SUBMISSIONS
Who can submit?
REFRACT is only accepting submissions from active undergraduate students enrolled at Baruch College.
What is required?
Submitted pieces of writing must be:
– Nonfiction—We do not publish fiction prose, short stories, or poetry.
– Medium-length (at least 750 words/three double-spaced pages)
– Submitted as a .pdf or .docx attachment
Nonfiction includes but is not limited to:
creative nonfiction, narrative, memoir, essay, review, and criticism.
We do not accept physical hard copies. Submissions must be sent online to our email.
When do submissions open?
Submissions are open year-round.
How many pieces am I allowed to submit?
Writers are welcome to submit up to four pieces per academic year.
Can I submit multimedia?
Writers are welcome to include any appropriate multimedia such as images, artwork, videos, infographics, music, etc. that you feel fits your piece.
We would gladly accept any multimedia content you would like to provide to tell your story; circumstances regarding the length of a video, the format of a photo essay, etc. will be handled on a case-by-case basis, as will be long-form written works.
What do we tend to publish?
Aside from the criteria above, we seek compelling work—the stuff that’s powerful, insightful, moving, or meaningful in some way. Many of our articles were originally written as essays for Baruch classes, and we welcome you to submit your unpublished work.
Are there any incentives to submitting?
Aside from having your work featured on our site, you will automatically be considered for the Berlfein Prize, REFRACT Magazine’s annual nonfiction writing contest. Chosen by a committee of professors, the three best pieces will win cash prizes. Furthermore, your writing will be edited by REFRACT’s editorial staff and will join our extensive archive of new, nonfiction writing. To read more about the contest, head to The Berlfein Prize.
What if I want my writing to be published, but remain anonymous?
We at REFRACT respect the writer’s choice to publish their work under a pen name or alias. In the case that a writer may be uncomfortable with their identity being made public or their name being associated with their writing piece, we welcome writers to use a pen name of their choosing. We encourage writers to use a pen name so as not to deter them from publishing their writing.
Furthermore, the writing will remain anonymous throughout the review and editing process. The identity of the writer will not be disclosed to the editors.
What writing/citation style does REFRACT use?
REFRACT uses the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS). We list works cited under a full-note bibliography. However, writers looking to submit do not have to edit their work or retract their submission if it was written in another style—we will edit your writing and organize your works cited under Chicago.
Where do I submit?
Please submit your writing to refractmagazine@gmail.com.
What happens once my writing is accepted?
After you receive email confirmation that your writing has been accepted, we ask that you keep in touch to receive updates regarding edits, revisions, and publication. Furthermore, we ask that you provide a brief mini-bio (around 1–2 sentences) to accompany your published piece.
Questions?
Please send any inquiries to refractmagazine@gmail.com.