Essayist Sarah Perry to Judge 2026 Page Prize in Nonfiction
SARAH PERRY (she/they), a memoirist and essayist who writes about love, food culture, body image, trauma, gender-based violence, queerness, and the power dynamics that influence those concerns, will judge the 2026 Pinch Page Prize in Nonfiction.
This award, named for our founder, is for flash nonfiction. From January 1 thru January 31, we accept original work that has not previously been published. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. You may submit as many entries as you would like, however, please limit your essay to 1,000 or fewer words. All submissions are read blind.
One of the recent winner of this contest, "Conversations in Colic Season," by Caitlin Gunthorp, was just named as a Best American Notable Essay in 2025.
To submit, please use our online submissions portal via submittable, Complete contest information is also available on our website. where you will find further guidelines. Each entry fee is $15. We abide by the CLMP code of ethics.
Perry is the author of the memoir After the Eclipse: A Mother’s Murder, a Daughter’s Search, which was named a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a Poets & Writers Notable Nonfiction Debut, and a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers pick; and Sweet Nothings: Confessions of a Candy Lover, a memoir in 100 short essays that came out in February 2025 from Mariner/HarperCollins.
Perry teaches in the graduate program in Creative Writing at the Colorado State University. She was the 2019 McGee Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Davidson College, and will return in the role in spring 2026. They have also taught at Columbia University, the University of North Texas, Manhattanville College, The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop, the Unterberg Poetry Center at the 92nd Street Y, and Catapult. Her writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, Off Assignment, Elle magazine, The Guardian, Literary Hub, and other outlets.
