Jan 28, 2027
Next Generation Short Story Awards 2027 – Mystery
Next Generation Short Story Awards
- Contest
- Grand prizes $500 / $300 / $200; category winners $75 + medal
- Fee: $25 first category; $20 each extra category
Up to 5,000
All deadlines / Contests
Mystery & crime writing contests
Short story contests, unpublished-manuscript and first-novel competitions, and awards for published crime fiction, sorted by deadline. Entry fees and prizes are listed up front.
13 listings, last checked October 17, 2026. Listings whose deadline has passed are hidden automatically.
Short story contests (3)
Jan 29, 2027
CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition 2027
Crime Writers' Association & Margery Allingham Society
- Contest
- £500 + one year CWA membership
- Fee: £25
Up to 3,500
Open anytime
Novel & manuscript contests (7)
Oct 31, 2026
CWC Award for Best Unpublished Crime Manuscript 2027
Crime Writers of Canada (sponsor: ECW Press)
- Contest
- CA$500; ECW Press reads all finalists
- Fee: CA$45 (CA$36 members)
First 5,000 + 500-word synopsis; complete MS 50,000–110,000
Nov 1, 2026
William F. Deeck–Malice Domestic Grant for Unpublished Writers
Malice Domestic Ltd
- Contest
- $2,500 + full Malice Domestic registration + 2 hotel nights
- No fee
First three chapters + synopsis up to 200 words
Nov 30, 2026
Minotaur Books / Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel
Minotaur Books & Malice Domestic
- Contest
- Minotaur publishing contract (advance per standard agreement)
- No fee
~65,000+, complete
Dec 13, 2026
Uncharted Magazine Novel Excerpt Prize 2026
Uncharted Magazine
- Contest
- Three co-winners each get $1,000 + publication + agent consult (Fuse Literary)
- Fee: $20 reading fee
Up to 5,000
Dec 14, 2026
Minotaur Books / MWA First Crime Novel Competition
Minotaur Books & Mystery Writers of America
- Contest
- $10,000 advance + Minotaur publishing contract
- No fee
60,000+ (220+ pages), complete
Jan 29, 2027
CWA Emerging Author Dagger 2027
Crime Writers' Association (sponsor: Fiction Feedback)
- Contest
- £500; shortlist sent to agents and publishers
- Fee: £42
Opening up to 3,000 + synopsis up to 1,500
Apr 1, 2027
Killer Nashville Claymore Award 2027
Killer Nashville
- Contest
- Recognition, agent/editor exposure (no cash amount stated)
- Fee: $77
First 50 pages
Awards for published work (3)
Dec 7, 2026
Edgar Awards 2027 (works published in 2026)
Mystery Writers of America
- Award (published work)
- Edgar Award (no cash)
- No fee
Short story category: 1,000–22,000
Dec 15, 2026
CWC Awards of Excellence 2027 (published works)
Crime Writers of Canada
- Award (published work)
- CA$200–1,000 per category ($4,950 total)
- Fee: CA$30–55 (novel $55, novella $40, short story $30; 20% member discount)
Varies by category
Apr 1, 2027
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award 2027
Killer Nashville
- Award (published work)
- Award recognition
- Fee: $112 (free with a 4-day conference registration)
Published book
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