Internly Insights #7: Contracts & Almost at the End

Whoops. Almost forgot to write a post for this week. Anyway:

We had a quickie lesson on contracts today during our not-so-weekly meeting in Brooklyn. (Yes, I almost had a massive panic attack since I thought I was going to get lost in the middle of Brooklyn… No thanks to you, MTA! But that’s a totally different story.) Well aside from the fact that I didn’t understand what all those fancy clauses in the contract really mean, it was nice to see an example of one that the Lit Agency gives to clients and of one between authors and publishers. It really isn’t the most exciting part of the business – and it is very headache-inducing according to Agent – but it is still part of being an agent. Internships are for learning, and today, I learned something new.

No two agencies or two publishers write up contracts the same way. Sometimes, they are really really long. You literally have to read the fine print. Useful knowledge that will be used in the future. Good to know.

As for this week’s question:

Small asked:

Is there a job title that does what you’re describing here? I’m not sure how clear that is. I mean, if I wanted to apply to do the job you’re describing here, what would be the name of the position I would be applying for?

The answer’s pretty simple for this one: I’m an editorial intern. Edit: An editorial intern’s job would be similar to an editorial assistant (or at least that’s what I’ve been told by Editor at Big Red Dog).

My internship at the Lit Agency is almost coming to an end. There’s really only a few more weeks left of internship, and it will fly by really fast. I really enjoyed my time working for Lit Agency since this was definitely a more interactive than my previous one. I got to discuss books, hear the inside scoop behind the books on the shelves, laugh at silly manuscripts that we got through the submissions (a novel about chocolate & fat people on the moon; picture book of numbers obsessed with weight)… Most of which could not have been possible if it weren’t for the meetings with the Agent. While I do love that I can work at home, I really value the face-time I get with Agent and other interns.

Questions? Comments? I’ll address anything you’re wondering about internship-related things all at my next Internly Insights post!

#3: Behind the Job
#4: Non-NYC Internships and Writing a Pitch
#5: From the Slush Pile
#6: Virtual Internships

6 Comments

  1. Oh, I meant more for those who aren’t looking for an internship but want to apply for a job, what job position would they apply for that does things similar to what you’ve been doing?

    Thank you for addressing my question though! I love that you share so much information about your experiences.

  2. I have a question on how you manage a physical internship with school… I’ve seen several internships that are full-time position. :eh:

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