Professional Author Members

1 year $140
2 years $270

Associate Members

1 year $95
2 years $183

Click here for online forms.

  WHO CAN JOIN?

Who can become a Professional Author Member of Crime Writers of Canada?

  • Professional Author Members (PAM) – Canadian authors with a crime-related publication to their credit (see below).
  • Who is a "Canadian" author? A Canadian author is a Canadian citizen living anywhere in the world, or a person from anywhere in the world who lives in Canada and has Permanent Resident status.

To be considered a professional author member, you must have one of the following to your credit: 

  • a published book of at least 50,000 words (fiction, non-fiction, YA); or
  • two novella of at least 8,001 words and no more than 49,999 words; or
  • three short stories (up to 8000 words) published in approved paying markets; or
  • non-fiction articles equivalent to a non-fiction book; or
  • or a play/script/screenplay equivalent in length to a book.

To qualify with a "published" book or novella (as detailed above): the book must be available in paperback or hard cover for sale across Canada at a price commensurate with standard trade practice for like work, through a Canadian retailer (Amazon.ca is accepted.)  It must have an ISBN, copyright, professionally designed cover, and be professionally edited.

NOTE: Because the CWC is an association of crime writers, the published works have to be crime-related to count.

What is Crime-Related Writing?

The field of crime writing is a broad category that includes crime, detective, espionage, mystery, suspense, and thriller writing, as well as fictional or factual accounts of criminal doings and crime-themed literary works. Cross-over novels, novella and short stories such as romantic suspense and speculative thrillers are also considered part of the genre. In broader terms, it includes any book-length work, novella or short-story that features crime or mystery as a central element.

If you do not have a crime-related publication to your name yet, but are working on something, you would join as an associate member; you can then change your membership status to professional author member once you are published in the crime genre.

Cost of Annual Professional Author Membership (PAM): $140 CAN per calendar year

Associate Memberships are for:

  • writers and aspiring authors of crime books and stories, and professional authors who are not Canadian.
  • publishers, editors, agents, and other related professionals
  • booksellers, librarians, 
  • fans who support crime writing in Canada.

Associate Members (AM) have all the benefits of membership except book and event promotion and voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting.

Cost of Annual Associate Membership (AM): $95 CAN per calendar year

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

 

Annual Membership Fees
(January 1 to December 31)

Professional Author Members $140 (2 years $270)

Associate Members $95 (2 years $183)

Click here for online forms.

 

TWO WAYS TO REGISTER

FOUR WAYS TO PAY

 

We encourage you to complete our online form to register or renew. If you do, you have 4 ways to pay:

  1. Interac payable to CWC Treasurer
  2. PayPal via the forms linked below
  3. Credit Card payment via the forms linked below
  4. Cheque or money order in Canadian funds. After filling out the form (online or mail-in), make your cheque out to Crime Writers of Canada and send it to:
 
Executive Director
Crime Writers of Canada (Membership)
PO Box 806
Maple, ON
L6A 1S7

If you have any questions or would like a printable form to mail in, please contact the Executive Director at:  and include Membership in the subject line.