The West Wing Writers' application process is in-depth but beyond worth it. Do yourself a favor and be sure not to treat this as just any other internship application. As you can imagine, they get a good amount of applicants and give each a lot of consideration, which means it's easy to tell when someone is just submitting the same spiel and résumé to dozens of postings. Make sure to point to stellar examples of writing and research on your résumé. It doesn’t have to be a speechwriting but it should show your ability to make a research-based argument in a creative and compelling way. The online application will ask you to be both clear and concise; do both! Follow directions, respect word limits, and proofread everything before submitting. When selecting two writing samples, don’t restrict yourself to simply perusing your academic or past internship portfolios. While these pieces can definitely work, don’t be afraid to write a brand new Op-Ed solely for your WWW application. The individuals reading your samples will be seasoned writers who appreciate tight arguments backed by fresh and compelling research (think quick anecdotes, powerful statistics, quotes that aren’t overused, etc.). If you’re selected to advance, a member of the WWW team will reach out with a writing and research test. Again, be sure to dedicate effort and a specific window of time for this so you’re able to showcase your best work and stand out in the applicant pool. I recommend reading your finished test (both sections) out loud to yourself before submitting. The writing portion will give you a specific prompt in which you’re drafting a speech for someone. Do your research (see above) on the topic and outline the argument before typing a single word of your speech. I can’t emphasize this enough: don’t ignore the research part of the test or think it’s any less important than the writing section. You’ll be asked to find compelling research for a speech that a WWW partner is working on: data, quotes, background, anecdotes, and whatever else you think could support their argument. Thinking outside the box (while still following directions) seemed to be appreciated. And always cite your sources in the specified way. The next round of the application process is an interview stage. A few members of the WWW team will spend some time getting to know you and asking you questions over a video chat platform. You’ll have the quick opportunity to walk them through your writing test and why you chose to do different things within in. They will also ask you to speak to your experience handling both short and long term deadlines and balancing a variety of tasks. The WWW team was very responsive and will keep you in the loop about your application status at every step of the way. I highly recommend applying if you want an opportunity that gives you hands on experience and allows you to produce written work and research files every week. You’ll also get to work with the most amazing team of talented writers. They respect their interns, treat them as part of the core team, give candid advice, and always strive to find ways to develop your skills. But don’t just apply if you’re eyeing that stipend. I know it can be tough to find paid internships in DC/NYC but make sure you’re applying to WWW for the right reason. You’ll be working for it!