The beautiful pause prize
THE PRIZE is open for nonfiction MANUSCRIPTS AND PITCHES! November 15, 2025 - May 1st 2026
the beautiful pause prize…
is a yearly prize of $1,000 and the print publication of a full-length manuscript awarded to a writer of exceptional talent and heart.
One runner-up will receive $500 and publication of an excerpt in one of our biannual print volumes.
Submissions open for NONFICTION manuscripts and pitches NOVEMBER 15TH, 2025 through may 1st, 2026.
Contest Timeline
Winning and shortlisted manuscripts/pitches announced in August/September 2026
Publication and release of the winning manuscript in early 2027.
The prize will reopen for fiction on November 15, 2026.
Guidelines
18 and older to submit.
This contest is judged by Press Pause editors, and submissions are anonymized.
Please submit complete manuscripts of up to 120,000 words or pitches (yes!)…More info below.
Only one attachment/manuscript per submission. A single author may submit multiple times but must pay the $25 reading fee for each submission.
Remove any identifying information from your manuscript or pitch. If your name is anywhere on your manuscript or pitch, it will not be considered.
Re: Essay collections: It is okay if some essays are published elsewhere separately, but not if they have been published as a collection before. Nonfiction collections should be cohesive.
Re: Full manuscripts: Anything goes here. However, we should say that we tend to lean away from fully academic works.
Re: Pitches: Pitch us ideas that wake you up in a frenetic haze in the mornings or keep you up at night. Give us an outline of what you plan to write, why it matters to you, why it should matter to readers, and an introductory 25-50 pages. If a pitch is accepted as the prize-winner, publication timeline may vary. If winning on a pitch, you will receive $300 upon winning, then the remaining $700 when the first draft is complete.
Why are we allowing pitches?
Nonfiction has always had two lives: the finished book and the wiry idea that starts it all. For decades, writers brought sketches of stories into cigarette-smoke-filled newsrooms and editorial meetings, sometimes just a spark of a scene or a single wavering question. And from there, whole articles, whole books were born. We want to honor that tradition by welcoming both full manuscripts and the raw beginnings that keep writers awake at night.
Is it fair? We don’t know. But we believe nonfiction deserves to be judged in the spirit in which it is offered. Some projects arrive whole, others begin as sparks. We will hold space for both. (We’re even considering doing the same for our fiction prize next year, so that our fiction writers get to experience the thrill of throwing an idea out in hopes of support.)
Judging Criteria:
Full manuscripts: coherence, voice, readiness for publication.
Pitches: originality, urgency, and feasibility of expansion into a book-length project.
What Makes a Beautiful Pause?
We are looking for original, honest, beautiful nonfiction from humans. We have no gates to keep. Haunt us from every corner of every place. Send us thoughtful essays, narratives, and collections (and pitches for those) that make us pause, slow down, think, laugh, cry, and feel more connected to our fellow humans. As we always say: Send us whatever is in your hearts.
publishing with us
Dear Future Beautiful Pause Winner:
We love you.
Your manuscript will be treated with respect, with you at the helm of the editing process. We will copyedit your manuscript in suggestion mode, and maybe provide a few thoughts on developmental edits that you can take or leave. You will be able to extensively proof your work before publication.
We are fans of the feel of beautiful books in our hands. We don’t print anything that isn’t beautiful.
You will receive your monetary prize immediately upon winning and 25 contributor copies when printed. You will receive royalties on all sales.
Because we do not have a social media account—(We’re Press Pause!)—we will also work with you to market your book and put a small budget behind doing so.
Questions? Email se.harsha@presspausepress.org.