RipRap Literary Journal is designed and produced annually by students in the Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing program at California State University Long Beach (CSULB). We highlight poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, visual art, and criticism from emerging and established poets, writers, and artists from across the country. 

The journal is especially interested in work that is innovative, forward-thinking, and as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. New editions are published each May.

Submissions for Issue 46: RECONCILIATIONS are open from December 1 2023 - February 25, 2024, and are accepted through Submittable only.  

RECONCILIATIONS: The concept of reconciliation often carries with it a sense of relief. To reconcile with another is to settle a disagreement; the natural conclusion of reconciliation is healing. But what about the long and often painful process of reconciliation and the messy resolutions and revelations it brings? What does it mean to reconcile with one’s history, one’s future, with oneself? When reconciliations require difficult truths, what does it take to be brave enough to heal long-embedded wrongs? Can reconciliations be tragic and ultimately pointless? Is it worth it to reconcile when doing so unearths deeply rooted trauma?

For the 46th issue of RipRap, we’re looking for your stories, poems, artwork, and essays on the difficult topic of reconciliations - or lack thereof. Give us your bitter feuds, your introspective deep dives, your shadow selves, your accepted inevitabilities, your broken generational curses. Though we’ll consider work that does not focus on this theme, submissions that thematically center reconciliations in some form will be given priority. 

GENERAL GUIDELINES

• Please do not include any identifying or contact information in the file that you submit. Your name and contact information will be included in the Submittable fields. Files with identifying and/or contact information will not be considered for publication.
• You may submit to more than one genre except for fiction and essays; only one submission will be accepted for consideration in those genres.
• Submissions cannot be revised once submitted. If you catch a typo or spot an edit, please withdraw your submission and resubmit.
• Simultaneous submissions are encouraged. However, if your work is accepted elsewhere, please notify us as soon as possible via Submittable. You are welcome to withdraw or partially withdraw your work.

See genre-specific guidelines below.