The theme for the Fall 2026 issue of the Chautauqua Journal is  Interval.  

Submissions open March 11 and will close when we reach our cap.

Intervals—the breaks, the pauses, the times when we hold our breath—encapsulate and describe moments between things. They can be quiet or raucous. They can be the natural middle ground between grander, more abstract spaces and the quieter, secretive parenthetical spaces. 

As you turn that idea, think about how space and pause impact our identities, our lives, their grand moments, their still moments, their interludes.  

• What happens in the space between breaths? 
• What drives the tension between the heart and the head?  
• How and why do we overlook things; what might we call afterthoughts? 
• Consider the moments between lightning strikes and ocean swells. What was and what will be? 
• What happens after those moments? Do you need to whisper? Do you need to shout? 

We invite writing that explores those fleeting moments that we might take for granted, that we do not consider significant, that might be removed without causing disruption but which, in moments of reflection, we discover are important. 

Please include an author bio and a cover letter that addresses how your work intersects with our theme.  

If you are considering submitting to Chautauqua, https://www.chautauquajournal.com/, please visit our website where our newest issue is live. You will get a thorough feel for the kind of writing we love—and, clearly, what we publish. If you’re interested in writing a craft essay or book review for our Porch, please email us at chautauquajournal@gmail.com.