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The Great Pause: Rearview 2020

A project of Press Pause (see other related projects).

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions (December 2020). We provide the following information as an archive.

About

We’re not sure who’s writing 2020, but we’re seeing a lot of broken workshop rules here: the stakes are entirely too high, we’re focusing on plot instead of relationships and people, there are too many threads, it’s unclear who the main characters are, it’s copying from recycled storylines, and we really can’t tell where the “narrative arc” is. We’ve got a pandemic, historical worldwide protests, a rogue administration, Karens freaking out over haircuts—and does anyone know the status of the murder hornets? Did we just drop that storyline, or is that gonna show up in the last chapter here, or? We’re just waiting for the red cloaks and lampshade bonnets to appear. But behind all the headlines, underneath all the tweet wars, there’s another narrative happening to every single one of us. Those are the stories we want—those quiet moments of desperation or joy you’re finding on your daily walk, in your morning cup of coffee, in your nightcap. What are your headlines? What’s been happening between the four walls of your home? What does 2020 look like from your perspective? We want to read your story in whatever medium you want to tell it. Hit us with your essays, stories, poems, journal entries, voice memos, conversations, songs, photographs, lists, rants, letters, dreams, midnight musings. It doesn’t have to fit into a genre or category. It can fit into every genre and category. We don’t even care if it totally makes sense (2020 doesn’t, why should we?).

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States
Established in 2020

Publication Media & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
Unknown publication frequency
Print Publication Print Publication
One-time publication

Collapse section Fiction Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: No specific word count limits known (our definition: up to 1000 words).
Short Story: No specific word count limits known (our definition: 1000 to 7500 words).

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Society/Culture: Current events, Social issues.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Essay: No specific word count limits known.
Narrative Nonfiction: No specific word count limits known.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream, Personal.

Topics:

Society/Culture: Current events, Social issues.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; Unknown number of pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Society/Culture: Current events, Social issues.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:

Artwork: Unknown number of pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Society/Culture: Current events, Social issues.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Electronic submissions.
Reprints: Unknown.
Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.
Multiple entries: Unknown.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

The Great Pause: Rearview 2020 Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

This listing is inactive and does not have any submission reports for the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

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Beautiful Pause Prize  Charges fees for all submissions
The Family Room
Press Pause  Charges fees for some submissions

Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

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