The Crime Writers’ Association

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...


Trying Again, by Sherry Rankin

I do not have a risk-taking personality. The whole idea of attempting to find an agent and get published always seemed so daunting to me that, for decades, I was afraid even to try. I always loved to write, however. So a few years ago, I took stock o...


Slaughter in Southwold

The Friends of Southwold Library present: Slaughter in Southwold, the Southwold Library Crime Writers Festival. Enjoy talks from authors including Reverend Richard Coles, Jane Casey, Nicci French, Elly Griffiths, Tom Hindle, Cara Miller,  Jacquelin...


Private: Latest Tips for Winning the Debut Dagger

CWA Coordinator and Debuts maestro Dea Parkin has some top tips for Debut Dagger entrants: You’re going over your Debut Dagger entry in the final days before the deadline. What might you consider revising to make it stand out and shine? Ens...


Seven Writing Tips from Leigh Russell

Chair of the CWA Debut Dagger judges, Leigh Russell, has sold well over a million books. Writer’s Block The best cure for writer’s block is a deadline. If you’re not fortunate enough to have an external deadline set by a publisher, you can ...


Agatha Christie Centenary Celebration

BIRTHDAY PARTY WILL CELEBRATE A CENTURY OF CHRISTIE CREATIVITY Diary date: Thursday 15 September 2016 Dame Agatha Christie’s home town marks her birthday and the 100th anniversary of the completion of her first crime no...


Gaelic Language Event: Shelagh Chaimbeul Book Release

A summer's day in June 2004. Four teenagers are walking on the Fife Coastal path near St. Andrews, when one of them, Amy, finds an unusual bracelet. 20 years later, a new true crime series begins, 'Fuasgladh Cheist', which investigatesn suspicious...


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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