It was tough work, but we've narrowed submissions down to the final twelve! These stories are now in the hands of Julie Iromuanya, who has the unenviable task of declaring a winner. Check back next month for the announcement of our finalists! Read more: mastersreview.com/announcing-the…

"Something sat on Boma’s chest. We were afraid to call it breast. At this time, we were between the ages of five and twelve, and in the presence of adults, we would not discuss breasts, bodies, or blood." —Inyene Ekanem, "BORN OF A MILLION GIRLS" mastersreview.com/novel-excerpt-…

What makes a story work? In this space, we dive into the craft of stories from our archive and examine the parts that make them whole. This week, Valerie Hughes digs into “Sealskin” by Haley Kennedy. Read here: mastersreview.com/from-the-archi…

“'I thought you were dead.' They were the first words out of my mouth, after her name." —Christine Henneberg, "I Trust Her Completely" Read here: mastersreview.com/novel-excerpt-…

"'Katy Family' is both about Bangladeshis in America, largely Texas, and Bangladeshis outside of America who dream about coming here, how America appears in their imagination." —Gemini Wahhaj Read here: mastersreview.com/a-conversation…

"Without any spoilers: It’s clearly a novel about a friendship. But it’s also about ambition, ambivalence, motherhood, loneliness, and impossible choices." —Christine Henneberg Read here: mastersreview.com/interview-with…

"The summer that my father disappeared, my mother started to see the world in signs and symbols." —Stephanie Y. Tam, “The Translated City” Read here: mastersreview.com/novel-excerpt-…

"These stories prick the soul because even with their cynicism, there is also this kernel of conviction that demands a better world, a better society while still acknowledging all the clogs." —Hally Winters Read here: mastersreview.com/book-review-we…

August may bring to mind summer carnivals, picnics, and water parks, but don’t forget about these contests! Take a break from the whirlwind, and make sure you send your work to the right place. Read here: mastersreview.com/august-deadlin…

Stephanie Y. Tam’s “The Translated City” won 2nd Place in our Novel Excerpt Contest. Check out this interview in which Tam talks about the duality of language, the bending of reality, and the loneliness of writing. Read here: mastersreview.com/interview-with…

Join us for a 90-minute workshop and generative writing session focused on writing and revising dialogue! In this class, we’ll workshop selected submissions, providing students an opportunity to analyze what’s working and what isn't and why. Learn more: themastersreview.submittable.com/submit/332023/…

"The night before departing, Lux Crawford dreams of stone colored light and falling bodies." —Imogen Osborne, "Simmer Dim" Read here: mastersreview.com/novel-excerpt-…

"Writing is an act of living for me, rather than healing. Writing is one of the healthiest activities someone can do for themselves, though, in my opinion. Life is pain, so we have to work with it rather than resist." —Chloé Caldwell Read more: mastersreview.com/in-conversatio…

🌊☀️ There's still time to make waves this summer! ☀️🌊 You have ONE MONTH to submit to our 2025 Summer Short Story Award. Submit fiction or nonfiction up to 6,000 words. Check out what Guest Judge Jennine Capó Crucet is looking for in your submission: mastersreview.com/short-story-aw…

"The poet Carolyn Forsche uses a really wonderful image to describe how a poem works.... Forche says, imagine a spider’s web covered in little bells. Wherever you touch the web, another part of the web will ring." —Imogen Osborne Read here: mastersreview.com/interview-with…

"Sometimes my stupid boobs think they’re alive again, even though they aren’t. My doctors say that’s normal. Phantom pains." —Jennifer Braunfels, "These Days" Read here: mastersreview.com/new-voices-the…

New book review: "Circular Motion" by Alex Foster "His work is thorough and meticulous, and the immense dedication to each and every facet of this novel cannot be ignored." — Joanna Acevedo Read here: mastersreview.com/book-review-ci…

"If I could write everything in second person, I would. That’s where the writing flows best for me. There’s a rhythm I fall into that I can’t quite find in first or third." —Ben Davies in conversation with Swetha Amit Read here: mastersreview.com/a-conversation…