The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors’ organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...
awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement.
The Association also promotes crime writing of fiction and non-fiction by holding annual competitions, publicising literary festivals and establishing links with libraries, booksellers and other writer organisations, both in the UK such as the Society of Authors, and overseas. The CWA enables members to network at its annual conference and through its regional chapters as well as through dedicated social media channels and private website. Members' events and general news items are published on the CWA website which also features Find An Author where CWA members are listed and information provided about themselves, their books and their awards.
The CWA publishes a monthly magazine exclusively for members called ''Red Herrings'', edited by Matthew Booth since 2020.
The CWA runs a sister organisation aimed at readers of crime fiction and non-fiction called the Crime Reader's Association. Anyone can join free of charge and receive two digital magazines: the bimonthly Case Files and the monthly CRA Newsletter. On the site are blogs, short stories and author profiles.
Terms of membership
Annual membership is open to any author who has had a
crime novel published via a traditional publishing contract or to self-published authors who meet the membership criteria. Associate and corporate membership also offered to individuals and organisations in the publishing industry such as editors, bloggers, literary agents and publishers. Provisional membership is offered to authors who have a contract with a publisher but whose book is not yet published. The CWA enables writers to contact each other by various means, promotes crime writing with annual awards, and organises social events. It also supports writing groups, festivals and literary events through its authors. The main aims of the CWA are to promote the crime genre and to support professional writers. The CWA has been providing social and professional support for its members for more than half a century, as well as running the prestigious Daggers.
In June every year, the CWA actively promotes National Crime Reading Month.
The CWA was founded by
John Creasey
John Creasey (17 September 1908 – 9 June 1973) was an English crime writer, also writing science fiction, romance and western novels, who wrote more than six hundred novels using twenty-eight different pseudonyms.
He created several charac ...
in 1953. It is chaired by
Maxim Jakubowski
Maxim Jakubowski (born 1944) is a crime, erotic, science fiction and rock music writer and critic.
Jakubowski was born in 1944 in England to Russian-British and Polish parents, but raised in France. Jakubowski has also lived in Italy and has tr ...
(from April 2021) and has over 900 members. The Secretary of the Crime Writers' Association is currently Dea Parkin, who also runs editorial consultancy Fiction Feedback. Jess Faraday is the Membership Secretary. The day-to-day management of the organisation is by CJAM of Colchester and the CWA's official accountants and registered CWA address are at H W Fisher in William Road, London.
CWA Archives are held at Gladstone's Library in Hawarden, N Wales. Archivist is Martin Edwards, who was CWA Chair from January 2017 to April 2019 - the longest-serving CWA chair since John Creasey. Martin is also editor of the CWA's anthology, a collection of stories by members usually published in alternate years.
Daggers
The Crime Writers’ Association Daggers awards, the "UK's top crime writing awards"
were started in 1955, less than two years after the association was founded, with the award of a Crossed Red Herring Award to
Winston Graham
Winston Mawdsley Graham OBE, born Winston Grime (30 June 1908 – 10 July 2003), was an English novelist best known for the Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall, though he also wrote numerous other works, including contemporary ...
for ''
The Little Walls''.
Over the years the number of CWA Daggers has increased. Eleven Daggers are now awarded annually by the CWA, with Red Herring awards made for those who have made a significant contribution to the CWA or crime writing. The Dagger longlists are traditionally announced at the international literary convention CrimeFest in Bristol in May, the shortlists at a London event in the summer and the winners at a glittering Dagger awards dinner. From 2022, authors can now self-nominate for the Daggers. Traditionally published authors are eligible provided their book is published in the UK in 2022, and self-pub authors provided they are CWA members.
Other Daggers
* The
CWA Gold Dagger, This award is for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality, originally written in English and first published in the UK. The broadest definition of the crime novel defines eligible books including thrillers, suspense novels and spy fiction.
* The
CWA Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation sponsored in honour of Dolores Jakubowski. This award is for crime novels (defined by the broadest definition including thrillers, suspense novels and spy fiction) for a book not originally written in English and has been translated into English for UK publication.
*The
CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger
The CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association for best thriller of the year. The award is sponsored by the estate of Ian Fleming.
It is given to a title that fits the broadest definition of th ...
: This award is for the best thriller novel first published in the UK. The broadest definition of the thriller novel is used for eligible books; these can be set in any period and include, but are not limited to, spy fiction, action/adventure stories and psychological thrillers. Ian Fleming said there was one essential criterion for a good thriller – that ‘one simply has to turn the page’; this is one of the main characteristics that the judges look for. Sponsored by
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.
*The
CWA ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction: This award is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality, on condition that the book was first published in the UK in English. Sponsored by ALCS from 2018.
*The
John Creasy (New Blood) Dagger: Awarded in memory of CWA founder
John Creasey
John Creasey (17 September 1908 – 9 June 1973) was an English crime writer, also writing science fiction, romance and western novels, who wrote more than six hundred novels using twenty-eight different pseudonyms.
He created several charac ...
, this award is for the best crime novel by a first-time author of any nationality first published in the UK in English. This award used to be known as the John Creasey Memorial Dagger.
*The
CWA Dagger in the Library: This Dagger is awarded to "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to readers"; authors are nominated by UK libraries and judged by a panel of
librarian
A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users.
The role of the librarian has changed much over time, ...
s.
* The
CWA Historical Dagger The CWA Historical Dagger (currently called the CWA Endeavor Historical Dagger) is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers' Association to the author of the best historical crime novel of the year. Established in 1999, it is presented to ...
: This award is for the best historical crime fiction novel, first published in the UK in English, set in any period up to 50 years prior to the year in which the award will be made. Formerly known as the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, awarded to
historical mysteries since 1999. From 2019 this award has been sponsored by Sapere Books.
* The CWA Short Story Dagger: This award is for any crime short story first published in the UK in English in a publication that pays for contributions, or broadcast in the UK in return for payment or e-stories from recognised publishers that pay for contributions.
*The Debut Dagger, sponsored by ProWritingAid: a competition for the opening of a crime novel (3000 words plus synopsis) running from autumn to 28 February every year and open to anyone who has not yet had a full-length novel traditionally published. Shortlisted entries are shown to interested literary agents and publishers.
*The Publisher of the Year Dagger, voted on by a group of critics, festival organisers, bloggers, booksellers and authors.
*
CWA Diamond Dagger: an award for lifetime achievement, with nominations submitted by CWA members and voted on by a special committee. In 2022 the recipient is
C. J. Sansom.
Anthologies
The CWA has produced many collections of crime writing (mainly fiction, but occasionally true crime). The editor of the CWA anthology since 1996 has been
Martin Edwards. In 2003, he edited a special collection, ''Mysterious Pleasures'', to celebrate the CWA's Golden Jubilee. ''Original Sins'' is the 2010 anthology of crime from a distinguished selection of British writers published by Severn House. In 2013 the CWA Anthology 'Deadly Pleasures' was published and in 2015 an anthology of True Crime stories was released. ''Mystery Tour'' was published in December 2018 and ''Vintage Crime'' followed in 2020.
See also
*
Crime Thriller Awards
The Crime Thriller Awards is a British awards ceremony dedicated to crime thriller fiction. The inaugural event was held on 3 October 2008 at the Grosvenor Hotel, hosted by comedian and ''Jonathan Creek'' actor Alan Davies. It was televised on ...
*
The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time
''The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time'' is a list published in book form in 1990 by the British-based Crime Writers' Association. Five years later, the Mystery Writers of America published a similar list titled ''The Top 100 Mystery Novels of A ...
(a 1990 CWA publication)
*
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City.
The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday.
It presents the Edgar Awa ...
*
Crime Writers of Canada {{primary sources, date=January 2015
Crime Writers of Canada (CWC) is a national, non-profit organization, founded in 1982 by Derrick Murdock and other professional crime writers. Its mandate is to promote crime writing in Canada and to raise the p ...
*
Swedish Crime Writers' Academy
*
Mystery Writers of Japan is an organization for mystery writers in Japan.
The organization was founded on 21 June 1947 by Edogawa Rampo. It is currently chaired by Bin Konno and claims about 600 members.
It presents the Mystery Writers of Japan Award to writers every ye ...
References
External links
Official siteCrime Readers siteFinding aid to Crime Writers’ Association records, 1958-1972, at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
{{Authority control
British writers' organisations
1953 establishments in the United Kingdom
Organizations established in 1953
Cultural organisations based in London