2025 Submission Rules for Published Works

Download 2025 Submission Rules for Published Works (PDF)

The 2025 awards are for books and short stories published in 2024. The awards are presented annually by Crime Writers of Canada in the following categories:

• Best Crime Novel (Min. 50,000 words)
• Best Crime First Novel sponsored (Min. 50,000 words AND author’s 1st novel in any genre.)
• Best Crime Novel Set in Canada sponsored (Min. 50,000 words)
• The Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery (Min. 50,000 words)
• Best Crime Novella sponsored (8,001 - 49,999 words)
• Best Crime Short Story (Max. 8,000 words)
• Best French Crime Book (Fiction and Nonfiction)
• Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book (Fiction and Nonfiction)
• Best Nonfiction Crime Book

DEFINITION: The Awards are for CRIME WRITING which encompasses a wide range of subgenres. Crime writing includes capers, detective stories, espionage, mystery, police procedural, suspense, cozy, thrillers and crime-themed literary works, as well as fictional or factual accounts of real crimes. If you are not certain that your submission qualifies as a crime book or story, please contact us at awards@crimewriterscanada.com

To qualify, all works must fulfill the following criteria:

1. First publication; whether in English or French, in the preceding year (2024) by a Canadian citizen regardless of place of residence, or by a writer, regardless of nationality, who has been granted Permanent Resident status in Canada.

Note 1: The year of publication is determined solely by the copyright date of the book or the short story.

Note 2: If a work is co-authored, at least one of the authors must fulfill the citizenship/Permanent Resident requirement.

Note 3: If the work was originally published in a language other than English or French, the first English or French translation of the book is still eligible if:

1. this translation is first published in the preceding year (2024); and
2. the author fulfills the above citizenship/residency requirement.

Translations from English to French or from French to English that have been previously published in the other official language are NOT ELIGIBLE.

New editions or revisions that are substantially the same (60% or greater) as the previously published version are NOT ELIGIBLE.

1. The book or story fits into the crime-writing genre (see above for our definition of "crime genre").
2. The work must be available in print and/or e-book format for purchase in Canada through a Canadian retailer's regular channels (bookstores, Rakuten Kobo online, Chapters/Indigo, Amazon.ca, etc.) Word count must be stipulated on the entry form.

EXCEPTION: Best Novella and Best Short Story Categories where special rules apply (see below).

NOTE: A title can only be entered in one category. The category cannot be changed after the deadline. Please familiarize yourself with the Special Criteria and Eligibility Rules

SPECIAL CRITERIA

1. Best Crime Novel Set in Canada Category

In addition to the general Published Category eligibility rules and criteria, the work must also meet the following special eligibility requirements for Best Crime Novel set in Canada:

• The majority of the work (60% or greater) must be set in some part of Canada.
• An author cannot win this category in more than two (2) consecutive years, e.g. an author who has won the award in two (2) consecutive years would not be eligible in year three (3).

2. Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery Category

In addition to the general Published Category eligibility rules and criteria, the work must also meet the following special eligibility requirements for The Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery:

Whodunit mystery fiction is a puzzle story; it starts with a murder (or crime) and emphasizes the solving of the crime. The protagonist’s job is to discover who committed the crime and why.

Examples: Classic Golden Age style (Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes), Amateur Sleuth, Cozy, Private Eye, Police Procedural, Historical, Humorous, and Locked Room.

3. Best Crime Novella Category

• The work has been published by a traditional publisher or in a recognized periodical.
• If self-published, novellas must be available (paper or ebook) through a Canadian retailer's regular channels (bookstores, Chapters/Indigo online, Amazon.ca, etc.) to be eligible.
• Word count must be stipulated on the entry form.

4. Best Crime Short Story Category

• The work must be available in print and/or e-book and/or e-zine format in Canada through a recognized retailer's regular channels (bookstores, Rakuten Kobo online, Chapters/Indigo, Amazon.ca, approved ezines etc.)
• Word count must be stipulated on the entry form.
• Authors can enter up to three short stories.
• When sending the PDF copy of the short story INCLUDE a PDF copy of the table of contents that lists the short story, and/or a link to one or more recognized retail outlets where it is available

5. Best Crime First Novel Category

In addition to the above eligibility rules, an author entered in this category cannot have had any earlier novel of any kind published commercially:

• in print, electronic/e-book, or self-published; whether
• in Canada or any other country; whether
• in any genre, including literary fiction; whether
• under the author's given name or a pseudonym, and alone or jointly with another author

Note 1: A novel that has an ISBN (or ASIN) is considered to be published commercially.

Note 2: The author may be published in other formats (e.g., short stories, novellas, non-fiction, plays/screenplays, poetry) and still be eligible to enter this category.

Note 3: If the author enters two books for consideration, only the first book published is eligible for the Best Crime First Novel category. The second book can be entered in the Best Crime Novel category.

ENTRY FEES:

CWC members in good standing receive a 20% discount. Price adjustments will not be made after submission.

NOTE: The discount pricing only applies to entries from individual members, not publisher members. However, individuals can submit their payment form, and have their publishers submit a PDF copy of their book directly to CWC.

All Payments must be in Canadian funds.

Entry fees not paid IN FULL by the required date will result in the submission being disqualified.

If a category has fewer than six (6) submissions in a given year, all books or stories will be held over for the following year.

TO ENTER

With rare exceptions, CWC will no longer be accepting hard copies. Many major contests have gone this route. All Awards jurors commit to maintaining confidentiality and not sharing submissions received.

Entrants must submit:

1. A PDF document of the Novel/Novella/short story

NOTE: For short stories, include a PDF copy of the short story and of the table of contents of the anthology or publication in which it appeared as proof of traditional publication.

NOTE: If submitting more than one entry, a separate entry form must be completed for every entry.

Submissions Deadline 15 December 2024 11:59 PST.

IMPORTANT DATES:

The Submissions Deadline is 15 December 2024 at 11:59 PST.

The shortlists for all categories will be announced: April 25, 2025

The winners will be announced: May 30, 2025

Details will be announced on the website: www.crimewriterscanada.com