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...


ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction This Dagger is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality as long as the book was first published in the UK in English during the judging period. The Dagger encompasses, tho...


Private: How I Wrote 20 Mystery eBooks In 20 Months by C T Mitchell

How I Wrote 20 Mystery eBooks In 20 Months How I Wrote 20 Mystery eBooks In 20 Months October 17, 2017 / Writing / By CT Mitchell Have you ever wanted to write mystery eBooks but procrastinated for so long you never got started? You...


Countdown to the Daggers on 22 October

Free tickets are available from Thursday 15 Oct for the virtual awards ceremony of the 2020 Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Daggers, which honour the very best in crime writing. The oldest awards in the genre, the CWA Daggers have been synonymous ...


Daggers Shortlist has been announced

The 2023 shortlists for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Dagger awards, which honour the very best in the crime-writing genre, have been announced at Crime Fest in Bristol. 2023 marks the CWA’s 70th Platinum Jubilee Year; the Dagg...


New CWA Anthology Published 22 February

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has released a new collection of crime stories written by its members. Music of the Night, edited by Martin Edwards, invited CWA authors to submit short stories on the theme of music. An array of award-winnin...


CWA Brings Writers, Venues and Book Groups Together in National Crime Reading Month in May

May will be a time for murder and mayhem as National Crime Reading Month (NCRM) makes a welcome return – and the organisers are urging writers and venues to become involved. NCRM, which has run for a number of years, is a unique literary festival t...


The Big Read with Mari Hannah

Big Read Celebrates Ian Rankin in Landmark Year The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is on tour this summer with its ninth Big Read, hosting free reading group events across Yorkshire. The 2017 Big Read is Ian Rankin’s breakthrough R...


ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction This Dagger is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality as long as the book was first published in the UK in English during the judging period. The Dagger encompasses, tho...


Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation

Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation Sponsored in honour of Dolores Jakubowski. This award is for crime novels (defined by the broadest definition to include thrillers, suspense novels and spy fiction) as long as the book was not originally wr...


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