About the Internship

Job Title:             Editorial Intern

Pay Rate[i]:         Unpaid

Hours:                10-15 weekly

Time Frame:       Fifteen (15) weeks from start of internship, could be extended[ii].

Start Date[iii]:

• Second Monday of January (Winter)

• First Monday of June (Summer)

• First Monday of September (Fall)

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Summary Statement:

At The Bloomin’ Onion, we believe that all stories come from somewhere, and we want to be a part of the community that serves as the starting point. We accept submissions from writers at any point in their journey and highly encourage new voices to put their ideas on paper.

With everything we do, we believe in making the literary world a better place. We believe in providing as much opportunity to writers as we possibly can. We believe in engagement with both our readers and contributors in order to keep our finger on the industry’s pulse, build strong relationships, and maintain a safe and inviting environment for all. And we believe in service—offering up ourselves and paying forward the opportunities we’ve been afforded, so that we may help others in the future.

The purpose of the internship with The Bloomin’ Onion is to assist in the preparation of current college students, recent college graduates, or people switching careers for a full time role within the literary industry. To this end, Editorial Interns will receive exposure to and gain experience in a number of different professional areas.

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Primary Responsibilities Include:

• Produce and publish the Lil Onions Series, a publication of The Bloomin’ Onion fully chosen, edited, and published by the Editorial Intern(s), under the direction of the Internship Coordinator (IC).

  • Each edition of the Lil Onions Series includes three to four works of flash fiction and three to four works of poetry.

    • “Works” of poetry can include multiple poems by the same author.

  • Read all submissions made to this submission call.

  • Make decisions whether to pass or publish for all submissions to the Lil Onions Series.

  • ‍Communicate with writers to inform them of the decisions.

  • ‍Work with all chosen authors on edits.

  • ‍Design and produce the final product online.

    • ‍Publication Date is the final Saturday before the end of the term.

• Produce content and post to social media accounts run by The Bloomin’ Onion, under the direction of the IC.

  • Current platforms include: X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky.

  • Future platforms potentially include: Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Substack, and Facebook.

  • The Bloomin’ Onion is also currently listed on Chill Subs and Duotrope.

• Participate in a minimum of three literary events, with at least one being in-person.

  • List of events to be approved by IC.

  • Meant to provide an improved understanding of how literary events are run, help improve events run internally by The Bloomin’ Onion, and to help foster growing relationships within the industry.

• Write and submit a research analysis of a self-chosen industry topic.

  • Six-page minimum, standard font, font size, and margins.

  • Include works cited.

  • Designed to improve the understanding of and appreciation for the chosen topic.

• Compile and submit reading list[iv].

  • List should include all books read during internship. Should include a minimum of five books.

  • No minimum length or genre requirement for books.

  • Goal is for intern(s) to be reading consistently. This will help improve the base of knowledge regarding current industry publication trends, what works from a writing perspective, what works from a sales perspective, and help develop reading habits meant to last a lifetime.

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Other Responsibilities May Include:

• Support efforts in genre-specific areas, including Short Fiction, Longform Fiction, and Poetry.

  • This could include reading submissions, communicating with submitting authors, and editing.

  • Provide support as needed for TBO publications, including both featured publications (published twice per week) and bi-annual publications (published April 1 and Oct 1).

• Conduct research and report on efforts to improve site visibility, including methods of bettering SEO and website engagement.

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[i] As of June 1, 2026, all positions at The Bloomin’ Onion are unpaid.

[ii] Could also turn into full position with The Bloomin’ Onion if need and interest are aligned.

[iii] Exact dates will be communicated on official offer of employment (if offered).

[iv] List of recommended reading available upon request.