Mānoa Journal is looking for stories, craft essays, memoir, art, and poetry that engage with the theme of writing at the intersection of language, the threshold of mother tongue and assimilation, and how language lays the foundation of a multilingual perspective. How do we carry inherited language in English dominated environments? What are the challenges and blessings of growing up in a diaspora? How do multilingual experiences move and observe the world? How does language help to build bridges? We welcome writing that enters or furthers this conversation of what it means to write and witness a multicultural and multilingual world. We also welcome writing in bilingual and translingual forms. Your submission does not need to be in more than one language — we accept English-only submissions. 

Grounded in Mānoa’s identity as a journal of international writing, with a special interest in the Pacific, Asia and the Americas, "Literary Navigations" is a section devoted to exploring the craft and practice of literary creation and presentation in a global context of reading. These essays should examine challenges as well as opportunities in the practice of the literary when crossing boundaries of all kinds and at all levels from the word to the book. The section presents spirited reflections by writers, editors, and translators on the practice and presentation of writing between languages, audiences, cultures, nations, histories, and more.

Open Call until August 1, 2026.

Please review the following guidelines carefully:

• Submissions should be 2000 to 2500 words in length.
• Format submissions in 12 pt, Times New Roman font, double spaced.
• Make sure submissions are paginated.
• Include your name and the word count at the top right page of the document.
• Submit the document as a Word doc or PDF file.
• Literary Navigations piece must be the submitter’s own, original work.
• Work created, whether in whole or in part, with the assistance of Generative AI will not be accepted.
• Previously published work will not be accepted.