SUBMISSIONS

REFRACT is looking for submissions. Below are our guidelines:

Who can submit? 
REFRACT is only accepting submissions from active undergraduate students enrolled at Baruch College.

How do I submit?
Please send your writing as a .pdf or .doc/x to refractmagazine@gmail.com. We recommend submitting through a personal Gmail account.

What is required?
Submissions must be:
– Nonfiction (We do not publish fiction, poetry, dramas/plays, or translations)
– Medium-length (at least 750 words/three double-spaced pages; no maximum)
– New and unpublished (writing published elsewhere, including one’s website, blog, or social media, is considered published)

Nonfiction includes but is not limited to:
essay, review, criticism, creative nonfiction (memoir, personal essay, narrative writing, literary journalism)

We do not accept physical hard copies. Submissions must be emailed online.

How many pieces can I 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 they feel fit their piece.

We 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 Many of our articles were originally written for Baruch classes, and we encourage you to submit your unpublished work.

Are there any incentives for submitting?
Aside from your work being featured on our site, you will automatically be considered for the Berlfein Prize, REFRACT’s annual nonfiction writing contest. Chosen by a committee of professors, the three best pieces will win cash prizes ($500). 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. If a writer is uncomfortable with their identity being made public or their name being associated with their writing, 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. Writers looking to submit do not have to edit their work or retract their submission if it was written in another style

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.