The Crime Writers’ Association

About the CWA

About the CWA The Crime Writers’ Association was founded in 1953 by John Creasey (pictured). Our overall aim is to support, promote and celebrate this most durable, adaptable and successful of genres. The CWA’s everyday aim is to support writers...


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...


CWA Announces new Debut Dagger Sponsor

The Crime Writers’ Association has announced a new sponsor for its annual international writing competition for unpublished writers. The CWA Debut Dagger is to be sponsored by ProWritingAid, a platform that operates as a grammar checker, style edi...


Private: Into the River: how a last-minute decision led to an award-winning bestseller, by Mark Brandi

In a river, on the outskirts of an isolated country town, two young brothers discover a wheelie bin, partly submerged beneath a fallen tree. Curious, the older brother goes closer to investigate. He steps carefully across the tree’s smooth trunk, ...


Bookshop of the Month – September 2022: The Oundle Bookshop

Joanna Patterson-Gordon of The Oundle Bookshop Talks to William Shaw You’ll find The Oundle Bookshop behind an impressive line of Georgian pillars on Market Place, which is where it’s been for a remarkable 99 years. It’s a traditional bo...


Private: Trust your gut: how a Debut Dagger longlisting led to a publishing deal

People often ask me where the initial idea for “Trust Me, I’m Dead” came from, and I talk about an article I read many years ago where one snippet caught my eye, and then stuck in my brain. It was a small thing, about a man who’d left behind ...


Bookshop of the Month – December 2021: Griffin Books

Griffin Books in Penarth is one of those shops writers love to be invited to. It’s run by the amazing Mel Griffin who bought the shop nine years ago and turned it into a real community hub – with brilliantly run book events. What inspired you ...


Bookseller of the Month: October 2022 – Richard Reynolds

As part of the new CWA Bookshops Champion initiative, we want to celebrate bookshops and booksellers, because we believe they don’t just sell our books – they bring our streets alive. This month there’s a special CWA Bookseller of the Month ...


Hunt for the Margery Allingham Short Mystery Prize Winner 2022

The hunt for the best unpublished short mystery story is on. Entrants have until 6pm GMT on Monday 28 February to enter the international Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Margery Allingham Short Mystery competition, 2022. The Margery Allingha...


Norfolk & Norwich Festival – Jeffery Deaver – The Cutting Edge

Thursday 22 May, 7.30pm The Adnams Spiegeltent, Chapelfield Gardens £12 / concessions from £7.50 We welcome number-one Sunday Times bestselling author and master of suspense Jeffery Deaver to Norwich UNESCO City of Literature. The Cutting Edge s...


Join the CWA

Become part of a thriving community of successful crime writers with invaluable support, expertise and marketing opportunities for all our members.


Advertise with us