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Crime fiction

Daily Mail PRH First Novel Competition 2018

Information

Closing date: 
13 July 2018
Entry: 
Open to anyone aged 16 or over who is a resident of the UK or Republic of Ireland and has not had a book published before, whether that is in print, e-book or self-published. No entry fee
Prize: 
A £20,000 advance and publishing contract with PRH imprint Century and the services of literary agent Luigi Bonomi

The Daily Mail and Penguin Random House have launched the third year of their nationwide competition to search for a new writing talent.

The winner will receive a £20,000 advance and publishing contract with PRH imprint Century and the services of literary agent Luigi Bonomi.  Read more

Booklife Prize 2018

Information

Closing date: 
31 August 2018
Entry: 
Open to all in six categories - Romance/Erotica; Mystery/Thriller; Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror; General Fiction; Memoir/Autobiography; YA/Middle Grade Entry fee $99
Prize: 
Grand Prize $5,000

The BookLife Prize is an annual writing contest sponsored by BookLife and Publishers WeeklyInternational news website of book publishing and bookselling including business news, reviews, bestseller lists, commentaries http://www.publishersweekly.com/. The Prize seeks to support independent authors and discover great books in six categories: Romance/Erotica; Mystery/Thriller; Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror; General Fiction; Memoir/Autobiography; YA/Middle Grade.  Read more

Deviant Minds

Information

Closing date: 
27 April 2018
Entry: 
Open to unagented and unpublished crime or thriller writers who were born or are resident in the UK or Ireland No entry fee
Prize: 
Representation by A M Heath and digital publication by Corvus

Do you have what it takes to become a bestselling crime and thriller writer? Do you spend time day-dreaming about fiendishly complex ways to see off your boss or mother-in-law? Fancy yourself as the next Gillian Flynn or Lee Child? Well, now it's time to put your talent to the test.  Read more

Winchester Writers Festival 2018 Writing Competitions

Information

Closing date: 
11 April 2018
Entry: 
Open to all, no requirement to attend the Festival £6 per entry, +10 for feedback
Prize: 
Various prizes

Our 2018 Writing Competitions are now open!

For full details on our ten writing competitions, please visit www.writersfestival.co.uk/competitions  Read more

Virago/The Pool New Crime Writer award

Information

Closing date: 
21 May 2017
Entry: 
Women writers resident in the UK who have not had a book published or self-published No entry fee
Prize: 
A publishing contract with Virago including a £7,500 advance

Sarah Savitt, Deputy Publisher at Virago, and Sam Baker, Co-Founder and CEO of The Pool, are thrilled to announce the Virago/The Pool New Crime Writer Award, a competition to find a superlative new female crime writer for Virago - and we want your entries!  Read more

Daily Mail/Penguin Random House New Crime Novel Competition

Information

Closing date: 
5 May 2017
Entry: 
Residents of the UK who are 16 or over No entry fee
Prize: 
£20,000 advance and publishing contract with Century, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, and the services of literary agent Luigi Bonomi

The Daily Mail and Penguin Random House have relaunched a major competition to search for a new crime-writing talent. The winner of the First Novel competition will receive a £20,000 advance and publishing contract with Century, an imprint of Penguin Random House UKPenguin Random House have more than 50 creative and autonomous imprints, publishing the very best books for all audiences, covering fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s books, autobiographies and much more. Click for Random House UK Publishers References listing, and the services of literary agent Luigi Bonomi.  Read more

Winchester Writers Festival Competitions 2017

Information

Closing date: 
15 May 2017
Entry: 
Open to all writers across the UK and around the world regardless of whether or not you attend the Festival Entry fees mostly £6
Prize: 
Various

The Festival's ten writing competitions are now open for submissions!

The competitions are open to all writers across the UK and around the world regardless of whether or not you attend the Festival in June.

Closing date: 15 May 2017. All entries must be submitted online. Winners will be announced at the Festival and on our website on Saturday 17 June.  Read more

CWA Debut Dagger 2017

Information

Closing date: 
17 February 2017
Entry: 
Only unpublished authors are eligible Entry fee £30 + VAT
Prize: 
£500

For 15 years the Crime Writers Association has been encouraging new writing with its Debut Dagger competition for unpublished writers. The submissions are judged by a panel of top crime editors and agents, and the short listed entries are sent to publishers and agents.  Read more

The BookLife Prize in Fiction

Information

Closing date: 
30 September 2016
Entry: 
Open to all authors of unpublished or self-published novels Entry fee $99
Prize: 
$5,000 Grand Prize, Publishable Critique for Every Entry

The BookLife Prize in Fiction is an annual writing contest sponsored by BookLife and Publishers WeeklyInternational news website of book publishing and bookselling including business news, reviews, bestseller lists, commentaries http://www.publishersweekly.com/. The Prize seeks to support new authors and discover great works of fiction in six categories: Romance/Erotica; Mystery/Thriller; Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror; General Fiction; YA Fiction; and Middle Grade Fiction.  Read more

No Exit Crimewriting Competition

Information

Closing date: 
22 June 2015
Entry: 
Open to all unpublished writers Entry fee £5
Prize: 
Not stated, but presumably leading to the chance of being taken on as an author

No Exit has announced a crime short story competition for unpublished writers.  Read more

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12 October 2020 - What's new

October 2020
  • ‘Dear Aspiring Writer, you are not ready. Stop. Put that finished story away and start another one. In a month, go back and look at the first story. RE-EDIT it. Then send it to a person you respect in the field who will be hard on you. Pray for many many, many red marks. Fix them. Then put it away for two weeks. Work on something else. Finally, edit one last time.
  Read more