The Crime Writers’ Association

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...


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 ...


Crafting Compelling Coppers – celebrate National Crime Reading Month with the CWA

Join the Crime Writers' Association as we celebrate National Crime Reading Month on Tuesday 15 June at 7.30pm. Authors Jane Bettany (creator of DI Isabel Blood), Liz Mistry (writer of the DI Gus McGuire and Nikki Parekh series), Roz Watkins (DI Meg ...


A Detective’s Take on Crime Fiction

Join former copper, former detective, and present-day librarian Iain Souter for a fun and informative cop's eye view of crime fiction! Iain Souter is a second-generation police officer from a crop of three, who followed their father into the servi...


An Evening with Sir Alec Jeffreys

An Evening with Sir Alec Jeffreys Join the Royal Society of Biology for an evening with Sir Alec Jeffreys on Monday 16th May 2016 at the Science Museum’s IMAX Theatre, London. The inventor of forensic DNA fingerprinting tells his story at this s...


Antony Johnston and David Beckler at Leigh Library

As part of National Crime Reading Month, local author CJ Harter will interview best-selling crime writers Antony Johnston, creator of Atomic Blonde and The Exphoria Code, and David Beckler, author of Brotherhood.   After the interview, there w...


Capital Crime

Capital Crime, London’s first crime and thriller festival, is coming this September to Covent Garden. With over 30 CWA members appearing, such as Peter James, Antonia Hodgson, Ian Rankin, Dreda Say Mitchell, Mark Edwards, Will Dean and MW Craven, t...


Diamond Dagger

Diamond Dagger The most prestigious Dagger of all, the Diamond Dagger awards a lifetime contribution to crime writing in the English language, and is nominated by CWA members. Nominations and Judging Process The CWA Diamond Dagger winner is sele...


Women Who Murder: An Evening with Mitzi Szereto (Vancouver, BC)

On 4 May, 2024, True crime author Mitzi Szereto will be at Indigo Langley to meet readers and sign copies of her new book release Women Who Murder: An International Collection of Deadly True Crime Tales. She’ll be joined by her special guest, contr...


Emerging Authors

Emerging Authors Join the Crime Writers' Association as an Emerging Author - A new type of membership for tomorrow's writers. This category encourages new crime writers in their quest to become published authors by welcoming them into the com...


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