Deadline: January 1st, 2022
Payment: USD $130, and 2 print copies of the book.
Theme: Nonfiction, true crime accounts of the “famous and infamous.”

Writers Call for Submissions: True Crime/Nonfiction

THE BEST NEW TRUE CRIME STORIES: CRIMES OF THE FAMOUS & INFAMOUS

I’m seeking original true crime stories for the seventh volume in my true crime franchise.

What I’m looking for:

Nonfiction, true crime accounts of the “famous and infamous.” Criminal subjects can be from the performing and literary arts (including actors, musicians and composers, radio and TV personalities, authors, journalists, artists, etc.), politicians, sports figures, members of royalty, business entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and so forth. Criminal subjects must already be in the public eye when committing their crimes, not made famous after the fact. Stories can take place anywhere in the world and can cover a wide range of criminal activity/historical time frames. First-person accounts are especially welcome from writers with a connection to their cases. Add something new to the story, a different viewpoint or angle, particularly if your chosen case has received extensive coverage.

Material must be meticulously fact-checked and free of errors before submission, including names, dates, locations, etc. Do not send your material until you have crosschecked your facts with several sources (don’t just rely on one source). This is a nonfiction book; everything must be 100% correct. To get an idea of the quality and variety of material I accept, please refer to the previous books in The Best New True Crime Stories series. Criminal subjects already covered in these volumes cannot be considered. Original material only; no reprints or fiction.

Important: Writers must contact me in the first instance with a pitch for their story idea—a brief paragraph is sufficient. (Note that acceptance of a proposal does not guarantee acceptance/publication of material.)

Word count: 4,000-7,000 words

One-time payment per story: USD $130, and 2 print copies of the book.

Contributor fees paid approximately one month following publication. (Preferred payment method: PayPal.)

For: Non-exclusive rights, with one-year’s exclusivity from date of publication.

Final deadline for submissions: Jan. 1, 2022 (note that submissions may close earlier).

(I select material on an on-going basis; those who submit work in advance of the deadline usually have a better chance of acceptance.)

Email: TheBestNewTrueCrimeStories @ gmail.com

(not case-sensitive)

Submission requirements:

Software: MS Word documents only (sent as attachment). Please do not send me files written with other software or pirated versions; they do not work properly for editing and often have compatibility issues.

Format: double-spaced Arial 12-point Word document. Do not indent paragraphs; instead enter one space between them. No irregular spacing between words or sentences. Absolutely no footnotes or endnotes. No photos/graphics. A bibliography is optional (if you wish to include one, format in Chicago Manual of Style.) American spelling and punctuation only, i.e. double quote marks, etc. Include your legal name, postal address, and an author bio of up to 100 words written in the third person. No simultaneous submissions.

In the subject line of your email: True Crime submission.

If you don’t receive an acknowledgement within a week of submitting your material, definitely follow up!

The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of the Famous & Infamous will be published in Winter 2023 by Mango Publishing Group, USA.

Via: Mitzi Szereto.