For some students, reading and writing are more than fun hobbies—they are core passions to be pursued in college and beyond. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career as a novelist, beginning your path toward a PhD in English, or studying non-Anglophone literature and becoming a translator, the key to standing out to top colleges as a literature student lies in developing a clear and compelling hook. Unlike pre-professional fields such as STEM, business, or law, a hook in literature does not translate neatly into a particular career path; it is, therefore, all the more important that students approach this hook strategically. Self-reflection and creativity are critical to conveying students’ goals in pursuing literary study. From club involvement to internships and beyond, this guide outlines how students can showcase their passion for literature and stand out to admissions officers at their dream schools.
Join Clubs
The best place to start building your hook is in your school community. It’s essential for students who want to pursue literature or writing to join related clubs and organizations at their high schools. Many high schools offer clubs related to writing, editing, journalism, and publishing. Participating in these clubs will allow students to lay a strong foundation for further study.
3 Clubs For Students Interested in Writing
Creative Writing Club
Creative writing clubs allow students a space to workshop their poetry or fiction with their peers and receive feedback as they develop creative pieces for their portfolios. Joining such a club is an enriching and engaging way to hone your writing skills through practice and critique.
Literary Magazine
Working on your school’s literary magazine can offer creative and editorial experience. Like creative writing clubs, literary magazines often feature a workshop-based structure that allows for feedback and revision. Once pieces are edited and polished, students can submit them for publication in the magazine. Additionally, as editorial staff members, students can familiarize themselves with copy editing, peer reviewing, and editorial design.
School Newspaper
Joining the school newspaper can be an ideal way for students interested in journalism or nonfiction writing to sharpen their research, communication, and writing skills while contributing meaningful reporting to their school community.
KEY TIP
If your school does not have a writing club, newspaper, or literary magazine, consider taking the initiative to start one yourself. This demonstrates creativity and leadership to college admissions officers and will help you become involved with peers who share your interests! You can find more details on how to start a club here.
As you found your own organization, here are some additional questions for you to consider that are relevant to a writing-based club:
- Will the club publish a magazine with poetry selections and short stories during the school year? If so, how often?
- Will the magazine only be made available to students, or to the general public as well?
- Will club members be able to participate in workshops, or can any student pop in?
- Will members have free reign to choose which stories and poems they write, or will they be assigned weekly prompts?
- Will the club offer lessons on the craft of creative writing in addition to workshops?
Intern in Writing and Publishing
Interning at a publishing house, newspaper, or magazine can significantly enhance your application profile, particularly because high school internships are rare and typically hard to come by. Additionally, internships demonstrate that students have gained hands-on experience in the high-paced world of publishing and succeeded in a professional environment. At the same time, these internships can be highly competitive and difficult to source. When looking for an internship that aligns with your interest in literature and writing, the two primary avenues you can pursue are journalism and publishing.
Publishing
Many individuals interested in literature and writing hope to enter the publishing industry, and interning in publishing can help students determine both whether this is the right career path for them and what role within the industry best aligns with their skills and passions. There are four avenues through which students can look for work in this field:
The “Big 4”
“The Big 4” are the four major publishing companies—Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette—and each specializes in books for a specific age group or genre. These publishing mavericks are household names in the book world. They are called “The Big 4” (formerly “The Big 5”), because in addition to being behemoths in size, they have large distribution networks and budgets. While these companies are in high demand, some offer formal internship programs that students can apply for.
Small or Independent Publishers
Unlike the “Big 4,” small publishers often publish exclusively in digital formats or place books in independent bookstores. They generally have a smaller reach and budget, and are not as well-known. Some examples of small presses are Tiny Fox Press, Akashic Books, and Graywolf Press. Because of their smaller scale, these publishers may offer more opportunities for high school students (though they are more likely to offer unpaid internships or volunteer work). Students should also research local presses to see whether they can get involved in the publishing industry in their communities.
Literary agencies
Agencies represent authors and help them secure book deals with publishing companies. They also negotiate terms and rights and generally manage authors’ careers. Interning with a literary agency might entail reading and commenting upon inbound submissions, organizing or collecting data, and assisting with other administrative tasks.
Job search sites
Students can also find publishing internships through job listing sites such as Indeed and LinkedIn, as well as on the companies’ websites in the “Careers” section. Literary agencies tend to have smaller, more insular environments and often don’t publicize their internships. You should not assume an agency doesn’t have an internship program simply because you don’t see one posted on its website. The best way to find out if an agency hires interns is to contact its hiring manager or an agent at the company and inquire about available positions. Keep in mind that many positions may be unpaid, but still beneficial to developing your hook. Some prestigious literary agencies to check out include: Sterling Lord Literistic, Azantian Literary Agency, and The Knight Agency.
Journalism
Many newspapers and magazines—both local and national—offer internships for students of various ages. The type of content that interns write ultimately depends on the publication they work for, so students should familiarize themselves with a newspaper’s content before applying. For example, one intern could be assigned to create quizzes and listicles for teens, while another might report on sports or celebrity gossip. When seeking journalism internships, it’s important to consider what kind of pieces you would like to write, and to look for publications that regularly release content of that nature.
Reaching out to your Network
The first step to pursuing a journalism internship is to reach out to your network to see if you know anyone who works in the field of journalism, or if you know someone who knows someone who works in the field. You should be mindful that your network includes parents and other extended family members, family members’ friends, your own friends, and your friends’ parents. It’s possible that they can help you to secure an internship by connecting you with an editor at a local newspaper or publication.
Looking Locally
As with publishing houses, students will likely have greater success seeking internships with local newspapers and publications. While you may know very little about local publications in your city—let alone how to contact them—a quick Google search goes a long way. All you need to do is Google the name of your town alongside “local publications” or “local/town newspaper.” If this search doesn’t provide the information you need, your best bet is to head to the library and ask the librarian for the names and websites of local publications. It’s common for cold outreach to go unanswered, but be persistent, and send a follow-up a week after you send an initial outreach email if you don’t hear back. Make sure you emphasize that you don’t expect to be paid and that if an internship isn’t a possibility, ask if you would be able to shadow someone for a few days.
Cold Emails
If you do not have a personal connection in your network at a local company, you will need to reach out with a simple “cold email.” Though there are many example cold emails you can reference online, you should write your own cold emails from scratch based on who you are applying to intern for, keeping in mind that style, diction, and grammar are particularly important in the context of seeking a writing internship.
Here’s an example of a cold email to provide a sense of the structure:
Publish Your Original Writing
One of the most eyecatching ways for students to demonstrate their creativity, passion, and writing proficiency is to publish their writing on an existing platform or one that a student develops for themselves. Doing so shows top colleges that a student’s interest in writing goes beyond a hobby, and they are prepared to seriously pursue literature or creative writing as a collegiate and professional trajectory.
Literary Journals & Online Platforms
Publishing literary criticism in a reputable journal is an impressive addition to an applicant profile, particularly for students interested in studying English, Comparative Literature, or another national literature.
The Adroit Journal
The Adroit Journal publishes various types of student writing, including poetry, creative writing, creative nonfiction, and literary essays. In addition to the benefit of publishing in a highly reputable journal, students are also financially compensated for their writing.
The Daphne Review
The Daphne Review is a biannual literature and art magazine that publishes student’s original artworks, creative writing, and essays. According to the journal, “We are interested in work that surprises, that considers its context, and that dazzles us. Send us your best work—we can’t wait to read it!”
The Concord Review
One of the most renowned and highly regarded journals for high school students, The Concord Review publishes critical nonfiction pieces by high school students. While the journal is primarily focused on history writing, students interested in the intersections of literature and history or who want to write about a particular element of literary history would be well-suited for this journal.
Polyphony Lit
An international online platform, Polyphony Lit publishes poetry, creative writing, and literary essays, all reviewed by student editors. Polypony also offers myriad writing workshops and a summer internship on its editorial team for students interested in working in publishing and editorial.
The Incandescent Review
Founded in 2020, The Incandescent Review is an online blog and quarterly magazine publishing students’ creative and critical writing. The platform is particularly interested in work at the intersection of literature, politics, and media. The Incandescent Review also offers a five-week mentorship program for students.
Start a Blog or Podcast
Starting a blog or podcast is a great way to explore your passions while building up an impressive portfolio of creative or critical material to showcase on your resume or activities list.
Creating content will not only allow you to showcase your passion for writing but also allow you to develop new skills. Starting a blog or podcast requires strategic vision, self-discipline, and communication skills—all qualities colleges and future employers look for in applicants.
The most important thing to remember when it comes to releasing content is to be consistent and stick to a manageable schedule that doesn’t conflict with your scholastic and extracurricular commitments. Whether you want to post articles every Tuesday, or record a podcast episode every two weeks is up to you!
If you are interested in starting a literary or writing-based blog or podcast, here are some content ideas to help you get started:
The best way to develop your own bespoke platform is by gaining inspiration from what is already out there! Here are some dynamic platforms that students can check out:
Podcasts:
Literature and History
This podcast blends literary analysis with historical context, covering everything from ancient epics to modernist fiction. It offers engaging insights into how literature reflects and shapes world history.
The New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Each episode of The New Yorker Fiction features a celebrated writer reading and discussing a favorite short story from the magazine’s archive. The podcast will particularly inspire students working on their own creative writing.
Marlon & Jake Read Dead People
Booker Prize-winning author Marlon James and his editor Jake Morrissey host this podcast, offering witty and engaging reflections on “dead people” from the literary canon. The podcast’s deft balance of lighthearted discussion and engaging literary analysis will benefit students interested in literature.
Blogs:
Triple Canopy
Known for its experimental and multimedia approach, Triple Canopy is a digital platform that publishes original writing, art, and cultural criticism.
Grammar Girl
Grammar Girl is a long-running blog and companion podcast that makes grammar fun. Host Mignon Fogarty breaks down the most complex grammar conundrums engagingly and dynamically.
Pretty Little Memoirs
For students interested in YA literature or starting a book blog of their own, Pretty Little Memoirs reviews YA and popular literature for a wide and diverse audience.
Contests and Competitions
Like publishing, winning prestigious competitions in your field of interest demonstrates your writing and critical thinking proficiency and shows that a group of third-party experts have esteemed your abilities. Even if you don’t win, submitting your work in a competition or contest can be a valuable opportunity to develop your voice and receive feedback outside of your school community.
Here are some contests and competitions related to poetry, fiction and essay writing that students should consider applying to:
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is one of the most renowned literary competitions for high school students in the U.S., with prior winners including Truman Capote, Sylvia Plath, John Updike, and Joyce Carol Oates. Students can submit poetry, fiction, personal essays, journalism, and more.
The New York Times Learning Network Competitions
The New York Times offers an array of annual competitions for students to submit poetry, memoirs, political commentary, and podcasts. Winners receive mentorship and writing support from The New York Times’ highly esteemed network, and the impressive accolade of having their work published.
The NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO)
ACT-SO is a year-long program in which students in the humanities, sciences, and the arts develop their work through mentorship and competitions at the local level before local winners gather for national competitions throughout the summer.
Career Paths in Literature
“What are you going to do with that?”
Is one of the most common questions that students studying or intending to study literature and writing receive. While humanities fields do not launch students directly into a singular professional path, this doesn’t mean that such degrees will not lend themselves to successful future careers. To the contrary, studying literature or writing can open students up to a wide and diverse professional paths. A few possibilities include:
Publishing & Editorial
Publishing is an ideal field for students who love reading and critiquing fiction or being a part of the book production process. Within the publishing industry, there are marketing, editing, sales, and production jobs. If none of those sounds interesting, you can also work as an editor! An editor’s job is to shape the content of a piece of writing to be narratively strong and to polish the prose for readability, accuracy, grammar and flow. Being an editor is a career for those who have a keen eye for detail and strong writing skills and enjoy digging into the nitty-gritty of a text. There are editorial jobs in book publishing, magazines, journalism, marketing, and more. As an editor, you will help writers to improve the quality of their work.
Journalism
Journalists write and report news and current interest stories to the general public across a multitude of channels, including print and digital magazines and newspapers, social media platforms, and film and television. Most journalists start their careers at small, local publications and work for bigger publications once they gain experience. Journalism is a great path for students who want to use their writing skills to educate others and share information about pressing issues that impact people worldwide.
Academia
High school teachers and college professors are responsible for creating curricula, assignments, grading assignments, and managing a classroom. Teachers help students learn how to analyze classic works of writing, and strengthen their students’ writing skills. This is a fantastic career choice for anyone interested in literature, explaining concepts in literature, and writing with others. Students who enjoy teaching the basics of writing should consider teaching at the high school level.
Becoming a professor is more difficult and will require getting a Ph.D. in the field you want to teach. Many professors teach and research at colleges and universities, though some doctorates pursue careers in non-education based industries. As a professor, you will not only teach literature and writing but engage in research and publishing in your field.
Sarah’s Success Story
A student from the Midwest, Sarah* found her passion for journalism in middle school. When she began working with Command Education as a freshman, she knew she wanted to join her high school newspaper immediately. Sarah’s Senior Mentor, Jane, helped her to earn a spot as a staff writer, a role in which she introduced a new interview-focused series modeled after Humans of New York to the paper. Sarah also contributed a few major stories on student mental health and remote learning policy changes to the paper. With Jane’s support, she took on the role of Features Editor in her sophomore year, and by junior year, she was elected Editor-in-Chief. Over the summers, Jane encouraged Sarah to attend selective journalism institutes to expand her skills in multimedia journalism and data analysis. She helped her to leverage local connections to shadow reporters at a local press. Her journalism work was recognized at the regional and national level by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Although she was admitted to journalism programs at Columbia University, the University of Southern California, and Emerson College, she chose to attend Northwestern University.
Disclaimer: The representations made are compilations of real-life stories and experiences. Names, identifying information, stories, and experiences have been changed to protect privacy. We cannot guarantee a specific outcome, and your results may vary.
