I am often that person sitting in the background, absorbing all that I am hearing but not contributing anything of my own. I am a nerd of sorts that enjoys solitude. Things like reading and writing (general English-y things), running, the occasional RPG video game or two, exploring nature, hanging out with my dog and sunbathing on the beach—those are my passions.

My internship with Beetle Press forced me into situations where I had no choice but to communicate with people, a variety of people, through email, phone or in-person, in a number of different situations and tasks. In my last semester at Westfield State University, I was given the opportunity to grow and develop as a person, open myself up more to the public world and to not be afraid of what is out there.

People don’t seem so unapproachable to me anymore.

I was slightly intimated when I first had to interview someone. Well, two someones. Two teenagers taking on an incredible role in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Hampshire County.

Although they were around my height (honestly, probably a little taller), and they had only just begun their high school careers (whereas I was ending my college one), I was nervous while interviewing them. Afterwards, I didn’t understand why I was so anxious beforehand. It was a stupid feeling, but a feeling nonetheless.

Then I began interviewing more people. Adults. Local authors, professors, business owners, past interns.

Each time, the minutes before I dialed the phone number, my nerves increased, my heart fluttered fast and I tried to control my breath. Then I would get on the phone, and it would all be okay, normal even. After I hung up, I would get that same confusion of why I was so nervous, even when it came to talking to people who were my colleagues only a year ago. But each time, the nerves decreased, and I took on each assignment as a personal challenge.

One of my goals when starting this internship was to increase and develop my communications skills since I knew they could be much stronger. And that I did, even inspiring a growth of my own confidence as a nice complement.

But that wasn’t the only thing I got out of my internship with Beetle Press. I was able to demonstrate my organization skills by being in charge of the editorial calendar regarding the blog posts for www.janicebeetle.com, maintaining and updating it each time Janice was inspired with a new idea for a post. Often, I helped Janice publish the blog posts to their respective websites, gaining a comfortable understanding of WordPress and its functions.

I was also privileged to be allowed to read Janice’s romantic fiction manuscript, Unleashing the Sun, still a work in progress. Although the process was longer than I realized (check out my blog about it), it was an experience that created an insight into the long and gruesome process in writing a full-length manuscript and the incredible dedication involved.

Interning at Beetle Press was an invaluable experience. I learned more than I thought I would. I remember being nervous on my first day, unsure of what I was doing or where it would go. Now I know I made the right decision when I decided to stretch out of my comfort zone and apply for an internship. And I have Janice to thank for everything that I learned, the skills I’ve developed and the new insights I have about myself and my writing.

The post Growing Out of Her Comfort Zone appeared first on Beetle Press.

Shannon has been writing since she was in fifth grade, but she didn’t realize that writing creatively is what she was meant to do with her life until she was in high school. She is currently working on a fantasy novel, but is planning on editing some short stories and an ongoing novella project in hopes of publication. “After college,” she says, “I plan on working for a publishing company, hopefully in the editorial side of things.”

While at Beetle Press, Shannon will help Janice research and refine several of Janice’s own manuscripts—one a fictional love story and the other a memoir about visiting the South Pacific this winter. Shannon will likewise have her hand in several client book projects and in writing for the Daily Hampshire Gazette, under Janice’s guidance. Shannon will also learn how to write press releases and blogs.

“I wanted to strengthen my skills in both communication and writing,” Shannon says, noting why she chose Beetle Press for her internship. “I also wanted to get a ‘real-world’ experience, to acquire practice and familiarity with such things as interviewing, blogging, etc., and to grow as an individual.”

Shannon was born in Natick, Massachusetts, in November 1993. She attended Harwich High School and lives in Harwich when she is not at Westfield State, where she is a senior English major with both a writing concentration and a psychology minor.

The captain of the cross-country team at Westfield State, Shannon also runs track and was part of the league championship team that took the state title for the twelfth year in a row last year. “I personally had one of my best seasons running-wise,” Shannon says. “Continuing with running (from high school) and trying out for the Westfield State team was one of the best decisions I made. The friends I made through it are like a family to me, and they helped me grow as a person.”

Shannon is also a part of Sigma Tau Delta, Westfield State’s English Honors Society and is presenting her memoir, Wildest Dreams, at its conference in March. The book focuses on Shannon’s studies abroad—and a romance that ensued—in Denmark in the spring of 2015.

In her freshman year, Shannon journeyed with a team from Westfield State to Nicaragua in a community-service class. Sophomore year, she visited Nepal with a university group and trekked through the Himalayas for two weeks. Just this January, Shannon travelled with her best friend from home to Malaysia, backpacking for three-weeks throughout the country, just because.

“Traveling teaches you so much about yourself and others, and that’s why I’ll always want to travel,” Shannon says, noting that others should make efforts to see the larger world.

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