
Crime Writing Tips
Join the Criminal Contenders for special newsletters coming up to Emerging Author Dagger deadline time. You’ll also receive the CWA Readers Newsletter and bi-monthly Case Files ezine, crammed with info for crime readers and writers.


Emerging Author Dagger Experience & Tips by Karabi Mitra

Ending Your Extract for the Emerging Author Dagger, by a Shortlisted Author

Ten Ways to Make Your Criminal Protagonist Fascinating by Dagger Longlister Judy Hock

Notes on Word Count for CWA Writing Competitions

Emerging Author Dagger Writing Tips

Submitting for CWA Competitions: In at the Kill

Emerging Author Dagger Submission Info

Emerging Author Dagger Checklist

The Best Bit of Writing Advice I Was Ever Given by Morgan Cry

12 Criminally Good Hints for Crime Writing by Laraine Stephens

‘Three pieces of writing advice I’ve never forgotten’ by Helen Cooper

How I got by with a little help from the internet – on credibility, by Nikki Dudley

Seven Writing Tips from Leigh Russell

Minor Characters by J G Harlond

The Art of Editing by John Dean

It’s All In the Point of View by Jared Cade

The Detective’s Journey by Luke Deckard

WRITERS’ BLOCK by Sarah Rayne

Finding the Time to Write Your Debut Dagger Entry, by Antony Johnston

‘A matter of conflict’ by John Dean

Standing in your characters’ shoes, by John Dean

The Best Writing Advice I’ve Ever Read by AJ Waines

‘How to write a novel to trade standard’ by Helen Corner-Bryant of Cornerstones Literary Consultancy

Finding the Fandom: how to use readers’ expectations to write your debut, by Cal Moriarty

To plot or not to plot? – crime writing tips by Cal Moriarty

How to develop character & story – tips from Cal Moriarty

How To Start Your Novel – a step-by-step guide by Cal Moriarty

You’re nicked! At-a-glance notes on police rank structure and terminology for UK crime writers, by editor Lesley Jones

Difficulties submitting? Here’s what to do!

Final Tips for Winning Entries

More Tips from a Debut Dagger Marker

Writing that Debut Dagger synopsis – thoughts from a marker

Building Tension in Your Writing by John Dean

Crime Writing Tip Two: Definitions, by Kelvin I Jones
