| Owner | Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman |
|---|---|
| Editor | Laura June Topolsky (managing editor) |
| Launch date | 2009 (age 17) |
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 succeeded as editor-in-chief by Aram Mrjoian, who left some time prior to July 2025.[14][15]
In May 2025, Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman acquired the magazine from Sinclair.[16] As of December 2025, Stephanie Trott was no longer listed as managing editor, and the masthead featured Laura June Topolsky in that position instead.[17]
References
- ^ Stanley, Caroline (2009-01-21). "The Rumpus: A New Literary Mag That Plays by the Internet's Rules"
- ^ "The Rumpus | Poets and Writers". Pw.org. October 10, 2013. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "New Book Club Gets a Jump on Critics | Poets and Writers". Pw.org. August 3, 2010. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ Williams, John (February 3, 2012). "Notable Authors Give Snail Mail a Boost". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
- ^ "Explore new books with your children with a little help from letters for kids". Thesimplemoms.com. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
- ^ "Roxane Gay, bad feminist and proud of it". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "Reviewers & Critics: Isaac Fitzgerald of BuzzFeed Books | Poets and Writers". Pw.org. August 19, 2015. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "10 of the Best 'Dear Sugar' Advice Columns by Wild Author Cheryl Strayed". Vulture. 2014-12-23. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "Dear Sugar". Therumpus.net
- ^ Lauren, Amanda (2016-07-28). "Stephen Elliott Decided Film Fests are Bullshit — So He Created His Own". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "The Rumpus: Now a Matriarchy". Brevity. 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2017-01-25.
- ^ Hollman, Laurie (2016-03-24). "How to Be a Human Being While Also Being a Mom and Managing Editor of The Rumpus". HuffPost. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
- ^ Maher, John (2022-01-11). "A New Era for the 'Rumpus'". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ^ "Aram Mrjoian Named EIC of the 'Rumpus'". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
- ^ "Aram Mrjoian, MFA ’18: From Workshop Notes to a Debut Novel: School of Professional Studies | Northwestern University". sps.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
- ^ Stewart |, Sophia. "Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman Acquire the ‘Rumpus’". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
- ^ "What Is The Rumpus?". The Rumpus. Retrieved 2025-12-23.