Modern Stories: Headline Open Submissions Initiative
Can you write a gripping emotional thriller like Dorothy Koomson’s I Know What You’ve Done or a twisty plot like a Harlan Coben novel? Could you dream up a domestic suspense thriller like the recent TV series The Undoing or Behind Her Eyes? Is a chilling psychological thriller like Dreda Say Mitchell’s Spare Room or an addictive police procedural like Nadine Matheson’s The Jigsaw Man waiting to get out?
Headline Publishing Group, in association with The Future Bookshelf, is delighted to launch Modern Stories, an open submissions initiative for un-agented, unpublished writers of adult fiction from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. We are proud to be partnering with a select number of influential book bloggers to find a new voice in crime and thriller fiction.
One writer will be offered a publishing contract with Headline Publishing Group and shortlisted candidates will receive a one-to-one mentoring session with a Headline editor.
What we are looking for:
A commercial crime or thriller novel about a relationship that isn’t what it seems. This can be any kind of relationship – romantic partners, neighbours, friends, work colleagues, family members – and the setting is up to you. We want a story with a killer hook that captures our attention and makes us desperate to read on.
The judging panel:
Submissions will be read by the Headline team to draw up a shortlist of candidates. Shortlisted candidates will then be required to submit their full manuscript, which will be read by a panel of book bloggers who, together with the Headline editorial team, will select one writer to receive a publishing contract.
The book bloggers looking for their next page-turning read include The Candid Book Club (@thecandidbookclub), Shikha Chopra of Unfolding Pages (@unfoldingpages_), Amyn Bawa-Allah of LipGlossMaffia (@lipglossmaffia) and Nicola Soremekun of Booked Up and Busy (@bookedupandbusy).
Entry criteria:
Entrants must submit the first 3,000 words of their novel along with a synopsis (of no longer than 600 words) and a one-line pitch or strapline. The synopsis must include the full plot of the novel with details of the main characters and their journey through the book – don’t worry about spoilers as we want to get a full sense of where the book is going. The one-line pitch must sum up what your book is about as succinctly as you can; what’s the one thing that will make us want to pick up your book?
Here are a few good examples to give you an idea of what we’re looking for from your one-line pitch:
- – A family moves into the house they’ve just bought on Trinity Avenue. Nothing strange about that. Except it’s your house. And you didn’t sell it. (Our House by Louise Candlish)
- – Two sisters on trial for murder. They accuse each other. Who do you believe? (Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh)
- – Perfect families, perfect houses, perfect lives. It was always going to end in tears, but how did it end in murder? (Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty)
The submissions period will open on Friday 4th February 2022 and entrants must submit by Friday 25th February 2022. You do not need to have completed your novel in order to enter as we’d like to encourage new writers to apply but shortlisted entrants will be asked to submit the full draft at a later date. We will announce the shortlist by Friday 22nd April 2022 and the shortlisted entrants will be asked to submit the completed draft by Monday 1st August 2022.
About Headline
Headline was founded with a single promise at its heart: to publish the books people want to read. Sometimes, the simplest ideas are best.
We’re proud to be the home of bestselling writers and award-winning authors and we continue to invest in exciting new talent to build long-lasting careers. Our celebrated list of authors includes Neil Gaiman, Victoria Hislop, Naomi Ishiguro, Dorothy Koomson, Simon Scarrow, Maggie O’Farrell, S. A. Cosby, Jasmine Guillory, Bolu Babalola and Jill Mansell.
How do I submit my work?
You’ll be guided through the submission process on the Submittable website:
Judging Criteria
We will be judging submissions against the criteria for commercial fiction which we define as:
‘Commercial fiction’ is a publishing term for books which have broad appeal, are extremely accessible, and are instantly engaging. Every commercial fiction novel has these three aspects:
1. A clear, well-paced plot.
2. A well-established main character (or multiple characters if it’s a split narrative) whom general readers will connect with.
3. An accessible writing style which the general reader will understand.
This year the prize is focusing on crime thriller fiction, so, as well as the points above, the submission must be regarded as one of the following genres: Detective or Spy Fiction, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Police Procedural, Action Thriller, Psychological Thriller or Domestic Suspense.
If you have any questions, please email modernstories@headline.co.uk.