The Rumpus

The Rumpus
Type of site
Literature, culture
OwnerAlyson Sinclair
EditorAram Mrjoian (editor-in-chief); Stephanie Trott (managing editor)
URLtherumpus.net
Launched2009; 15 years ago (2009)

The Rumpus is an online literary magazine founded by Stephen Elliott, and launched on January 20, 2009.[1] The site features interviews, book reviews, essays, comics, and critiques of creative culture as well as original fiction and poetry.[2] The site runs two subscription-based book clubs[3] and two subscription-based letters programs, Letters in the Mail[4] and Letters for Kids.[5]

The Rumpus has fostered writers, artists, and editors like Roxane Gay who served as Essays Editor and who credits the site for developing her audience,[6] Isaac Fitzgerald who served as managing editor before moving to BuzzFeed to help create BuzzFeed Books,[7] Rick Moody, Wendy MacNaughton, Paul Madonna, Peter Orner, Yumi Sakugawa, Steve Almond, and Cheryl Strayed, who began her "Dear Sugar" advice column on the site.[8][9]

In July 2016, the site launched the Rumpus Lo-Fi Film Festival in Los Angeles as response to the high cost of other festivals.[10]

In January 2017, The Rumpus was purchased by Marisa Siegel,[11] previously the site's managing editor.[12] Siegel was editor-in-chief and owner of The Rumpus for five years, before selling the magazine to Alyson Sinclair in January 2022.[13] Sinclair appointed Alysia Li Ying Sawchyn editor-in-chief. In September 2023, Sawchyn was succeeeded as editor-in-chief by Aram Mrjoian.[14]

  1. ^ Stanley, Caroline (January 21, 2009). "The Rumpus: A New Literary Mag That Plays by the Internet's Rules".
  2. ^ "The Rumpus | Poets and Writers". Pw.org. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  3. ^ "New Book Club Gets a Jump on Critics | Poets and Writers". Pw.org. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  4. ^ Williams, John. "Notable Authors Give Snail Mail a Boost". The New York Times. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  5. ^ "Explore new books with your children with a little help from letters for kids". Thesimplemoms.com. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  6. ^ "Roxane Gay, bad feminist and proud of it". Mother Jones. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  7. ^ "Reviewers & Critics: Isaac Fitzgerald of BuzzFeed Books | Poets and Writers". Pw.org. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  8. ^ "10 of the Best 'Dear Sugar' Advice Columns by Wild Author Cheryl Strayed". Vulture. December 23, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  9. ^ "Dear Sugar". Therumpus.net.
  10. ^ Lauren, Amanda (July 28, 2016). "Stephen Elliott Decided Film Fests are Bullshit — So He Created His Own". LA Weekly. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  11. ^ "The Rumpus: Now a Matriarchy". Brevity. January 25, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  12. ^ Hollman, Laurie (March 24, 2016). "How to Be a Human Being While Also Being a Mom and Managing Editor of The Rumpus". HuffPost. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  13. ^ Maher, John (January 11, 2022). "A New Era for the 'Rumpus'". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  14. ^ "Aram Mrjoian Named EIC of the 'Rumpus'". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved March 20, 2024.