The Crime Writers’ Association

Date Changed to 11 Feb: Talk with Biographer of Real-Life Model for Sherlock Holmes

Please note the date for this event has now changed to Saturday 11th February 2017. CWA member Bryan Kesselman will be talking about his biography of Victorian private detective Ignatius Pollaky on Saturday 11th February at 5pm at Marylebone Librar...


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...


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...


St Hilda’s College Crime Fiction Weekend

The Crime Fiction Weekend at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, celebrates its 30th year in 2023 with an all-star line-up of bestselling authors. Centred on this year’s theme, ‘Celebrations: innocent parties, guilty pleasures’, our guest speakers wi...


Crime Writers Emerging from Lockdown with JG Harlond

Escaping through a picture window... My study has a sliding picture window opening onto a balcony. From my desk I can see the Sierra de Las Nieves in the Province of Málaga, Spain. This was where the Moors of al-Ándalus harvested snow for sherbet ...


Norwich Crime Writing Festival 2018

Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 September Across the city, Norwich, Norfolk £87 season pass (individual tickets available) Book online noirwich.co.uk or call 01603 877177 Join us for the fifth Noirwich Crime Writing Festival; the region’s largest an...


CWA Appoints New Champions for Libraries

The Crime Writers’ Association has appointed new Libraries Champions based in England, Scotland and Wales. The trio take over from Ruth Dudley Edwards, the CWA’s very first Libraries Champion. The new champions are crime writers Priscilla Masters...


Noirwich Crime Writing Festival

East Anglia’s largest annual celebration of crime writing returns to Norwich on 12 – 15 September 2019. Join us in Norwich UNESCO City of Literature for a four-day spectacular of author readings, panel discussions on hot topics, exhibitions, boo...


CWA Christmas Party

It’s beginning to look a lot like… The supermarket shelves are full of mince pies, the lights on Oxford Street are twinkling and various celebrities are heading to the Australian jungle. This can only mean one thing. It’s time to book your t...


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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