Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Interns
“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”
from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
One of the many ways Yellow Arrow Publishing encourages women writers and women in publishing is through inclusion within the organization itself. We welcome (and thrive with) our volunteers and interns, not only for our own benefit but to also (hopefully) provide a prospective future publisher with some necessary tools and knowledge about the publishing world. And even if a volunteer/intern does not plan to continue within the publishing world, the tools and knowledge of working in a women-led, collaborative organization. One that champions the different and the unique. One that looks for partners and allies rather than simple connections.
We try to find each volunteer, each intern, space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past staff members have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Today they focus on the ins and outs of releasing a publication, running a publishing company, and our community-driven projects. Tasks can range from editing to formatting, marketing, and putting together events and workshops. Above all else, our interns support and champion staff/board, authors, workshop attendees, and themselves. We are so thankful to have had them with us on this journey.
So let’s introduce one of our summer 2026 interns (you met Taylor Trotta, publication management intern, in our spring intern edition here!). Each has our appreciation.
Emma Harding, Editing Intern
Lives in Armada (are-MAY-da), Michigan
What do you do? As an editing intern for Yellow Arrow Publishing, my main goal is to assist with the publications program on a variety of publication-related projects, working directly with the Editor-in-Chief.
Where do you go to school? I am in my second year as a MFA (poetry) candidate at Georgia College & State University. I will graduate in May 2028. Prior to that, I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2024.
What are you currently working on? I am building on my handyman skills by conducting minor renovations to my parents’ Victorian craftsman home from the 1800s. When it is too hot out, I work on my goal of reading 70 books this year (most of which are graphic novels).
Emma Harding hails from Armada, Michigan, as a neurodivergent woman pursuing a MFA in creative writing at Georgia College & State University. Her poetry, flash fiction, and visual art can be found in several journals, including Sketches, Artifex, Central Review, streetcake Magazine, and Spectrum Magazine. In her free time, Emma enjoys reading graphic novels with her cats, Alfie and Berry “Barry” Barneby Harding.
She’s currently planning on working remotely for a book publishing company’s production and design department.
What is your favorite course at school? Why did you choose to take it?
My American Sign Language (ASL) (Levels 1 and 2) courses at Central Michigan University. I needed to complete my foreign-language credits, and, because of my Auditory Processing Disorder, I found that ASL was easier for me to learn than most other languages. Before she passed away, the professor was energetic, supportive, and compassionate during COVID-19 whether it be online or in-person. She was part of the reason why I gained so much respect and admiration towards the Deaf culture and community.
Have you read anything this year that has stuck with you?
Joe Sacco’s Palestine graphic novel’s abrasive, overwhelming art style conveyed the chaotic undertakings of surviving in present-day Palestine to where I could feel the story, regardless of the words written.
Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?
I’m not a fan of absolutes. Nothing is absolute, even this. But since middle school, I believed that everyone has a story to tell, and everyone should have a chance to tell their story in their voice. So when I visited the Yellow Arrow website, “Women’s voices have historically been underrepresented in literature” resonated with me. I wanted to use my skills and abilities to amplify underrepresented voices and contribute to their cause.
What is your favorite part of your internship so far?
My favorite part of the internship has been making the graphics. It gives me a chance to blend my background in visual art with the literary world. Working in Canva to design promotional images, collage stories, and postcards for upcoming books—like Wall Down Ramallah, Ghosts Only I Can See, and Little by Little—allows me to think about what visual elements and prompt images best represent the themes of our authors’ writing. It is incredibly rewarding to play around with background colors, fonts, and interior artwork to create a cohesive aesthetic that helps celebrate and uplift women writers.
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Thank you to everyone who supports these women and all writers who toil away day after day. Please show them some love in the comments below or on social media. If interested in joining us as an intern, you can learn more at yellowarrowpublishing.com/internships.
Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we LUMINATE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.