The Crime Writers’ Association

2023 winning story

How to Catch a Bullet in a Plate and Other Tricks to Astound - Judith O’Reilly He never performed the trick at a matinee show as he didn’t like to worry the children in the audience. At least there was that, Mrs Conway thought, as the red bloo...


Bookshop of the Month – August 2022: Imagined Things Bookshop

Georgia Eckert from Imagined Things Bookshop in conversation with William Shaw. In 2018, Imagined Things Bookshop, in Harrogate, became known as the bookshop that was saved by a tweet.  On 25 June 2018, bookshop owner, Georgia Eckert, let the wor...


Staying Accountable

Even writers don’t feel like writing all of the time. When you’re part-way through your book and the rest of it stretches out ahead of you like an insurmountable task, the temptation to do something else instead can become strong, and if you’ve...


Notes on Word Count for CWA Writing Competitions

Different competitions have different rules – and different levels of rigour in the way they apply them. For the Debut Dagger we are super-strict. We ask for entries not to exceed 3,000 words (1,500 words for the synopsis) by even a word. The ti...


Northern Ireland is Set for NCRM 2024

PRESS RELEASE The Crime Writers Association, National Crime Reading Month NI Crime Writers team up with Libraries NI and local bookstores to celebrate National Crime Reading Month with a host of events across the province throughout June. Fo...


CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition – Winner Announced

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has announced the winner of its Margery Allingham Short Mystery Prize. Camilla Macpherson beat strong competition with her short story, ‘Heartbridge Homicides’. Camilla lives in The Hague in the Nether...


Join the CWA

Join the CWA Who can join? We offer full membership for those in the UK and overseas who have had published a full length work of crime fiction or non-fiction, and provisional membership for those who have a contract from a recognised publishing ho...


Notes on Word Count for CWA Writing Competitions

Different competitions have different rules – and different levels of rigour in the way they apply them. For the Debut Dagger we are super-strict. We ask for entries not to exceed 3,000 words (1,500 words for the synopsis) by even a word. The ti...


Skullduggery in Stowmarket

Join bestselling authors Vaseem Khan, SJI Holliday, Olivia Kiernan, Victoria Selman, Tim Sullivan, and Lauren North for a day of author events at the Stowmarket Library. Individual events are £5, and an all-day ticket is £15. You can book your tick...


Skulduggery in Stowmarket

Stowmarket Library Presents: SKULDUGGERY IN STOWMARKET from 26th - 29th April 2019   Friday 26th April An evening with Charlie Haylock *Price £10 with cheese and wine*   Saturday 27th April Author event featuring: Jacqueline Beard...


Join the CWA

Become part of a thriving community of successful crime writers with invaluable support, expertise and marketing opportunities for all our members.


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