The Crime Writers’ Association

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...


Marketing your books

Marketing your Books The CWA’s mission is to promote the crime-writing genre, both fiction and non-fiction, and support our membership of professional authors. We offer our members a wide range of promotional outlets, and the help of our Bookselle...


Main page

Welcome… To the Members' Area of the CWA website. Here you can download the latest Red Herrings, complete your author profile, read more about membership benefits, find local chapters, get advice on promoting your books, and much more. Use the ...


Main page

Welcome… To the Members' Area of the CWA website. Here you can download the latest Red Herrings, complete your author profile, read more about membership benefits, find local chapters, get advice on promoting your books, and much more. Use the ...


Benefits for Corporate and Associate Members

Benefits for Corporate and Associate Members We offer a range of benefits for corporate and associate members. Take advantage of yours below. The CRA website and newsletters The CRA website and accompanying newsletters CRA News and Case File...


Book Signing with Chris Berry

Want a great read for Christmas? Tough Season book tour! Chris will be signing copies at Waterstones in Hull on Saturday 7 December. "It has been a fantastic thrill to be at #1 in Amazon RL charts for many weeks since release and my first crime no...


CWA Dagger Winners to be Announced at Awards on Oct 25

For readers of crime – now officially the UK’s most popular genre of fiction – the CWA Daggers are the book awards to really sharpen your appetite. Ten Daggers are given away at a glittering black-tie dinner and the cream of the publishing indu...


Morecambe & Vice Crime Writing Festival

On the Weekend of Sat 30th Sept & Sun 1st October get your little grey cells at the ready and your poisoned pens filled to the brim with ink as the Quirkiest crime festival in the UK will be making its debut in Morecambe. Set in the auspicious s...


Crime Writers in Residence – at home with GJ Minett

Hi! My name is GJ Minett and my fourth novel, which will be published on July 9 by Bonnier Zaffre, is called The Syndicate. The CRA: Please tell us a little about yourself and the books you write. For several years I taught in an 11-18 comprehen...


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