Icarus Complex Magazine Internship
Teddy McDonald
25 Barriedale
London
SE14 6RW
Mobile:------------9
------------
Dear Sir/Madam,
When I recently stumbled upon the advertisement for Icarus Complex Magazine internships on LinkedIn, I was struck a rare excitement, believing that this an opportunity I have been searching for for some time now. I am a Modern Literature and English Literature graduate, from Goldsmith’s University of London (MA: merit) and Newcastle University (BA: 2:1), with experience as a copyeditor, and a longstanding, deep connection to the cause of climate change.
The moment when I realized this connection was during my MA in Modern Literature, studying The American Novel in the Era of Climate Change. As students taking this module, we studied scientific journals alongside works of fiction on the subject, to investigate fiction’s effectiveness as a tool for grappling with what is, I believe, the most gravely important issue of our times. What became clear to me then was the gulf between the severity of the issue and its public awareness, and the fundamental lack of awareness about how the process of climate change functions, which would be essential to addressing the issue. And yet, at the same time, studying such fascinating works as The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway (an ingenious work of literature which is part scientific journal, part fictional history of the collapse of civilization) I was shown the power of fiction and of more nuanced creative formats, to bring about this much needed awareness and to offer solutions. I knew then that working with, or being a creator of this kind of material was what I wanted to do.
I have attached here a link to an essay that I wrote during my Masters, which looks at the cognitive dissonance surrounding climate change, and how this is articulated in Cormac Mccarthy’s The Road and Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom. I believe this illustrates both my understanding of climate change and its representation in fiction, as well as my ability to negotiate its complex discourse.
------------/pulse/how-do-cormac-mccarthys-road-jonathan-franzens-freedom-teddy-mcdonald/
I believe a key skill that makes me ideal for Icarus Complex Magazine is my all round efficacy with literature. I have a sharp eye for detail, a strong understanding of grammar and the English language, and a keen analytic mind. My most recent job has been a Burmese phrasebook, which I edited in its entirety for Tuttle publishing. Prior to that, I worked on a book of short stories by an American author based in Tokyo, called The Mad Kyoto Shoe-swapper. Working with fiction and non-fiction has proved equally fascinating, especially as I have spent time in both Tokyo and Myanmar; however, honing the written quality of a piece of writing is something I always take great satisfaction in, no matter the subject.
My own creative work takes the form of poetry and prose, as well as journalistic articles. An example of my work, an article I wrote about the treatment of climate change by Sci-Fi Cinema, throughout history, can be found here:
------------/pulse/from-odyssey-annihilation-teddy-mcdonald/
I have written my own poetry and prose for many years and have recently had two of my poems published by Toothgrinder Publishers, in volumes one and two of their collection Away With Words. I was previously a journalist for The Courier at Newcastle University, writing frequently for the Arts section, and I now keep up my journalism with an online blog, where I write about climate, cinema, art and literature using Word Press. I read voraciously in my free time. I am currently reading Triste Tropiques by Claude Levi Straus, which I believe to be an incredible philosophical and anthropological work and a forerunner of ecological thought, that resonates today in a way it never could in 1955.
I am also a highly organized individual. Last year, I embarked on 6 months of travel, beginning in Australia, continuing through New Zealand, Fiji and Singapore, through South East Asia and ending in Japan. This involved months of saving, careful budgeting and rigorous planning, and navigating difficult situations; for instance, I had to pass through the Thai-Cambodian land border, ensuring that I had various important travel documents whilst avoiding scams by governmet officials. Of the two schools I have worked in, teaching English to Spanish children in Logrono, Spain, was a role that particularly required organization, as I had to plan engaging lessons and ensure they flowed smoothly and were beneficial to students, to enable them to pass important exams.
I am a kind and sociable person, individually hardworking, and yet with a particular love of working with others. I feel confident that I would be an asset to you at Icarus Complex Magazine, and I know that I would relish the experience as a stepping stone towards a career resolved against Climate Change. I therefore greatly appreciate your consideration of me for this position and look forward to hearing back from you.
Yours faithfully,
Teddy McDonald
Teddy McDonald
25 Barriedale
London
SE14 6RW
Mobile:------------9
------------
Dear Sir/Madam,
When I recently stumbled upon the advertisement for Icarus Complex Magazine internships on LinkedIn, I was struck a rare excitement, believing that this an opportunity I have been searching for for some time now. I am a Modern Literature and English Literature graduate, from Goldsmith’s University of London (MA: merit) and Newcastle University (BA: 2:1), with experience as a copyeditor, and a longstanding, deep connection to the cause of climate change.
The moment when I realized this connection was during my MA in Modern Literature, studying The American Novel in the Era of Climate Change. As students taking this module, we studied scientific journals alongside works of fiction on the subject, to investigate fiction’s effectiveness as a tool for grappling with what is, I believe, the most gravely important issue of our times. What became clear to me then was the gulf between the severity of the issue and its public awareness, and the fundamental lack of awareness about how the process of climate change functions, which would be essential to addressing the issue. And yet, at the same time, studying such fascinating works as The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway (an ingenious work of literature which is part scientific journal, part fictional history of the collapse of civilization) I was shown the power of fiction and of more nuanced creative formats, to bring about this much needed awareness and to offer solutions. I knew then that working with, or being a creator of this kind of material was what I wanted to do.
I have attached here a link to an essay that I wrote during my Masters, which looks at the cognitive dissonance surrounding climate change, and how this is articulated in Cormac Mccarthy’s The Road and Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom. I believe this illustrates both my understanding of climate change and its representation in fiction, as well as my ability to negotiate its complex discourse.
------------/pulse/how-do-cormac-mccarthys-road-jonathan-franzens-freedom-teddy-mcdonald/
I believe a key skill that makes me ideal for Icarus Complex Magazine is my all round efficacy with literature. I have a sharp eye for detail, a strong understanding of grammar and the English language, and a keen analytic mind. My most recent job has been a Burmese phrasebook, which I edited in its entirety for Tuttle publishing. Prior to that, I worked on a book of short stories by an American author based in Tokyo, called The Mad Kyoto Shoe-swapper. Working with fiction and non-fiction has proved equally fascinating, especially as I have spent time in both Tokyo and Myanmar; however, honing the written quality of a piece of writing is something I always take great satisfaction in, no matter the subject.
My own creative work takes the form of poetry and prose, as well as journalistic articles. An example of my work, an article I wrote about the treatment of climate change by Sci-Fi Cinema, throughout history, can be found here:
------------/pulse/from-odyssey-annihilation-teddy-mcdonald/
I have written my own poetry and prose for many years and have recently had two of my poems published by Toothgrinder Publishers, in volumes one and two of their collection Away With Words. I was previously a journalist for The Courier at Newcastle University, writing frequently for the Arts section, and I now keep up my journalism with an online blog, where I write about climate, cinema, art and literature using Word Press. I read voraciously in my free time. I am currently reading Triste Tropiques by Claude Levi Straus, which I believe to be an incredible philosophical and anthropological work and a forerunner of ecological thought, that resonates today in a way it never could in 1955.
I am also a highly organized individual. Last year, I embarked on 6 months of travel, beginning in Australia, continuing through New Zealand, Fiji and Singapore, through South East Asia and ending in Japan. This involved months of saving, careful budgeting and rigorous planning, and navigating difficult situations; for instance, I had to pass through the Thai-Cambodian land border, ensuring that I had various important travel documents whilst avoiding scams by governmet officials. Of the two schools I have worked in, teaching English to Spanish children in Logrono, Spain, was a role that particularly required organization, as I had to plan engaging lessons and ensure they flowed smoothly and were beneficial to students, to enable them to pass important exams.
I am a kind and sociable person, individually hardworking, and yet with a particular love of working with others. I feel confident that I would be an asset to you at Icarus Complex Magazine, and I know that I would relish the experience as a stepping stone towards a career resolved against Climate Change. I therefore greatly appreciate your consideration of me for this position and look forward to hearing back from you.
Yours faithfully,
Teddy McDonald