Writing - Crime Writers' Competitions

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Two competitions for crime writers - submission fees are quite high, but so are the rewards! If you don't try, you won't win. Sent out by the Crime Writers' Association:

CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition

Our mission is to find the best unpublished short story – one that fits into Margery’s definition of what makes a great story.

“The Mystery remains box-shaped, at once a prison and a refuge. Its four walls are, roughly, a Crime, a Mystery, an Enquiry and a Conclusion with an Element of Satisfaction in it.”

The competition is open to all – both published and unpublished authors- and is for short stories of up to 3,500 words. All that we ask is that the story has not been previously published so whether you polish off a dusty draft or craft a brand new idea is totally up to you.

Submission: £15 (plus VAT)
Status: Open now
Deadline: 1st March 2016
Prize: £1,000 (sponsored by the Margery Allingham Society)
http://thecwa.co.uk/debuts/short-story-competition/


CWA Debut Dagger
For 15 years the Crime Writers' Association has been encouraging new writing with its Debut Dagger competition for unpublished writers. The submissions are judged by a panel of top crime editors and agents, and the short listed entries are sent to publishers and agents. The Debut Dagger is open to anyone who has not yet had a novel published commercially. All shortlisted entrants will receive a professional assessment of their entries. Winning the Debut Dagger doesn’t guarantee you’ll get published. But it does mean your work will be seen leading agents and top editors, who have signed up over two dozen winners and shortlisted Debut Dagger competitors.
Submission: £30 (plus VAT)
Status: Open now
Deadline: 28 February 2016
Prize: £500, professional assessment, submission to agents and editors
http://cwadaggers.co.uk/debut/