For any questions regarding our positions, please contact Dr. Erin Elizabeth Smith at erin@sundresspublications.com.
Editorial Internship, Sundress Academy for the Arts
Deadline: December 2, 2025
The Sundress Academy for the Arts at Firefly Farms, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is seeking editorial interns. The position’s responsibilities include the preparation of documents necessary to run an independent writer’s residency, as well as online participation in literary events including readings and workshops. This part-time internship would consist of approximately 5-10 hours of work per week and run from January 1st to July 5th, 2026. All applicants must be local to the greater Knoxville, TN area.
The Sundress Academy for the Arts (SAFTA) is an entirely volunteer-run organization that hosts residencies, workshops, and retreats centered on creative writing in all genres. Located on a 45-acre farm twenty minutes from downtown Knoxville, SAFTA’s mission is to give writers of all levels a chance to workshop with nationally renowned professionals in their field as well as uninterrupted time to focus on their creative work.
The editorial intern’s responsibilities will include writing press releases, composing blogs, creating promotional graphics, proofreading, working with social media (Facebook, WordPress, etc.), collating editorial and residency data, research, and more. The intern will also be needed to help facilitate Zoom readings and workshops.
Preferred qualifications include:
- A keen eye for proof-reading
- Strong written communication skills
- Experience with WordPress, Zoom, Google Sheets, and Canva
- Knowledge of contemporary literature a plus
While this is an unpaid internship, all interns will gain real-world experience in working with online event planning, nonprofit management, running a residency, communications, and more while creating a portfolio of work for future employment opportunities. Interns will get to work alongside members of both the local and national literary community through SAFTA workshops and readings, which interns are able to attend for free during their tenure with the organization.
To apply, please send a resume and a brief cover letter detailing your interest in the position to the Staff Director, Rachel Mekdeci, at saftastaffdirector@gmail.com. Applications are due by December 2nd, 2025.
Managing Editor, Doubleback Review
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Sundress Publications is an entirely volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit publishing collective founded in 2000 that hosts a variety of online journals and publishes chapbooks, full-length collections, and literary anthologies in both print and digital formats. Sundress also publishes the annual Best of the Net Anthology, celebrating the best work published online, and the Gone Dark Archives, preserving online journals that have reached the end of their run.
With recognition of the unfortunate frequency with which literary journals fold, Doubleback Review was founded in 2019 to feature work previously published in journals that have since gone defunct. Where many journals decline to take previously-published work, Doubleback returns quality literature in any genre to circulation, where it belongs.
The Managing Editor of Doubleback Review is responsible for the selection and oversight of the genre and social media editors, managing submissions, and ensuring the timely and accurate publication of the journals’ twice-yearly issues. The position will require approximately 20-30 hours of work in March-April and September-October of each year.
Required qualifications include:
- People management skills
- Submission management
- Organization and self-motivation
Preferred qualifications include:
- Database management, particularly Google Sheets
- Advanced experience with WordPress
Applicants telecommute and therefore are not restricted to living in any particular location. Sundress Publications is staffed entirely by volunteers, so this position, as with all positions at the organization, is unpaid. All Sundress staff receive opportunities to attend residencies and retreats at discounted prices, teach in our workshop series, and read for contests and open reading periods.
To apply, please send a CV and a brief cover letter detailing your interest in the position to our Krista Cox at krista@doublebackreview.com. Applications are due by November 30, 2025.