Associate membership
Join the CWA - Associate membership Thank you for your interest in joining the CWA. Membership is subject to meeting the membership criteria and completing the application form does not guarantee membership. Please fill in your details below and a m...
Corporate membership
Join the CWA - Corporate membership Thank you for your interest in joining the CWA. Membership is subject to meeting the membership criteria and completing the application form does not guarantee membership. Please fill in your details below and a m...
Emerging author membership
Join the CWA - Emerging author membership Thank you for your interest in joining the CWA. Membership is subject to meeting the membership criteria and completing the application form does not guarantee membership. Please fill in your details below a...
Self-published membership – Application form
Join the CWA – Self-published membership - Application form...
The Dagger Did It by Anna Maloney
I first entered CWA’s Debut Dagger, as it was then called, in 2019. I had almost completed a draft of a crime novel when I discovered the competition and it gave me the impetus to sort out a synopsis and the opening chapters. Some weeks later my hu...
Emerging Author Dagger – Additional Information Request
Emerging Author Dagger - Additional Information Request Please submit this form no later than midday Monday 27 April. Please answer the questions below honestly. The fairness of the competition depends on everyone following the rules. We have to ...
2022 winning story
Locked In - Scott Hunter There’s something singularly evil about a crime carried out in secret, don’t you think? Especially if it is repeated on a regular basis. And especially if the victim is powerless to prevent it. Let me explain my cir...
Tips 2017/2 for Debut Dagger Entrants
More tips from readers of Debut Dagger entries. Remember, each tip is only the view of one individual and, as we all know, individuals disagree. All Debut Dagger entries are read and scored by at least two readers. Avoid using too many commas, or...
Finding the Time to Write Your Debut Dagger Entry, by Antony Johnston
Finding time to write is something we all struggle with when we’re starting out. We have other commitments and obligations, things to do, a day job, maybe a family… ‘If only I could just have time to write and not worry about all this other stu...
How to Write a Great Synopsis for Your Emerging Author Dagger Entry, by Shortlisted Entrant Caroline Arnoul
When I was preparing my entry for the Emerging Dagger award (then the Debut Dagger) last year, it was the 1,500-word synopsis that I found most daunting. I’d not written a synopsis of more than 300-400 words before, and I hadn’t finished my ...
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