Literary magazine hiring
Literary magazine hiring is the practice by which a literary magazine recruits the paid and unpaid people who read, edit, design and publish its issues: at River & Sound, the independent literary journal behind this review site, that process covers 4 standing roles, from the 2 editor positions to the reader pool and the 1 paid assistant opening.
Before any of those roles are filled, the magazine must be defined. A literary magazine is a periodical whose central content is creative writing and criticism, and River & Sound is a working example of one. The broader family of literary magazines includes long-running journals such as The Paris Review, Poetry, and Granta, all of which publish short stories, poetry and essays in issues. Journal internships run alongside this work every summer, and the same season opens for Poetry in Literary Magazines, the site's own guide to where poets can send work. The distinction between the two formats, the journal and the magazine, decides which of those examples fits which label.
The 2 formats of a literary magazine
The 2 formats of a literary magazine are the journal and the magazine, and they differ in title, pace and scope. A journal, such as a scholarly journal or a journal of contemporary criticism, takes a narrow field and covers it deeply on a 12 month cycle. A literary magazine takes a broad field of letters and covers it quickly on a 3 month to 6 month issue cycle, mixing fiction, poetry, art and interview. The magazine is an example of a periodical in the wider sense, and the same logic explains a 5 example of magazine lineup: a news magazine, a consumer magazine, a trade magazine, a literary magazine and a photo magazine, each a periodical with a different primary content. In that lineup the literary magazine is the only member whose product is original literature rather than reporting on it.
How River & Sound hires editors
River & Sound hires its editors through a 3-round search. The 1st round is a 10 minute screening call; the 2nd round is a paid editing trial on 1 of the 40 poems under consideration for the next issue; the 3rd round is a panel review of that trial by the founding editor and 2 existing editors. The panel weighs the trial, the call and the applicant's published credits, and 2 of the 3 votes must be in favor for a hire. Editors work remotely on a 52 hour contract year, with a 6 month renewal, and the salary band is 48000 to 62000 dollars per year, with the midpoint at 55000 dollars.
What an editor actually does at River & Sound
An editor at River & Sound reads 20 to 30 submissions a week, edits 6 to 10 pieces a month, and signs off on 2 of the 8 pieces in each issue. The role is a full editorial one: it covers line editing, structural notes, the letter to the contributor, and the final proof read against the layout file. Editorial assistant jobs are a step below this, at 1800 dollars per month, and editing jobs in the wider market run at similar rates for independent journals.
How the reader pool is hired
The reader pool is hired through a 40 page reading sample that is graded by 2 editors before the 20 minute interview. The pool holds 12 active readers at any time, and each reader is assigned 30 submissions a week. Reader pay is 12 dollars per hour for a 5 hour minimum week, which is the same rate the 2 reader openings in the current 2026 search are offered at. A reader who completes 6 months in the pool without an editor opening moves to the assistant track at 2400 dollars per month. Reader jobs are the largest share of the 4 standing roles, and the 2 open reader seats are the first ones filled each season.
Where to apply for literary magazine jobs
To apply for literary magazine jobs at River & Sound, all 4 standing roles are posted on the River & Sound jobs page and on the magazine's 2 partner boards, with applications closing 30 days after the post date. The search is remote for every role, so a literary magazine editor jobs remote search returns the same 2 editor openings, 2 reader openings and 1 assistant opening that appear on the site. The 2026 summer season adds 2 internship openings, 1 editorial internship at 15 dollars per hour and 1 production internship at 14 dollars per hour, each for a 10 week term. Applicants outside the current market apply through the same form, and the remote structure means the search is not limited to a single city such as the jobs nyc or london searches that larger journals draw. Canada applicants apply to the same 4 roles through the same form, with pay quoted in Canadian dollars where the role is based there.
What the search looks for in an applicant
The search looks for 3 things in an applicant, weighed in a fixed order. The 1st is a reading sample: for editors, a 20 page portfolio of edited work; for readers, the graded 40 page sample; for the assistant, a 30 page proof read of a previous issue. The 2nd is a 500 word statement of editorial taste, which is scored on specificity rather than length. The 3rd is the 20 minute interview, which checks logistics: availability for a 3 month to 6 month issue cycle, time zone overlap of at least 2 hours with the founding editor, and willingness to attend 1 in person day a year. A candidate who passes the sample but fails the logistics check is held for the next cycle rather than rejected, and the magazine keeps a file of 8 held candidates at any time.
What happens to the applicants who are not hired
Applicants who are not hired at River & Sound receive 1 of 2 letters within 14 days of the interview. The 1st letter is a rejection letter, sent to 7 of every 10 applicants, and it names the round that ended the search and the 1 reason for the decision. The 2nd letter is a hold letter, sent to the remaining 3, and it names the next cycle date and the 1 thing that would change the decision. Rejection letters are written by the panel, not generated, and the magazine tracks its response rate at 100 percent of decided applications. The letters go out from the assistant, who owns the 20 minute interview schedule and the 14 day response clock.
How the letters are written
The letters are written in a 3 line format. Line 1 states the decision. Line 2 names the round and the reason. Line 3 states the next step, which is either a hold date or a direct link to the next 30 day application window. The format is the same for editors, readers and assistants, and it is the 1 standard the 4 standing roles share. A candidate who receives a hold letter and completes a new 20 page portfolio by the next cycle re-enters the search at round 2, skipping the 10 minute screening call.
The 4 roles at a glance
The 4 roles at a glance sit in a table that the jobs page reprints each season, with the 2026 summer openings added as a 2 row block below the standard 4 rows.
| Role | Openings in 2026 | Pay | Search round | Response clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Editor | 2 | 48000 to 62000 dollars a year | 3 rounds | 14 days |
| Reader | 2 | 12 dollars an hour, 5 hour minimum | 2 rounds | 14 days |
| Editorial assistant | 1 | 1800 dollars a month | 2 rounds | 14 days |
| Editorial internship | 1 | 15 dollars an hour, 10 weeks | 1 round | 7 days |
| Production internship | 1 | 14 dollars an hour, 10 weeks | 1 round | 7 days |
Each row is filled before the next one opens, so the 2 editor seats are decided in the 1st month of the search, the 2 reader seats in the 2nd, and the assistant and 2 internships in the 3rd. The internships close 30 days after the post date, the same window the standard roles use, and a candidate who holds for a 14 day response clock can re-apply in the next window without starting the 20 page sample again. The search is run by the assistant for the 2 reader and 2 internship rows and by the panel for the 2 editor and 1 assistant rows, with the founding editor holding the final vote on every 4 of the 4 rows. The full listing of who is hiring, at what rate, and for which cycle lives on the jobs page, where the 2026 season table is updated 2 times a year, once at the season open and once at the season close.