Crime Writers' Week

Lin Anderson is a Scottish novelist and screenwriter best known for her bestselling series featuring forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod. Lin is co-founder of the international crime writing festival Bloody Scotland which takes place annually in Stirling, Scotland, mid September. Her latest book The Party House is a stand alone psychological thriller set in the highland village of Blackrig.

Learn how to construct a pacy, twisty, psychological thriller. From flawed characters, to when to reveal and when to conceal, by the end of the session you'll have learned the top tips of the genre and be buzzing with inspiration

Amanda Reynolds’ debut novel, Close To Me, published in 2017 by Headline, was adapted by NENT Studios UK as a major six-part TV series starring Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston. The series aired in 2021, on Channel 4 in the UK and on Sundance AMC in the US, as well as many other countries worldwide.She is the author of three further psychological suspense novels, Lying To You and The Hidden Wife, and her new psychological thriller titled The Assistant, which publishes with Boldwood Books on the fifth of April this year, with a further psychological thriller to follow next year.Amanda Reynolds is also a tutor with The Novelry, specialising in Crime and Suspense.

Ajay Chowdhury is a tech entrepreneur, theatre director and novelist. The third book in his award-winning Kamil Rahman crime series - The Detective - was published in April 2023.

How to Write a Crime Story Blurb that Hooks. Learn how to write a blurb, or back cover, for a crime story that hooks an agent's and reader's attention (and entices them to read more!). In this workshop, Abigail teaches key information about writing back covers, like what a blurb is, how to write one that sets up big expectations for an engaging crime story, and how to use a back cover to outline their story—and pitch it in a query letter. Abigail shares a variety of craft resources and query letter insights (catered to crime stories) to do this, and shares a back cover template and checklist that writers can use to outline a draft and/or pitch their finished manuscript.

Abigail K. Perry is a book coach and certified developmental editor who specializes in Upmarket Book Club Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and YA Fantasy. She especially loves when these genres blend with crime/mystery subplots. Abigail is also the host and creator of the podcast LIT MATCH, a podcast made to help writers find (and hook) the best literary agent and business partner for their writing career. Abigail strives to help burgeoning writers blend passion with business by educating them about writing fiction, the submission process, and the publishing industry.

Speed dating event: We can't promise that you'll find your perfect match, but we can promise that you'll get a chance to meet other crime writing fans and discuss your favourite things about the genre!

How to craft that nail-biting, where-did-that-come-from twist before you start to write. We will look at key planning tools to create a twisty novel - and how to keep on that path and not get lost in the hinterlands of our criminal minds. Writers will be able to keep on track, not waste time on scenes that go nowhere, and add to their toolbox of effective ways to nail down their ideas.

P D Viner is the best selling author of The Call and The Choice as well as the Dani Lancing/Sad Man series. He mentors crime writers and is an award- winning audio creator, with four spoken word awards for his Shakespeare series. He is a film maker, coffee addict and baker. He lives in Brighton UK with his writer/linguistics professor wife and teen daughter. He spends his vacation every year in a funeral home.

This workshop will look at how to craft a successful historical crime novel and make it stand out, including 

• Finding a brilliant idea and drafting a killer story hook

• Carrying out historical research and wearing it lightly

• Creating characters with agency

• Evoking atmosphere 

• Finding the right voice

Anna Mazzola is the bestselling and award-winning author of three Gothic historical thrillers. Her first legal thriller will be published next year. Her debut novel, The Unseeing, won an Edgar Allen Poe award in the US. Her third novel, The Clockwork Girl, set in 18th century Paris, was a Sunday Times historical fiction pick for 2022. Her fourth novel, The House of Whispers, set in Fascist Italy, will be published in April 2023. She is a writing coach at The Novelry and loves discussing story structure and the writing process. Anna is also a human rights and criminal justice solicitor and provides training to other advocates.

Each year, the Crime Writers’ Association hosts their crime writing awards, The Daggers. The awards aim to support, promote, and celebrate crime writers of all kids-both fiction and nonfiction- and of all ages, abilities and career stages. 

Join us for the announcement of the longlisted entries with bestselling author and head judge of Debut Dagger, Leigh Russell. 

Become A Prolific Crime Writer: Idea To Final Draft Fast Track. Each book makes you a better storyteller. The faster you write, the faster your skills increase, and the more likely you are to find success as an author. Unfortunately, many new writers don’t have a system and end up stuck in the drafting process of their first novel, sometimes for 5 or 10 years!Join Creag Munroe, founder of the Elegant Literature Award for New Writers, as he takes you through his streamlined approach to novel writing. Learn the process that helps his students write 63% faster and finish their books in as little as 24 days. Discover how to write your crime fiction fast, and become a prolific author.

Creag Munroe is the founder and editor-in-chief of Elegant Literature. He is dedicated to helping new writers achieve success.Creag is a Story Coach who inhales novels at an alarming rate, preferring SF/F as the main staple of his diet. He resides in Toronto, Canada, but swims with sharks and motorcycles in monsoons whenever duty allows.

Martin Edwards’ 21 novels include the Lake District Mysteries and the Rachel Savernake books, most recently Sepulchre Street, as well as an acclaimed history of crime fiction, The Life of Crime. He received the CWA Diamond Dagger for the sustained excellence of his work. He has also won the Edgar, Agatha, CrimeFest H.R.F. Keating and Macavity awards, the Short Story Dagger and Dagger in the Library, plus the Poirot award for his outstanding contribution to the genre.

Please note- this interview is pre-recorded.

Sophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling crime writer whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is the founder and coach at Dream Author Coaching. Her murder mystery musical, The Mystery of Mr. E, is currently being made into a movie, which will be released early December 2023.

Harry Colfer is the pseudonym of a critical care paramedic who lives and works in Brisbane, Australia. Although his stories are totally fictional, his writing style is very realistic and he maintains a healthy level of paranoia with respect to his anonymity. Other than the 32 short stories in the Ambo Tales From The Frontline series, he has written two full length novels featuring the same characters, a murder mystery, Dead Regular, and the thriller sequel, Beneath Contempt. He is currently writing the third novel in the Jono series, High Acuity, with the fourth and final book existing only as ideas, notes, and a title, Show Cause.

With all the tools available to writers, why should you hire a professional editor? Learn what an editor can do for you and where/how to hire one. Alena will share the intricacies of contracts and appropriate negotiations, as well as expectations and types of editing to make what you need for your writing more clear. As a bonus, she will also share the things clients should ask before hiring an editor.

Alena Orrison is an award-winning author and freelance writer and editor. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English, with an emphasis on Creative Writing. A professional editor since 2015, Alena has worked on many genres, but her favorites are fantasy, historical fiction, and crime. She has many articles and stories published online and in anthologies, and her debut novel releases this fall.

More information coming soon!

In this fun session you'll get a chance to meet other crime writers and work together to create a perfect villain for a crime story.