The new Telegraph Harvill Secker crime writing competition, launched tomorrow, offers aspiring writers an unprecedented opportunity to be published at one of the country’s leading literary imprints, home to authors like Jo Nesbø, Fred Vargas, Stuart Neville and Henning Mankell, and receive a £5,000 advance for his or her novel.
Would-be crime writers must submit the first 5,000 words of their crime novel, along with a detailed, two-page double-spaced synopsis of how the rest of the book unfolds, including the ending. The book does not have to be finished for you to enter, but you must have a detailed plan.
In keeping with the international nature of Harvill Secker’s profile, the crime book must contain an international element of some sort. It’s up to writers how they interpret this: it could be just a weapon that’s come from abroad, a character with a connection to another country, or the whole book could be set outside the UK. A significant international component does not, however, mean that a book will have a greater chance of winning.
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