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The Mary Sue

The Mary Sue Wants You: To Be Our Summer Intern

by Susana Polo | 10:54 am, March 7th, 2012


It’s that time again! The Mary Sue is seeking a kick-ass editorial intern for the summer. This is no coffee-and-errands internship: our interns spend 90% of their time writing, and most definitely receive bylines for all of their stories.

“Hold on,” you say, darting your eyes about confusedly. “What’s ‘The Mary Sue?’”

First of all… really?

Second of all, The Mary Sue is the geeky woman arm (I dunno, maybe it’s got a TARDIS tattoo?) of the shadowy, all-powerful Abrams Media collective. We’re six sites reaching over 10 million people a month. We’re less than three years old. We’ve got big things ahead of us.

“But what will I do as an intern?” you ask, wringing your hands in anticipation, or possibly consternation.

You’ll join us in our offices (yeah, a loft in SoHo, exposed brick, no big thing), write, look at Google Reader, write, write some more, learn to be a Real Live Blogger, etc.

“How can I get this wondrous gig?” you ululate, collapsing to the floor in paroxysms of excitement, perhaps foaming at the mouth a bit for effect.

It’s pretty simple.

What we’re looking for

The ideal candidate is a current college student looking for hands-on writing experience at a news startup. Internships run from June-August; start and end dates are flexible. Yes, you must be available to work in our office in NYC. No, this is NOT a paid internship (I previously indicated this internship would be paid, I was operating under ignorance. Sorry!) Yes, we can give you credit.

Here are the two biggest things we’re looking for in applicants:

  • The primary qualification for this job is an encyclopedic knowledge of and obsessive enthusiasm for multiple aspects of geek culture. If you are knowledgeable about weird, obscure anime or manga, television and movie casting news, and/or possess a deep knowledge of TVTropes.org and/or science fiction or fantasy, then this is the internship for you.
  • The secondary qualification is being able to write quickly and clearly (on topics from your geek specialties to gender issues), without weird grammatical or spelling issues, on topics that you yourself think up/discover on the interwebs.

Bonus points if you have any of the following qualifications:

  • Knowledge of blogging software.
  • Knowledge of the major personalities and figures in both the real and fictional sides of geekdom.
  • Experience with photo-editing software.

Even less important qualifications but that still you should definitely tell us about if you’ve got them:

  • Knowledge of anime and manga fandoms.
  • An interest in writing and storytelling tropes.

How to apply

Please attach THREE (3) documents to your application email. Applications not containing all of these documents will NOT be considered:

  • A resume/CV, including references (please include any weird skills you might have, like the ability to read Legolas by Laura out loud without laughing, or knitting Jayne hats with your toes).
  • Any two samples of your academic or journalistic writing, each preferably in a different style (long-form vs. short-form, magazine vs. blog, etc.) (Although we are a blog! So keep that in mind when deciding what to submit. At least one nerdy submission or gender-related submission is great but not strictly necessary.)
  • A brief (1-page) cover letter explaining why your experience, knowledge, and personality make you the ideal intern for a girl geek culture blog. Please also list in your cover letter your earliest experience with truly bad fanfiction; if you don’t, we’ll know you didn’t read the entire posting!

Address applications to interns@themarysue.com. The process is rolling, so apply ASAP!

(top pic via Kate Beaton’s Hark, A Vagrant!)

TAGS: |


  • http://twitter.com/Super_Widget Joanna

    I wish I wasn’t in Ireland =(

  • katie.cunningham

    Hi, do you have specific dates for this? 

  • Carrie A

    I wish I wasn’t in the UK and that this site and opportunity had existed when I was a journalism graduate 10 years ago. 

    That said, it is sites like The Mary Sue that have inspired me to find my confidence and start writing again.  So there’s that!

  • Anonymous

    If only I didn’t have a job and I were still in school. This would’ve been a dream internship esp since I’m already in NYC!

  • Tegan Pyke

    Are applicants limited to being US only or can desperate (but 100% sane, non-homicidal) overseas applications have a go, too?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=681460421 Lauron Haney

    Do we get any bonus points if we remember when this went out last year as some sort of reader reward?

  • http://robot23.blogspot.com/ Jinxy Blastwave

    This is what it sounds like when I’m hoping for something really hard…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sean-Samonas/1588821150 Sean Samonas

    Stupid New York being on the other side of the continent…*kicks dirt*

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R7GVNIKWG3S2UTHEQOMSZXT4M4 Anna B

    I’m too old and have a desperate need of money, so too bad for me, but if I were newly minted in college, I’d be scrambling to get this spot.

  • Adam R. Charpentier

    Does The Mary Sue ever offer any positions to those of us out of college?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Kailee-Bruce/625076092 Kailee Bruce

    I wish I could work in the states, I would so fly over from Vancouver to do this!

  • http://twitter.com/Its_Rocketman Jessica Claire

    God I wish I was in New York.  Sadly, I’m going to college in MN this year.  Someday!!

  • Anonymous

    If an intern from out of town got the position, would the Mary Sue staff help the intern find housing? Not necessarily provide housing, but at least provide housing information around the area? That would be my biggest problem if I got the internship – I have no idea where to even start finding an apartment or roommates for the summer.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000500177841 Rachel Banzhaf

    I hope the best bad fanfiction responses are compiled into a post later. 

  • Anonymous

    Most NY area schools (NYU, Columbia, Fordham, Hunter, etc.) has student housing available in the summer even if you’re not a student at said school.

  • Anonymous

    Anyone can apply as long as s/he can be available to work at our offices NY for the summer and receive academic credit for the internship.

  • Anonymous

    As the post says, start and end dates are flexible, but the idea is that we’d like someone roughly from June – August.

  • Liz Wright

    How long are you accepting applications? I am SO INTERESTED, but won’t have any time to sit down to work on one for another week or so (spring break is sooo clooose, I only have five billion midterms before then).

  • Anonymous

    Agreed, my spring break starts tomorrow but I’ll be away!

  • Anonymous

    The process is rolling, so get yours in as soon as you can!

  • http://twitter.com/urbansuburbia Marie

    Good luck to everyone who applies! (If I were still in school, I’d be all over this!)

  • Liz Wright

    All right, thank you!

  • http://twitter.com/demeterschild Joan Miller

    do we *HAVE* to be able to receive academic credit? I’d love to apply and I already live nearby, but I’m not in school. If that is a requirement, you might want to list it under the big things, since it’s not exactly negotiable. 

  • http://twitter.com/#!/alannabennett AlannaBennett

    THIS IS AN AWESOME INTERNSHIP AND YOU SHOULD ALL APPLY.
    -Former Intern Alanna

  • Anonymous

    Every year when San Diego Comic-Con begins I go through this “grrrrr, I was born on a wrong continent” moment. Now I have another reason to do that…

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/XPBJAMJTHMVV5YA2DUSIGLICLE Sarah

       How long should if be before applicants hear back? Will you tell rejected applicants?

  • Anonymous

    This!

  • Adam R. Charpentier

    Is this the only way to get your foot in the door? Does The Mary Sue ever offer any fulltime work?

  • Talia ML

    being not in NYC sucks… if you ever need help in Mexico let me know :)

  • Anonymous

    The Mary Sue definitely offers full time work when needed, but for now, we’re fully staffed

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Charlotte-Varlet/1092450197 Charlotte Varlet

    I really really want this; how will we know when their decision has been reached?
    Also, I like that your name is spelled like the Tamora Pierce heroine, and not just with one n. 

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/77GC2OQDDYFIOJBLSI5GWKOFRM Secondangel_7

    I wish this site existed a few years back before I got ties down. I would totally do this. 

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