Fast Facts

The Summer Internship in Marketing & Sales at Sourcebooks offers current college students and recent grads the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the book publishing industry, specifically in promoting titles to independent booksellers.

Responsibilities: Interns will assist with publicity campaigns, create advertising copy, manage mailing lists for key booksellers, and contribute to marketing materials while gaining practical experience in the book publishing field.

Skills: Strong writing skills, creativity, and an interest in book marketing; experience with Canva is a plus.

Qualifications: Current college students (sophomores, juniors, seniors) or recent graduates passionate about publishing and marketing.

Location: This internship is located in Naperville, IL with a hybrid schedule (2 days in-person, 1 day remote).

Compensation: $17 - $17 / Hourly

Summer Internship - Independent Bookstore Marketing & Sales - Naperville, IL 

Ready to launch your career in book publishing? Join Sourcebooks, the fastest growing publisher in the U.S., and the home of an unparalleled number of bestselling books where creativity, innovation, and storytelling collide. We’re a team of passionate book lovers who bring extraordinary authors to readers in bold, data-driven, and entrepreneurial ways. 

👉 This isn’t a coffee-run internship. You’ll contribute meaningfully to projects, collaborate with publishing professionals, and discover how your ideas can impact readers everywhere. 

This internship is ideal for a current college student or recent graduate eager to dive into the world of book publishing — especially the side that connects books with media, events, and promotion with the readers. You’ll get hands-on experience working on real publicity campaigns, collaborating with passionate team members, and you’ll learn how publicity helps stories reach new audiences.

About the Program 

• When: June 9 – August 13, 2026
• Where: Naperville, IL ($17.00/hourly)
• Schedule: 24 hours/week (2 days in-person, 1 day remote) 
• Who: Current college sophomores, juniors, seniors, or recent grads 

The Independent Bookstore Sales and Marketing team works across all imprints and titles. The team focuses on marketing and sales to Independent booksellers through a variety of services such as trade advertising, catalog creation, trade shows, festivals, author events, preorder campaigns, mailings, and more.

Summer Independent Bookstore Marketing & Sales Internship Responsibilities:

• Assist with coming up with ideas for advanced copy mailings
• Send out mailings to key booksellers
• Assist with writing descriptive copy for titles
• Receive training in Canva and work on graphics for newsletters
• Working on preorder campaigns
• Assisting with YAMfest, a YA festival hosted by Anderson’s Bookshop
• Write copy for newsletters, ads, social media posts, and other marketing materials
• Create submission letters for opportunities for authors
• Account information data entry

Your Cover Letter Matters — A Lot! 

We want to know why you want to intern at Sourcebooks. Your cover letter is your chance to tell us: 

• Why publishing — and why Sourcebooks — excites you 
• What you hope to learn and contribute 
• How your creativity, curiosity, or love of books shines through 

*Applications without a cover letter won’t be considered, so take the time to tell your story! 

Why Sourcebooks? 

• Named #2 Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek (2024) 
• Recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies (2024) 
• Over 300 million lives changed through books — and counting 
• A culture built on creativity, innovation, and impact 

Application Deadline: January 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT - Applications will be reviewed after the deadline.  

Sourcebooks values the array of talents and perspectives that a diverse workforce brings. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.