Careers

Literary Internship @ Pens and Poison

Interested in literature? As a literary intern with Pens and Poison, you will have the opportunity to work alongside an emerging author and learn the ins and outs of establishing an authorial presence in the 21st century.

About Pens and Poison

Pens and Poison is the unique literary project of author and poet Liza Libes that aims to promote literary education and foster appreciation for the written word. Through engaging videos, articles, and podcasts, Pens and Poison has reached over 500k literary lovers across the world and continues to draw in new literary lovers on a daily basis. The Pens and Poison project features a dedicated Instagram page for short-form videos, a YouTube channel for long-form videos, a Spotify podcast for insightful discussion, a Substack publication, and an emerging literary journal.

Length:

3 Months (Flexible Start Date, Possible Extension)

Who You Would Be Working For:

Liza Libes is a professional writer based in New York City and Chicago. You can check out her story and work at www.lizalibes.com. As Liza grows her literary career, she is looking for a literary intern to help her juggle the publishing industry, as well as establish a strong social media presence with an engaged following.

You can check out more of our work at https://www.pensandpoison.org/.

Qualifications:

  • High School or College Student

  • Excellent writing and communications skills

  • Enthusiastic, energetic, and outgoing

  • Ability to connect with agents and journals around the world

  • Ability to write compelling emails and posts

  • Ability to interact with social media platforms (Instagram, YouTube, X)

  • Active community member

  • No prior social media or marketing experience necessary

  • Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Drive

Responsibilities:

  • Research literary fiction publishing and literary agent market

  • Engage in outreach to various literary agents to query authors for upcoming novel

  • Manage and brainstorm content for various social media accounts (X, Instagram, YouTube) to promote the literary tradition

  • Draft guest posts for Substack publication

  • Collaborate with manager to provide feedback on and revise poetry, novels, and other writing

  • Attend weekly check-ins with manager

This is a commission-based internship. We will offer compensation upon completion of agent contract and/or poetry publication. Flexible hours. 100% remote. Expected 5-10 hours of work per week. All interested applicants can send a resume and writing sample to liza@pensandpoison.com. 

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Head Poetry Editor @ Pens and Poison Magazine

Have you always wanted to be part of a lit mag? Here’s your opportunity to join the leadership team and editorial board of Pens and Poison Magazine! As our Head Poetry Editor, you will have the opportunity to work alongside an emerging writer Liza Libes and her team as you learn the ins and outs of the publishing industry! 

About Pens and Poison Magazine: 

Pens and Poison is a new type of literary magazine that does not constrain your writing by theme, group, or identity. We’re just interested in good writing that captures a genuine facet of the human experience.

Qualifications:

  • B.A. in English, Creative Writing, Journalism or related field

  • 3+ years of editorial experience

  • Robust knowledge of the English literary and poetic tradition

  • Excellent writing and communications skills

  • Enthusiastic, energetic, and outgoing

  • Ability to interact with the Pens and Poison editorial board

  • Ability to write compelling emails 

  • Active community member

  • Basic knowledge of Google Drive

Responsibilities:

  • Review incoming poetry submissions to Pens and Poison Mag

  • Collaborate with writers to revise and edit poems for publication-ready state

  • Attend monthly board meetings to discuss incoming submissions

  • Oversee magazine creation from inception through publication stage

This is a volunteer position. Flexible hours. 100% remote. Expected 5-10 hours of work per week. All interested applicants can send a resume and cover letter to editor@pensandpoison.com.