St. Martin’s Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition($10,000 + Publication)

Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is seeking submissions of manuscripts with crime at the heart of the story.

Previously unpublished writers are encouraged to submit their full-length Manuscript to St. Martin’s Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition for consideration. Submission Deadline is December 15th, 2023 by 11:59 pm EST

Eligibility for the St. Martin’s Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

• Any writer regardless of nationality
• Also, writers must not have been published of any genre.

For this Competition, a “Published Novel” means a work of fiction of at least 60,000 words in length. Also, it means that the manuscript has been published or distributed, in part or whole, in paper or electronic format or any other medium, excluding, however, self-published works.

• This does not include a chapter excerpt on an author’s website, subject to the conditions that:

(i) the excerpt is the only text that exists for public viewing

(ii) the excerpt is not for sale to the public, and

(iii) the number of words in the excerpt does not exceed 10% of the total number of words in the work as a whole.

• The writer must be 18 years and above
• Self Published authors can apply as long as the submitted manuscript is not a published work
• Employees, and members of their immediate families living in the same household, of Minotaur Books or Mystery Writers of America (or a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of either of them) are not eligible to enter
• Importantly, only one manuscript per entrant
• No entry fee

 

Submission Guidelines

 

• The manuscript should have a murder or another serious crime(s) at the heart of the story
• All Manuscripts submitted must be original works of book-length (no less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words)
• Manuscripts must be written in the English language
• Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents or PDFs
• All manuscripts must be double-spaced, with pages numbered consecutively from beginning to end
• Manuscripts must be saved as “Manuscript Title_Entrant Name”
• To enter, you must complete an online entry form and upload an electronic file of your Manuscript
• do not mail or e-mail manuscript submissions to Minotaur Books
• Each entrant should keep a copy of the Manuscript for his or her protection
• Entrants must have a valid e-mail address

The prize for the St. Martin’s Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

• Publishing contract
• More so, $10,000 advance against future royalties

Winners will be notified no later than April, 2024. If the winner cannot be contacted, an alternate winner may be selected. So be at alert!

In addition to the above, If you have questions or need further clarification after reading the following rules and guidelines, you may contact them at:

MB-MWAFirstCrimeNovelCompetition@St Martins.com