Introducing the Intern

Rachel Warshaw, an intern at History Through Fiction, is a native of Seattle, Washington, and a junior at Macalester College.

My name is Rachel Warshaw and I am the current intern at History Through Fiction. I am a junior at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, majoring in English with a theatre minor. I have bent the curriculum to allow me to focus my studies on deconstructing the work of William Shakespeare, both through an academic, literary lens, and through performance practice and production. Before I moved to the Twin Cities, I lived in Seattle, where I was born and raised. When I lived in Seattle, I worked at several local theaters, particularly Seattle Shakespeare Company. I worked in the box office there, and also held several internships, one in the education department, and one as a blood designer for a production of Titus Andronicus. 

One of the things that interests me most about working in publishing is the opportunity to shape the stories that are shared with the world. Being able to edit manuscripts, or design covers, or even, more simply, offer a platform to a story that has not been told before excites me. It feels like being a part of history, even if it is only in a small way. I have always wanted to work in publishing, ever since I read the book The School Story by Andrew Clements, in second grade. That book follows the exploits of two twelve year old girls who game the system in order to get their book published. I found it fascinating! Once I got to college, I was able to take a class on literary publishing, taught by an editor at a local Minnesota press. Doing the coursework for that class stoked the banked flames of my interest in publishing, and I started applying for internships at various local presses. Being an intern at History Through Fiction has allowed me to use the skills I picked up in that class in the context they were meant for. The stakes now, though, are higher than just a grade.

When I graduate from college, I plan on attending graduate school. I hope to either complete a Phd in British literature, with an emphasis on Shakespeare performance, or find a master’s program in Sweden where I can specialize in folklore taxonomies. I also hope to become a luthier, so that I can build nyckelharpor! After I complete these degrees, I would love to find a job in publishing. I’m not sure if I would rather be an editor or a graphic designer, but both could be excellent fits.