Everyone’s got an opinion about the economic downturn, the future of magazines and the fate of the industry as a whole, and it seems they’re not afraid to share it online, in print or over cocktails. Everywhere you look it seems there’s some old-school “industry expert” waxing poetic about print being doomed or mostly doomed or not doomed at all. News of layoffs and closures are everywhere. We're all scared, pessimistic and pretty miserable most of the time.

But what about the future magazine leaders of tomorrow? What do they think about the fact that the career path they’ve only just embarked on seems destined to fail? Do they take to heart all the jokes that J-schoolers should get out while they can? And how does someone who works for free feel about layoff headlines and belt-tightening?

It occurred to me that maybe I should ask some brilliant, hardworking (unpaid) editorial and publishing interns at The Walrus about their opinion of the gloomy outlook. What I found is that if we’re looking for a little optimism (and humour), the trenches is where we’ll find it.

Katie Addleman is a Toronto-based writer whose work has appeared in various North American and European publications, including GEIST, TimeOut and The Dalhousie Review. She is the former assistant editor of Barcelona Metropolitan magazine and a current Walrus editorial intern.

Kasey Coholan is currently working on a novel about her time spent in Iqaluit and is an editorial intern at the Walrus.

Ashton Osmak is the publishing intern at The Walrus Foundation, the non-profit organization that publishes The Walrus magazine.  When not helping out at Foundation events, Ms Osmak reads Russian literature and plays point guard on a co-ed basketball team.

Alina Seagal graduated from Ryerson University's journalism program. She intends to freelance upon successful completion of her editorial internship at The Walrus magazine.

As someone entering the magazine industry, how do you feel about the "soft economy" and its overall effect on magazines?

Katie: Print might just not be a viable way to make money now. In a way, this industry is in better shape than others because there are a lot of revamping options—it doesn't have to die, like the auto industry probably does/will, eventually—and because its staffed by creative people who dig a good brainstorming session.

Kasey: Whether I was just entering the magazine industry or had been in it for years I think I would feel the same about what is happening. Nothing is ever guaranteed, as things wax and wane the most you can do is understand your part in making the best of what remains. I think magazines are important and will continue to be so. The economy does not or at least it should not dictate culture, the arts, politics, etc. -- it plays a part in the conversation but we cannot let it monopolize it.

Alina: It's a bit frightening, but I am more intimidated by the uncertainty that comes with freelancing, at any time, even when the economy is at its strongest. In one of my first-year classes at Ryerson, a journalism instructor conducted a poll. She asked how much we were expecting to earn after graduating from j-school. I think, people mostly said they expected to get about $60,000-$80,000. When our instructor saw their responses, she laughed. Since then, I knew I'd have to deal with instability for the rest of my life. So this is not unexpected.

As an unpaid intern, how do you feel about the pervasive layoffs and salary cuts we're seeing in the headlines?

Katie: Jeez, rub it in why don't you. Well, I don't feel good about it. But again, it's happening everywhere. I never saw working in magazines as a way to make (real) money, so the fact that people are making less now isn't that great a shock, though it sucks. I've expected a rocky road; now it's just rockier.

Ashton: I feel discouraged, in terms of my prospects of employment in the industry.  At the same time, I'm glad that I'm still able to learn about the inner workings of a magazine by seeing it all first hand.  As long as I'm working (hard, mind you) for free, my labour is desirable regardless of where the industry stands.

Kasey: I didn't come into the industry because I wanted to make money, I came into it wanting to contribute to our collective moment of ideas and to have my name on a byline so I could send it to my Grandma. I'm not sure if I have successfully negotiated either of things yet but I'm working on it.

How long do you think the doom and gloom will last? Do you have a strategy for overcoming it?

Kasey: 'Doom and gloom' is funny rhetoric.  Not to say that people are not feeling some very real effects but maybe the 'doom and gloom' comes from us talking doom and gloom. Instead, let's talk about new opportunities or approaches.

Ashton: I think the current chaos comes as a result of growing pains.  On the one hand, online is surpassing print in terms of readership.  I'm trying to stay on top of this shift by observing which mags' sites work well as a new medium to display content and also as a means to generate revenue and publicity. 

Katie: At least a couple of years. Like I said, I think big changes need to be—and will be—made. As for strategies, I think about going back to school (riding it out) and getting qualified to teach something English-related (education careers are a pretty safe bet). I also cut my own bangs. That's probably pretty obvious.

Does the current recession discourage you from wanting to work in the industry? Do you personally have alternate career plans?

Alina: No, I am sticking with journalism for now. After all, even if I had a shiny Bay Street job, I'd be told to worry right now.

Kasey: Absolutely not. As for alternate career paths - becoming an in-house baker for magazine offices all over Toronto, I'll start with zucchini bread and work from there. If you can't join 'em, feed 'em—soon enough Pavlov's law will have me being associated with all things delicious.

Are you optimistic about the future?

Ashton: Oddly, yes.  There was a poster in a gallery on West Queen West about a month ago that effectively articulated my new mantra: "Good things happen to those who hustle". Amen.

Alina: Yes, very much so. But maybe I am just a young, naive intern, full of romantic misconceptions about the nature of journalism.

Katie: Hells yes! Obama is president, I have somewhere to live and it's almost spring. Everything's gonna be fiiiiine.

Kasey: Obviously. The challenge is getting everyone else to be optimistic.

You can find some further internship-inspired optimism by checking out the newly-launched Taddle Creek Protege Internmentship,  a unique new educational program that "not only ignores the latest trends in magazine publishing—it does everything it can to buck them." While other mags cut their internships in "recessionary panic," Taddle Creek instead offers a comprehensive program for newbies passionate about mags, with diverse instruction from a wide variety of industry experts from both small and big mags (myself included). A love of magazines is weighed more heavily than experience, which might be exactly what we all need right now.

Interested candidates can apply by mail or at editor@taddlecreekmag.com.