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Registrations close May 1.

Returning for the fourth year, The Masters Review’s Novel Workshop is here to help writers looking for direct, actionable feedback on the opening of their novel in progress. Whether you’re just getting started on your manuscript or are polishing up the fifteenth draft, this program is the perfect opportunity to get your novel on the path toward publication.

Our workshop will pair you with an experienced small press editor who will offer detailed, personalized feedback on the first fifty pages of your novel. Along with your feedback, you’ll receive self-guided learning materials on fiction and novel writing curated by The Masters Review team, an opportunity to join a writing group with fellow participants, and a free entry to an upcoming TMR contest. This asynchronous, remote workshop is an excellent way for writers to reinvest in their novel writing. Enrollment is open until May 1, 2025.

Writers are invited to submit the first fifty pages of their novels. In their cover letters, writers should also plan to include a brief synopsis of the novel, any challenges they may be facing, and any specific feedback they are seeking.

After registration, writers will receive their assigned editor, along with instructional materials compiled by The Masters Review. Manuscripts will be processed in the order they are received. All participants will receive feedback no later than August 31, 2025.

Registration is $497.

Participants will receive:

three to five pages of editorial feedback with specific suggestions and developmental analysis that will help elevate their manuscript;
a PDF of a self-guided learning curriculum on fiction and novel writing, featuring workbooks uniquely built by our team around such foundational texts as Naming the World edited by Bret Anthony Johnston, The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass, Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway, and Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody;
an opportunity to join a curated writing group with other participants;
a free submission to one of our upcoming contests;
and an archived copy of The Masters Review anthology.

Guidelines:

For this workshop, we are accepting works of fiction only, the first fifty pages or fewer of your novel in progress.
All submissions must be double-spaced with one-inch page margins and use Times New Roman or Garamond. Please do not include front matter (i.e., title page, table of contents, dedication, etc.).
All genres and styles of fiction are welcome. Please do not submit poetry or memoir manuscripts.
Please submit a single manuscript per submission.
Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.
If necessary, you can register before the deadline to hold a spot and submit a manuscript later. If you submit your manuscript after reserving your spot, you will need to request to open your submission by emailing us at contact [at] mastersreview [dot] com. We’ll grant you access, and then you can upload your piece. All manuscripts must be submitted by the deadline, May 1st.
All participants will receive feedback no later than August 31, 2025.

About the Guest Editors

Colleen Alles is an award-winning writer living in West Michigan. The author of three novels (Skinny Vanilla Crisis, Atmosphere Books; Master of Arts, Scantic Press; and The Hound of Thornfield High, Conquest Publishing) and two poetry collections, Colleen works as a developmental editor. She is also a co-editor for fiction at Barren Magazine. Colleen is a graduate of Michigan State University (BA) and Wayne State University (MLIS). When she isn’t reading or writing, Colleen enjoys distance running and spending time with her family, including a well-loved beagle, Charlie. You can find her online on Instagram @ColleenAlles_author, and on Twitter (X) at @ColleenAlles.

Yvonne C. Garrett holds an MFA-Fiction (The New School), an MLIS (Palmer), two MAs (NYU), and a PhD with a dissertation focused on women in Punk. Former senior fiction editor at Black Lawrence Press, she’s been published in a wide array of journals and magazines.

Laura Hart is an associate editor for Bellevue Literary Press, a nonprofit publisher at the intersection of the arts and sciences. She earned a BA from Auburn University and an MFA from Columbia University. Her passion lies in cultivating and empowering diverse stories so that the publishing world better represents our modern society. She previously worked at Writers House and Columbia Journal.

Our New Voices category is open year-round to any new or emerging author who has not published a novel-length work of fiction or narrative nonfiction with a major press. Authors with published short story collections are free to submit. We accept simultaneous and multiple submissions but ask that you inform us immediately if your story is accepted elsewhere.

The Masters Review pays a flat rate of $100 for flash-length stories (1,000 words or fewer) and $200 for longer stories (up to 7,000 words).

Guidelines:

This category is for emerging writers only. Writers with single-author novel-length work published or under contract with a major press are ineligible. We are interested in providing a platform to new writers; authors with books published by indie presses and self-published authors are welcome to submit unpublished work.
We accept fiction and narrative nonfiction. We do accept a variety of genres and styles; our only requirement is that you show excellence in your craft. We want to be wowed. Bend genres, experiment with structure, and write your heart out. But please, send us polished work. Our aim is to showcase writers who we believe will continue to produce great work. Send us only your best.
We accept simultaneous submissions but please notify us if your work is picked up elsewhere.
All submissions must be under 7,000 words.
If you’re submitting flash, feel free to include up to three stories in a single document.
We do accept multiple submissions.
We cannot consider work that has been previously published in any form. This includes personal blogs.
Please include a brief cover letter with your publication history and a short bio.
We aim to respond to all submissions within twelve weeks. Please do not email before twelve weeks have passed.
For submissions that request an editorial letter, a significant portion of the editorial letter fees go to our feedback editor.

We don’t have any preferences topically or in terms of style. We’re simply looking for the best. We don’t define, nor are we interested in, stories identified by their genre. We do, however, consider ourselves a publication that focuses on literary fiction. Dazzle us, take chances, and be bold. Thanks for supporting our publication, and thank you for your work.

New Voices submissions can be uploaded to Submittable by clicking the button below:

For questions about submissions or to query an existing submission please use the following email: contact [at] mastersreview [dot] com.

Book Reviews, Interviews & Craft Essays

The Masters Review is now accepting submissions of completed book reviews, interviews, and craft essays for publication on our blog. Please do not send pitches or queries to this category. Submissions must be previously unpublished. We do not consider reprints. At the moment, we are unable to pay for book reviews or interviews, but we can pay $50 for craft essays. If you have a pitch or query, please contact us at contact [at] mastersreview [dot] com.

Genre Guidelines

Book Reviews

Book Reviews must be of books scheduled for a 2025 release. We recommend submitting your review at least one month before the scheduled publication date. Earlier is better.
Book Reviews should be between 700-1,200 words.
Include in your review at least one sentence that conveys your overall stance on the book and embolden it. (e.g., The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley ruthlessly interrogates what it means to be successful as a Black woman, a Millennial, and a liberal living in an urban center.)
Our primary interest are debut authors and indie presses. Occasionally, we will consider and publish reviews from major presses or of notable authors.
Rarely, we will consider a review for a book with a past release date, but it must have been published within four months. If you have questions about this policy, please contact us at contact [at] mastersreview [dot] com.

Interviews

We are interested in interviews with authors, editors, agents, or other industry professionals, with a particular focus on recent publications or activity. Our mission is to bridge the gap between new and established writers, so any insight into the profession of writing is valuable (e.g., this interview with agent Miriam Atlshuler).
Interviews should be between 1,200-2,500 words.
Please include a bio of both the interviewee and the interviewer with your submission, as well as an introduction to the interview.

Craft Essays

Craft Essays should focus on a particular aspect of the craft of writing fiction or nonfiction.
Please do not send craft essays about poetry.
We are especially interested in craft essays which examine the craft of a particular story. Please see our Stories That Teach and From the Archives series on the blog for examples.
Craft Essays should be between 1,200-2,500 words.

Submission questions, concerns, and inquiries can be sent to a staff member at: contact [at] mastersreview [dot] com

Author’s Rights

The Masters Review holds first publication rights for three months after publication. Authors agree not to publish, nor authorize or permit the publication of, any part of the material for three months following The Masters Review’s first publication. For reprints we ask for acknowledgement of its publication in The Masters Review first.