The Portage Award for Non-Fiction
The Portage Award for Non-Fiction is an annual manuscript competition open from September through December.
The award recognizes an outstanding, unpublished nonfiction manuscript by a U.S.-based author, regardless of publishing history.
Portage publishes ideas-driven literature. We are particularly interested in nonfiction that engages seriously with philosophy, intellectual history, cultural criticism, and the ideas shaping contemporary life. The strongest manuscripts combine careful thinking with accessible prose and invite readers to reflect more deeply on the world around them.
Each year, one manuscript is selected as the Portage Award for Non-Fiction winner and published as an official Portage Nonfiction Selection.
In addition, selected excerpts from finalist manuscripts may be published in Portage Pathways, our annual anthology featuring essays and reflections that highlight emerging voices exploring ideas, culture, and intellectual life.
We welcome submissions from both emerging and established writers.
What We’re Looking For
Portage is particularly interested in nonfiction that explores ideas with clarity and intellectual depth.
Successful manuscripts often engage with themes such as:
-
philosophy and intellectual history
-
cultural criticism and social thought
-
history and public ideas
-
science and technology in contemporary life
-
questions of identity, meaning, and intellectual life
While these themes frequently appear in the work we publish, we welcome any manuscript that demonstrates serious thinking, strong writing, and a clear intellectual vision.
Manuscript Guidelines
-
Manuscripts should be 50,000–90,000 words
-
Submissions must be previously unpublished
-
Only one manuscript per author
Submissions should include:
-
the manuscript
-
a brief author bio (2–3 sentences)
-
a short project description (1–2 paragraphs)
The Prize
The Portage Award for Non-Fiction winner receives:
-
$500 advance
-
Publication by Portage
-
Twenty-five author copies
Finalists may be invited to publish excerpts from their manuscripts in Portage Pathways and will receive contributor copies of the anthology.
Readership Fee
$30 per submission
Entry fees help support the editorial work involved in reading and selecting submissions.
*Scroll down for submission guidelines and eligibility.
The Prize
The Portage Award for Non-Fiction winner receives:
-
$500 advance
-
Publication by Portage
-
Twenty-five author copies
Finalists may be invited to publish excerpts from their manuscripts in Portage Pathways and will receive contributor copies of the anthology.
Readership Fee
$30 per submission
Entry fees help support the editorial work involved in reading and selecting submissions.
*Scroll down for submission guidelines and eligibility.
Eligibility
- Open to U.S.-based authors
- Writers at all stages of their careers are welcome
- Manuscripts must be original and unpublished
- Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but authors must notify us immediately if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere
Submission Guidelines
-
Submit one short story
-
Stories should be between 1,500 and 7,500 words
-
Submissions must be unpublished
-
Multiple entiries per author aloud. Each entry requires a reading fee.
Formatting Requirements
Please format submissions as follows:
-
Double-spaced
-
Standard readable font (Times New Roman, 12 pt recommended)
-
Page numbers included
-
Submitted as a single PDF or Word document
Include:
-
the story manuscript
-
a brief author bio (2–3 sentences)
Important Dates
Submissions open: September 1
Submission deadline: December 31
Winner announced: March 1, 2027
The Judging Process
All submissions are read by the Portage editorial team.
A shortlist of finalists will be selected, and the Portage Non-Fiction Editor will choose the prize-winning manuscript.
Portage believes that nonfiction can illuminate the ideas shaping our time. We look forward to discovering the manuscript that will carry this conversation forward.
Where Books Become Bridges
