Contests For Mystery Writers

1) THE ST. MARTIN’S MINOTAUR/MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA FIRST CRIME NOVEL COMPETITION

This contest is sponsored by St. Martin's Press and Mystery Writers of America (MWA).

The contest is for unpublished writers, but self-published authors may enter as well, if the manuscript they are submitting is not the self-published one.

Each writer is allowed to enter only one manuscript

Manuscripts must be must be at least 220 typewritten pages (or approximately 60,000 words). They must be written in English, and they must follow the guidelines of the contest.

Murder (or another serious crime) must be the central focus of the story.

The winner will be offered a chance at publication by Minotaur Books and will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000.

The full guidelines for the contest can be found at:

http://www.mysterywriters.org/?q=Contests-Writers

2) THE BEST PRIVATE EYE NOVEL COMPETITION

This contest is sponsored by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA)
and St. Martin's Press

Professional and non-professional writers may enter, as long as they have never had a “private eye” novel published (and are not under contract to have one published).

Manuscripts must be at least 220 type-written pages (or approximately 60,000 words). They must be written in English and must fit the contest’s definition of a "private eye" novel.

The winning manuscript will be published by St. Martin's Press and the winner will receive an advance against the future royalties of $10,000.

The full guidelines can found at:

http://us.macmillan.com/Content.aspx?publisher=minotaurbooks&id=4933

3) THE HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITION

This contest is sponsored by The Tony Hillerman Writers Conference
(THWC) and St. Martin's Press.

Professional and no-professional writers may enter, as long as they have never had a mystery published (and are not under contract to have one published).

Each writer is allowed to enter only one manuscript.

Manuscripts must be at least 220 typewritten pages (or approximately 60,000 words). They must be written in English and must follow the guidelines of the contest.

The story must feature murder (or another serious crime). The story’s setting must be in the Southwestern United States.

The winning entry will be published by St. Martin's Press and the winner will receive an advance against future royalties of $10,000.

The contest guidelines can be found at:

http://www.nmbookcoop.com/BookAwards/Hillerman-Prize/Mystery-Novel/M

ystery-Novel.html

4) THE DAPHNE DU MAURIER AWARD

This contest is for writers who have never been contracted or published in book-length fiction (40,000 words or more).

Writers may enter multiple manuscripts, but no more than one manuscript can be submitted to the same category.

There are several categories to enter, including, Mainstream Mystery/Suspense, Category Romantic Mystery/Suspense, Inspirational Romantic Mystery/Suspense, and Historical Romantic Mystery/Suspense.

The contest guidelines can be found at:

http://rwamysterysuspense.org/d_unpublished.php