Literary Journal /
Contest Information
Announcing the CHAUTAUQUA Editors Prize
Beginning in 2014, CHAUTAUQUA will award Editors Prizes: $500, $250, and $100 for each issue. Awards will recognize the writing we feel best captures both the issue’s theme and the spirit of Chautauqua Institution.
The first place winner will automatically be nominated for the Pushcart Prize. To be eligible, writers must submit using our online submission process—and all online submissions, regardless of genre, are contenders. See our submission guidelines for more information: http://www.ciweb.org/submission-guidelines/ or https://chautauqua.submittable.com/submit.
The benefits of online submission, besides being automatically eligible for an Editors Prize:
- You can check the status of your submission and withdraw the submission quickly and easily.
- Online submissions help us to ensure timely readings and evaluations by multiple members of our staff.
- Online submissions save the writer time and money.
- Online submissions save our natural resources.
We have two reading periods: February 15 — April 15 and August 15 —November 15, and we accept work on a rolling basis. Please do not include your name on your manuscript itself. The Submittable system will link your contact information to your submission.
You may submit stories and essays of up to 7000 words each or three poems (no more than eight pages total, please). Upload your poetry submission as a single .doc or .pdf document (titled “three poems, ” for example), in order to avoid being charged a full submission fee for each separate poem.
Eligibility Rules:
- UNCW alumni with graduation date after 2012 are NOT eligible.
- Current UNCW faculty and students are NOT eligible.
- Former Chautauqua staff are NOT eligible.
- Writers who are invited to submit are NOT eligible.
The editors' decision is final and will be announced in each issue. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us: clj@uncw.edu.

