Hachette UK’s Mo Siewcharran Prize will return this year, to help discover unpublished fiction writers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. This year, the prize will be hosted by Quercus Books and, in a change from previous years, it will be focusing on fiction writers in the crime and thriller genre specifically. 

Submissions will open on 1^st May 2022. Entrants must be unagented and previously unpublished, aged 18 or over and resident in the UK. 

The winner will receive £2,500 prize money plus editorial feedback in the form of a 2–3-page editorial letter from a Quercus editor, as well as a follow up one-hour editorial session with a Quercus editor (either online or in person). They will also have introductory meetings with at least two different literary agents, an introductory session with the Quercus rights team and meetings with the Quercus marketing and publicity teams. The winner’s novel will also be taken forward to the next Quercus Acquisitions Meeting and considered for full publication with an advance against royalties.

Second place will receive £1,500, editorial feedback in a 2-3-page letter from a Quercus editor and a book hamper. Third place receives £750 plus a hamper of books. Find out more about the prize here. 

Quercus Books is offering libraries the opportunity to order physical posters, bookmarks and digital resources to help promote the prize to their users. 

Please place your order by Sunday 8 May.