Book Design Intern (Interior Layout) - Summer Internship (PAID)

Internship Term

Summer 2026 (Approximately May to August, flexible based on school schedule)
Approximately 40 hours per week

Position Summary

We are seeking a detail oriented and creative Book Design Intern (Interior Layout) to support the production of novel titles by building and formatting professional interior pages for print and digital editions. This internship is ideal for a student pursuing studies in graphic design, publishing, communications, or digital media who is looking to gain hands on experience in the publishing production process.
 
 The intern will work closely with our Purchasing / Publishing / Production team to create clean, readable, print ready layouts using Adobe InDesign and related Adobe tools. This role focuses on novel interiors (typography, spacing, layout consistency) rather than illustration heavy children’s books.

Key Responsibilities

• Format manuscripts into professional book interiors using Adobe InDesign
• Apply consistent typography standards (font styles, paragraph/character styles, spacing, indents, margins)
• Build and maintain InDesign templates for interior layout
• Lay out front matter and back matter (title page, copyright, TOC if applicable, acknowledgements, author bio, etc.)
• Ensure layout consistency across chapters (chapter openers, headers/footers, page numbering)
• Perform quality control checks for common layout issues (widows/orphans, spacing, line breaks, hyphenation, page flow)
• Prepare print ready files and exports (PDFs, package files) based on provided specifications
• Support basic cover or marketing asset resizing/exports when needed (as applicable)
• Maintain organized file naming/versioning and follow internal production workflows
• Collaborate with team members and incorporate feedback/revisions efficiently

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Current student enrolled in a college or university program in Graphic Design, Publishing, Digital Media, Communications, or a related field
• Proficiency with Adobe InDesign (required)
• Working knowledge of other Adobe programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator
• Strong attention to detail and ability to spot formatting/layout inconsistencies
• Strong organizational skills (file management, version control, meeting deadlines)
• Ability to follow style guides and production specs
• Comfortable working independently and asking questions when needed

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience with book formatting, typesetting, or editorial layout (class projects count!)
• Familiarity with print production concepts (trim sizes, bleeds, margins, print ready PDFs)
• Understanding of typography fundamentals (readability, kerning, leading, hierarchy)
• Exposure to EPUB formatting or digital publishing workflows
• Experience working with templates and paragraph/character styles in InDesign

Learning Opportunities

• Real world publishing production workflows
• Interior layout and typesetting best practices for novels
• File preparation for print and digital formats
• Collaboration with a production/publishing team and feedback cycles

Deliverables / Outcomes (What Success Looks Like)

• Completed and revised interior layouts for assigned titles or projects
• Clean, consistent, print ready exports that meet production standards
• Organized working files following company conventions

Application Requirements

• Resume
• Short cover letter or paragraph describing interest in publishing/book design
• Portfolio samples (PDFs or links), ideally showing layout and typography work
• Examples may include book interiors, editorial spreads, long form text layout, or typographic projects