My internship in magazine publishing

Name: Carina Zatarain

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Major: English, College of Arts, Sciences and Education, and Honors College

Where did you intern? I am currently interning at N2 Publishing. I write articles for two private residential magazines: Cocoplum Living and Life at the Estates.

What projects have you worked on? I have written articles on Ray and Shannon Allen’s new restaurant, Grown; on the lawyer who worked on the “Concussion” case; Stephen Marks; and many other profiles on physicians and influential residents.

How did your internship connect back to your coursework? It has allowed me to experience writing for a professional publication and it helped me improve my writing.

What is the coolest thing about your internship? Much of my writing is done at home, but the coolest thing is seeing my byline in a real magazine. It doesn’t cease to excite me knowing I am getting recognition for my work.

What do you like most about your experience? I like the professional experience I am getting with N2 Publishing. Not only am I legitimizing myself, but I am writing articles on powerful people who have shaped the city I live in. Not many people get that opportunity.

What did you learn about yourself? I learned to put myself out there and stop doubting my ability. This experience has made me realize that I can do the things that I set out to do.

How did the position increase your professional confidence? Being in a setting with deadlines, dealing with actual interviews and knowing that my work will be read by a community has definitely helped me polish my writing skills. I am more confident in my background knowledge of writing for a magazine, which will help boost my credentials for any further endeavor I plan to undertake.

How did you expand your professional network? I am writing for two of the most influential neighborhoods in South Florida. The residents are established and known all throughout the world, so having written about them is brandishing name recognition as well as a connection through N2 Publishing, which operates nationally.

How did you get your internship? I applied through the Honors College Internships page, and – with the help of Isabel Green – I was able to get in contact with N2 Publishing.

What advice do you have for those beginning the internship process? Don’t be afraid to apply and don’t count anything out. An experience is just that, an experience, so to be involved in something that you weren’t sure of may surprise you in the end. Take all of the chances, because now is the time.