DO YOU WANT TO WRITE A CRIME NOVEL?

HarperFiction is proud to launch Killing It: The Killer Reads Competition for undiscovered writers. All you need is a good idea, a passion for the dark side and a dollop of determination!

Launching at the start of 2021 on January  7th, this is a competition to help push open doors to crime writers who need a way into the publishing industry. All you need to do to enter is send us the first 10,000 words of your crime, thriller or suspense novel, a short synopsis, and a short paragraph about yourself, too. We want to get to know you!

We encourage submissions from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic writers in particular.

If you are looking for a place to start, here’s a sentence to start you off: ‘The body was lying in the snow, covered in a smattering of dead leaves.’ You do not have to use this prompt but it’s there if you need it!

Three winners will be chosen to receive:

Editorial reports from HarperFiction crime editors on their full manuscripts, covering pace, characterisation, pitch, and more.

Editorial mentoring (up to three one-hour sessions) with a HarperFiction crime editor.

The competition will be judged by HarperFiction Editorial Director Phoebe Morgan, Commissioning Editor Kathryn Cheshire, Assistant Editor Sophie Churcher, and Ayo Onatade, a crime critic and the former chair of the Crime Writers Association Short Story Dagger.

To enter please send the following to: crimesubmissions@harpercollins.co.uk

The first 10,000 words of your crime, thriller or suspense novel (your book needs to be complete or near-complete to enter)

A short synopsis (max. 500 words)

A short paragraph about yourself

Please read our full terms and conditions before sending your entry, here.

NB: Winning the competition does not guarantee publication by HarperCollins UK.