The Crime Writers’ Association

London Book Fair and Byte the Book

London Book Fair runs at Olympia this year from Tuesday 14 to Thursday 16 March. As a book-lover, it's always a fabulous event to visit, whether or not you have business there. http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/ Byte the Book also have a few seminars...


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...


A Detective’s Take on Crime Fiction

CWA Scotland — A Detective's Take on Crime Writing 27 June 2024 at 7 pm with Iain Souter. Iain is a second-generation copper from a crop of three who followed their father into the service in Northern Constabulary… pre-Police Scotland. He...


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...


‘The Importance of the Note on the Fridge’ by John Dean

My house, like all authors’ homes, I suspect, is full of scraps of paper. Each one contains a scribbled note of something that I will add to the novel I am working on the next time I switch on the laptop. The notes are often made after I have be...


Crime Writers in Residence – at home with Jim Eldridge

The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. I have been a writer for almost 50 years, the first 30 as a scriptwriter, then writing children's books, and - since 2016 - writing historical crime fiction for adults. My curr...


Join the CWA

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