Deadline: December 16, 2022
Entry fee: $20
About the competition
The competition is sponsored by Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America.
The competition is free to enter.
The competition is open to any writer, regardless of nationality, aged 18 or older, who has never been the author of any published novel.
You may submit only one manuscript (no less than 220 typewritten pages or approximately 60,000 words) written in the English language. Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story.
Only electronic submissions, uploaded through the online entry form, will be considered.
The winning manuscript will be published by Minotaur Books. The winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000.
Competition guidelines
To enter, you must complete an online entry form and upload an electronic file of your Manuscript. The entry form will allow you to upload one electronic file. Only electronic submissions, uploaded through the online entry form, will be considered; do not mail or e-mail your manuscript submissions to Minotaur Books.
To be considered for the 2023 competition, all submissions must be received by 11:59pm EST on December 16, 2022.
a) Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word documents or PDFs. All manuscripts must be double-spaced, with pages numbered consecutively from beginning to end. All manuscripts must be saved as “Manuscript Title_Entrant Name.”
b) Each entrant should keep a copy of the Manuscript for his or her own protection.
c) Because of the great volume of submissions we receive and the fact that our judges are volunteers with full-time responsibilities elsewhere, it is important that you submit your Manuscript as early as possible. Submissions will get a more careful reading if the judge does not have to contend with a flood of last-minute entries.
The entry form is available HERE.
3. Entrants must have a valid e-mail address. In case of dispute as to identity of an entrant, entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address provided to Minotaur Books. “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as a natural person who is assigned an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) responsible for assigning e-mail addresses or the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, telephone or other communications malfunctions, errors or failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, website, Internet, or ISP unavailability, unauthorized human intervention, traffic congestion, incomplete or inaccurate capture of entry information (regardless of cause) or failed, incomplete, or delayed computer transmissions which may limit one’s ability to enter this Competition, including any injury or damage to any computer relating to or resulting from downloading any materials in this Competition.
4. All Manuscripts submitted: a) must be original works of book length (no less than approximately 65,000 words) written in the English language; b) must be written solely by the entrant, who may not be the author of any previously Published Novel; c) must not violate any right of any third party or be libelous, and d) must generally follow the Guidelines below.
5. Enter the competition here.
