Hello guys, I'm planning to major in Creative Writing in college. I've heard that internships are vital to building applications and resumes. What are some colleges that provide standout internship opportunities for this major? I'm feeling somewhat lost in the sea of internship information.
You're absolutely right that internships can be vital to pulling together a strong application and resume, and they can really enhance a creative writing major. They not only offer you practical skills and experience but can also provide opportunities for networking and building professional relationships.
One approach to get internships is through colleges that are located within thriving literary or media scenes. Emerson College in Boston, NYU in New York, and Columbia College Chicago in the heart of downtown Chicago are examples of universities located in cities with ample internship opportunities in publishing houses, literary agencies, magazines, newspapers, broadcasting companies, and other creative industries where one can apply a creative writing major.
Emerson college, for instance, is known for its strong connections in the publishing industry given Boston's vibrant literary scene. Internships in publishing houses like Houghton Mifflin Harcourt or literary magazines like Ploughshares can give you valued industry experience.
NYU, located in New York which is known to be a publishing hub, also provides a multitude of internships in renowned publishing houses like HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, or Simon & Schuster. It also has a great connection with well-known magazines and newspapers like The New York Times or The New Yorker.
Columbia College Chicago offers the Semester in LA (SiLA) program which provides Creative Writing majors opportunities to intern at film studios and production companies in Los Angeles. Imagine gaining experience in a writer's room of a TV series or aiding in the script department of a movie?
Before your head gets spinning with the vast multitude of options, take a step back and consider what type of creative writing you're passionate about, as not all internships will provide relevant experience for all aspects of this broad field. Writing for journalism, screenwriting, novels, or advertising will each have unique internships that will be particularly beneficial. Tailoring your internship search to match your interests within creative writing would be a beneficial place to start.
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