The Crime Writers’ Association

Criminal Critiques

What are Criminal Critiques? Criminal Critiques is the CWA’s critique service for aspiring crime fiction writers, to help you polish your writing and prepare your manuscript for submission to agents and publishers, or for competitions such as the ...


CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition – Short List Announced

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition: Lesley Mace for Game Over Ruth Moore for River Endings Clare Littleford for A Short Walk on a Long Pier Mike Ripley for Ealing Comedy Christopher Fowler...


The CWA, CrimeFest 2019 and Libraries

The CWA works with libraries. CrimeFest works with libraries. CrimeFest works with the CWA. It all adds up to a very successful story. Or perhaps, a thousand… CrimeFest’s Library Giveaway Organised by the Crime Writers’ Association, the month...


CWA 2024 Conference in Bristol

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 Conference in Bristol!...


Opening Windows, by John Kennedy

A certain writer, arguably lauded for the wrong things but at the same time often underrated, once said something about writing behind closed doors and rewriting with the window open. Well, for me, the Debut Dagger competition opened that window. Get...


SGM December 2023

We’re holding a brief Special General Meeting on Saturday 2 December at 10am to present the new Articles of Association to the membership and ask for you to approve them in this special resolution. Our Articles form our constitution and direct how ...


Dagger in the Library

Dagger in the Library  The Dagger in the Library 2024 is closed. Thank you for voting! The Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by an established writer of crime fiction or non-fiction who has long been popular with borrowers from...


Self-published author membership

Join the CWA - Self-published membership Thank you for your interest in joining the CWA. Membership is subject to meeting the membership criteria and completing the application form does not guarantee membership. Please fill in your details below an...


An Evening with Lynda La Plante

At London Book Fair/ London Book & Screen Week this March, join Lynda la Plante, the queen of crime drama, for a gin cocktail as she discusses her illustrious career across page, stage and screen and offers a preview of her forthcoming book Burie...


The Killer Women Festival of Crime Writing & Drama

CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS Now in its fourth year, the capital’s only exclusively author-led festival will take place on Sunday 15 March 2020 - at Brown’s Courtrooms, Covent Garden, London. The 2020 festival will include appearances by, amongs...


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