Contributor Interview: Eleanor Polak

Eleanor Polak's "The Dinner Party" appears in the Spring 2026 Issue of Broad Ripple Review.

What is your favorite punctuation and a literary hot take you have?

My favorite punctuation mark is the m dash (—). I think it’s one of the most emotionally expressive punctuation marks. A literary hot take I have is that, regardless of the recent movie version, Wuthering Heights’ Catherine and Heathcliff have very little romantic chemistry.

What inspired you to write “The Dinner Party?”

I was reading a short story called “The Debutante” by Leonora Carrington, and I was inspired by the surrealist style, in particular the way she wrote dialogue. While I was reading, the first line of “The Dinner Party” popped into my head fully formed, and once I started writing, the whole thing spilled out all at once.

What writing or publishing trends are you thinking about in 2026?

I’m really interested in the current discussion about how to include or format text messages in a work of fiction. There are so many ways people have been doing it, and I’ve been experimenting a little on my own.

I saw that you are a Senior Editor for Conjunctions. Is it hard being in publishing as someone who also understands the gruelling submission process? Has the experience taught you more about submitting your own work?

I love being both an editor and a writer because I feel like it gives me an insight into both ends of the business, which makes me better at both. Submitting to literary journals while also being a reader for one makes me a more conscientious reader. I try hard to approach each submission with the same respect and enthusiasm I would want someone to bring to my work.

I also noticed that you are still in undergrad at Bard. How do you balance school with your writing time?

I definitely write a lot more in the summer, when I am not at school! But being able to attend literature classes and writing workshops always inspires and motivates me to work more on my own writing.

Now that “Dinner Party” has wrapped up, what is next on the writing docket?

I am currently working on a senior project for my college, which will be a collection of interlocking short stories, inspired by the work of Jennifer Egan.

Do you have any advice for upcoming writers looking to get their work published?

Just because a story doesn’t get accepted by the first place you send it doesn’t make it a bad story! Sometimes you just have to try a couple of times to find a place that really suits your work.

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About the Author

Eleanor Polak is a senior editor at Conjunctions, and an undergraduate student at Bard College where she is studying in the Written Arts program. She has previously been published in the magazine VOLTA.

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About the Interviewer

Ollie Sikes (they/them) is an evolving queer writer, editor, and creator based in Dallas, TX. They completed a double BA in Creative Writing and Theatre at Butler University. Besides volunteering with Broad Ripple Review, they also serve as Content Creator for the little things literary magazine. Their poetry has been published with Synchronized Chaos. You can follow them on Instagram @ollie.sikes.