CWA Debut Dagger

SecretScribe · Nov 6, 2007

Anyone thinking of entering the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger competition (UK)? I entered last year and got nowhere, but it did act as a catalyst to get those first 3000 words written, which led to the next and the next.

You can find out more about it here.

This year's competition opens on 15 November and runs until 15 February 2008. Oh, and they do take entries from outside the UK.

Soccer Mom · Nov 7, 2007

Thanks, SS. Maybe I'll take a stab at it.

mysterygrl · Nov 21, 2007

I don't plan to enter this year, but I've heard terrific things about this competition. One of my crit partners was a finalist and it opened a lot of doors for her.

Enzo · Nov 22, 2007

I'm in the midst of NaNoWriMo now, but if it's open to writers from outside the UK, I'll certainly have a look at it. Maybe for next month.
Though I really shouldn't let anything distract me from my WIP, which needs another two months of work.

Enzo · Nov 24, 2007

I just looked at the Daggers website, and I found it quite fascinating.I have a WIP to finish over the next few months, but since this competition only asks for a first chapter and a synopsis, I don't have to worry about writing a full novel straightaway.I had a bunch of ideas for NaNoWriMo that I didn't use but which might come in handy for a thing like this. Just have to change the language from Dutch to English.And if I win, the plane ticket to London will cost more than the prize money. But that's something to worry about later.

Enzo · Dec 10, 2007

Hey, SecretScribe, I've decided to have a go at the Debut Daggers.

I registered for their e-mails this morning, and I've been playing around with two thriller ideas: one set on a Mediterranean island and another involving a violent end to a multiracial relationship.
I feel lucky the deadline is only in mid-February because I still have a lot of thinking to do. Also, I'm more into writing international spy thrillers than pure crime stories.

Horseshoes · Dec 24, 2007

It's forty bucks!

speirbhean · Dec 26, 2007

Thanks for the link!

SecretScribe · Jan 6, 2008

Good luck Enzo! I am going to enter too.

Enzo · Jan 9, 2008

Good luck too, SecretScribe!

I'm also considering entering a Dutch competition called Duizend Woorden, which means 'One Thousand Words.' That's the length of the story they want, the deadline is Jan. 29 - so I might be stretching myself a bit thin here - and the winning story will be read on a radio show and might be published in one of Holland's leading newspapers.

JJ Cooper · Jan 30, 2008

I've entered this competition. Anyone else?

JJ

Enzo · Jan 30, 2008

I'm wrapping up my first chapter and synopsis, and planning to send it in by late Monday. I'm also preparing a second story, but don't know if I'll make it by the Feb. 15 deadline.

gp101 · Feb 1, 2008

Damn it... I entered. I just couldn't resist. Is there a support group for saps like me???

JJ Cooper · Feb 1, 2008

Enzo said:
I'm wrapping up my first chapter and synopsis, and planning to send it in by late Monday. I'm also preparing a second story, but don't know if I'll make it by the Feb. 15 deadline.

I'm lucky I'm at the query stage for the one I entered so I had the synopsis already polished and ready. I thought about entering a second, but just wasn't confident enough that I could write a synopsis on something not complete. Good luck.

gp101 said:
Damn it... I entered. I just couldn't resist. Is there a support group for saps like me???

Looks like there is a couple of us in the support group gp. Did you enter the same one as you've had up in SYW? I entered the final version of 'Interrogated'. Good luck.

JJ

gp101 · Feb 2, 2008

JJ Cooper said:
Looks like there is a couple of us in the support group gp. Did you enter the same one as you've had up in SYW? I entered the final version of 'Interrogated'. Good luck.

JJ

I entered my final, final, FINAL revision of it, yes. Between CWA and Sleuthfest, if I don't garner much interest, I'm retiring the story. Don't know how my story will play with British sensibilities. But I love you folk over there on that island. You actually realize the importance of techno and futebol. You're much more open-minded than most people here. So my hopes are high.

unlikelyheroine · Feb 3, 2008

I am working on an entry for this competition. Have entered it once before (2006) and got nowhere, but will give it another go. Am sure the result will be the same, but as mentioned above, it does act as an impetus to the writing

Shara · Feb 3, 2008

I have entered.

I entered last year, with the same novel, which is no closer to publication than it was then (I've just got a bigger pile of rejection slips). I got nowhere then.

But I'm optimistically thinking that with a different batch of entries, and different judges, it's worth having another go this year.

Shara

Enzo · Feb 4, 2008

Good luck to you all.

I just completed and sent in my first-ever contribution today.
While I'm not irrationally optimistic about my chances, I'm now considering whether to write one or two other texts before the Feb 15 deadline.
I originally planned a second story, which I'm sure I can finish, but watching the movie Cloverfield gave me lots of ideas for a third story - ok, it's still a crime story, nothing to do with monsters attacking NY, but still, that movie's style gave me some inspiration.

If I go for 3 stories, I'll be working on story number 2 every morning and story number 3 every afternoon for the next 10 days. Am I crazy? Do I want to do too much?
Maybe my secret agenda is that I'm procrastinating before starting on the second draft of my WIP.

gp101 · Feb 6, 2008

Enzo said:
Am I crazy?

Yes.

How can you start and polish a novel in less than 30 days? Granted, you only need to submit the first 3000 words, but even that takes time. And you want to do it for three different entries? I think all three will suffer for it. I suggest you pick the one that's furthest along, and rework the shit out of it until you finally must send it in. You don't have much time to put it aside and start over with frsh eyes, so you're at a disadvantage. Not impossible, just difficult.. with one entry anyway. But three entries? Three new entries you're just starting to work on? Good luck. But it will be rough getting just one of them up to par, I think. Focus on one.

unlikelyheroine · Feb 8, 2008

gp101 said:
Yes.

How can you start and polish a novel in less than 30 days? Granted, you only need to submit the first 3000 words, but even that takes time. And you want to do it for three different entries? I think all three will suffer for it. I suggest you pick the one that's furthest along, and rework the shit out of it until you finally must send it in. You don't have much time to put it aside and start over with frsh eyes, so you're at a disadvantage. Not impossible, just difficult.. with one entry anyway. But three entries? Three new entries you're just starting to work on? Good luck. But it will be rough getting just one of them up to par, I think. Focus on one.

The poster has already sent in one entry and did presumably focus on that. There's no harm in having a go at another one I think.

SecretScribe · Feb 11, 2008

I've entered. Good luck to everyone!!

gp101 · Feb 11, 2008

unlikelyheroine said:
The poster has already sent in one entry and did presumably focus on that. There's no harm in having a go at another one I think.

Actually, we're both wrong. The poster has sent one in. Now he wants to work on a second one during the afternoon and a third one during the evening for ten days and send them in. Two new entries. That's still selling one self short, I think. Focus on one. Quality over quantity.

unlikelyheroine · Mar 2, 2008

Don't want to split hairs but I didn't say anything wrong, only that he had sent one in and there was nothing wrong with working on another "one."

OK, so I am splitting hairs

Enzo · Aug 22, 2008

Anyone here made it into this final list? Not me.

http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2008/debut.html

Shara · Aug 24, 2008

Not me either, sadly.

CWA Debut Dagger

SecretScribe

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

mysterygrl

Enzo

Enzo

Enzo

Horseshoes

lisapreston.com

speirbhean

wishing I was reading

SecretScribe

Enzo

JJ Cooper

.

Enzo

gp101

JJ Cooper

.

gp101

unlikelyheroine

Shara

Fix it in the Rewrite

Enzo

gp101

unlikelyheroine

SecretScribe

gp101

unlikelyheroine

Enzo

Shara

Fix it in the Rewrite