Summer Short Story Award for New Writers

Since 2016, the Summer Short Story Award for New Writers has paired emerging writers with some of the industry’s top literary agents. Past winners of this award include Nana Nkweti, Nick Fuller Googins, Katie M. Flynn, Reena Shah, Rachel Cochran, and Claire Boyles, several of whom earned representation from one of our partnered agents as a result of this contest.

Masters Review is accepting submissions of previously unpublished fiction or creative nonfiction up to 6,000 words. This year’s winners will be chosen by Colin Barrett, author of the collections Young Skins and Homesickness, as well as the new novel Wild Houses.

The contest runs from July 1 to August 25, 2024, and is open to any writer who has not published a novel or memoir with a major press.

The first-place winner of this contest, selected by the guest judge, will receive a $3,000 grand prize, along with online publication. Second- and third-place winners will receive $300 and $200 respectively, along with online publication.

Is this competition legit?YES! – Based on our research this event is legitimate and the organizer is well established. However, as with any event, please remember to do your own research before submitting your work.

FAQ
If you are curious how writing competitions work, or it’s your first time entering one, we recommend reading our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page first.

ProWritingAid
We are keen to encourage quality, so suggest writers to check their stories before submitting using Prowritingaid. They have free and paid versions and are the best writing software we know to help improve grammar, readability and check for repetition, ‘sticky’ sentences and suggest alternatives. Visit their website and try ProWritingAid for free.