The fellow generally works three eight-hour shifts Tuesday–Thursday, and a typical day might include the following:
- How do mentoring relationships work for the fellow?
- The fellow will work closely on projects and career development with two Graywolf staffers, one in marketing and one in editorial. But the fellow will have the chance to work with and learn from all staff members through informational interviews, all staff meetings, select projects, and informal conversations.
- Will the fellow eventually pick which team or area they’d like to focus on?
- Initially the fellow’s workload will be distributed evenly across marketing and editorial departments, but there is always room to follow the fellow’s specific interests, and particularly in the second half of the fellowship there is the opportunity to refine the program’s focus in either the marketing or editorial departments.
- Does the fellowship help with career development and industry contacts?
- Yes, there is an emphasis on exploring potential career paths and making connections in the industry, largely following the fellow’s lead depending on goals and interests.
- Is the fellowship open to applicants outside the United States?
- Yes, but a US Tax ID is needed, and the fellow must be available from 9am to 5pm CST, Tuesdays through Thursdays.
- After completing the fellowship, will there be a spot to work full-time at Graywolf?
- Positions at Graywolf come up only very intermittently, there is no guarantee or expectation that the fellow will transition into a permanent position after their program ends.
- Will I receive a critique of my application/cover letter?
- Unfortunately, the volume of applications doesn’t allow for personal responses to all candidates.
- Will I hear back if not selected for an interview, and if so, when?
- We will be moving through the application process as quickly as possible. Our hope is that we will make a final decision and notify all applicants before January 1, 2021.
- If I am accepted for the internship, does that take me out of the running for the fellowship?
- It is best to mention any simultaneous applications in your cover letter, and if entering into the interview process for the internship, you can express any concerns about potential overlap at that time.