Crafting Crime

In 2026 Crafting Crime witnesses exciting developments. If you’re looking for more hands-on help with writing your crime novel, see our new mentored course. In every module, you work through an assignment that’s assessed by expert crime editors.

Make 2026 the year you get to grips with writing crime fiction.

Do you want to be a crime writer? Would you like expert guidance from a master of the craft?

Crafting Crime, the online course on writing crime fiction, could be your perfect solution. Course material is composed by Martin Edwards, the award-winning author and CWA Diamond Dagger winner, in association with Dea Parkin, editor-in-chief at Fiction Feedback editorial consultancy.

A course of 12 modules to work through independently in your own time
Twelve detailed information documents and 12 Q&A podcasts
Complementary how-to material
Modules include tried and tested author tips and tricks from Martin and others
Tips from top international crime writers such as Elly Griffiths, Michael Robotham, Steve Cavanagh, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Soji Shimada.
Specific information regarding the writing life and the publishing world

This is a comprehensive, detailed course guiding you through how to create and construct a crime novel, the options on getting published, advice on editing and how to prepare yourself for a writer’s life.

Learn from Martin Edwards, recipient of the CWA’s Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement in crime writing
Work in your own time, accessing the course material as and when you like
No classroom sessions with other participants
Ideal for the independent writer who wants to learn without distractions

If you choose the original course, where you work through the content and don’t submit assignments, you can claim a free critique of your opening 8,000 words plus 1,000-word synopsis worth £175.

If you choose the new mentored course, you need to submit an assignment after every module. These are designed to help you put into practice what you’ve learnt in each module. Each of the 12 assignments will be read and assessed by expert crime-fiction editors, and feedback returned to you within around two weeks.

The original course costs £499 and the mentored course costs £895. On receipt of payment, you’re sent an email with a unique password that allows you to return as and when you like to access all the course material (within one year of full payment for the original course, indefinitely for the mentored).

Watch this short video to learn more about Crafting Crime.

NB1 Details about the critique refer to the original course only. NB2 The original course is now available for a year after final payment. The mentored course is available indefinitely.

‘The feedback is really helpful. The criticism is spot on and, like all good criticism, reveals truths that may be obvious once they are pointed out, but to which you’ve become blind from being too close to the writing. The comments all made perfect sense. I’m encouraged now to take this further…’

M Wilson, UK

‘Thank you so much for your feedback, which I’ve read, underlined and highlighted ready for the next steps with the novel. The positive comments will keep me going through the re-writes and to the stage where the assessment and/or synopsis services would be useful. Many thanks again for the course and the critique. The work starts now!’

D Waters, UK

‘I want you to know how much I enjoyed the course. The interviews and texts were interesting, informative, and a pleasure. Some things I knew or suspected. Other things were a revelation. One of the most valuable parts of the course is the references to writers and books, some of whom I’d never heard before. I made my own list of books and authors mentioned in the course and am adding many to my library. I’d say I’m a reader before I’m a writer and have always felt daunted in measuring up to the authors I love. Your course gave me confidence in just enjoying the process of writing. For that alone, it was worth the price of admission.’

Chris Stuart, US

Crafting Crime contents

Twelve modules – see a full list on the Course Content page
– each with a detailed written element in PDF form, including tips from foremost crime writers of the day;
– each complemented by a podcast of Martin Edwards answering questions posed by Dea Parkin (Module #11 is vice-versa), containing several hours of dedicated discussion and recorded at Gladstone’s Library, home of the UK crime writing archives;
Extra information sheets.

For details, see the Course Content page

The material is created by Martin Edwards, an award-winning crime writer hailed as an expert by his peers and renowned by the crime publishing world. There is a wealth of knowledge, valuable advice and insightful tips distilled into this readily comprehensible course.

The course content covers all key elements of writing crime fiction – not only analyses of what techniques work and which traps to avoid, but also how to go about getting published and what happens next.

Original Course

If you choose the original non-participatory course, with no work to submit, you’re entitled to a critique worth £175 of your novel opening and synopsis by specialist crime editors at Fiction Feedback.

Mentored course

If you choose the newer mentored course, you complete an assignment after every module. These are assessed by crime editors at Fiction Feedback and returned to you promptly.

Martin Edwards received the CWA Diamond Dagger for a lifetime contribution to crime writing in 2020. He is the author of over twenty novels, including those in his latest Rachel Savernake series. He also conceived and edited Howdunit, an award-winning masterclass in crime writing by members of the Detection Club and is the author of ground-breaking history of crime fiction, The Life of Crime, as well as the forthcoming The Classic Crime Companion and many other non-fiction titles.

He has to date received seven major awards for his crime writing in the United States and six in the UK, including the CWA Dagger in the Library, voted by British librarians. He has been nominated for CWA Gold Daggers three times and shortlisted for the Theakston’s Prize for best crime novel of the year. He is consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics series, a former chair of the Crime Writers’ Association, and current President of the Detection Club. As well as his 2025 standalone success Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife, and the Rachel Savernake series starting with Gallows Court, his novels include the Harry Devlin series and the Lake District Mysteries. In addition he’s published nine non-fiction crime books and over eighty short stories; he has also edited more than sixty anthologies of crime writing which have yielded many award-winning stories.

Martin knows more about crime fiction than anyone else working in the field today… his passion shines through in his work: the fiction, the non-fiction and the short stories. In his editing, he’s brought new writers and forgotten favourites to discerning readers.

– Ann Cleeves (author of the Vera and Shetland books).

To see more about Martin see his dedicated page

Fiction Feedback

Fiction Feedback was established in 2008 by editor Dea Parkin. The editorial consultancy has helped numerous authors to win publishing contracts or to self-publish, especially in the crime genre, and offers critiques, developmental editing and mentoring, copy-editing and expert advice.

Dea is Competitions Coordinator of the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) and looks after the CWA’s prestigious Emerging Author (formerly Debut) Dagger competition and the Margery Allingham Short Mystery Prize. Dea was commissioned to write an article on editing which appears in Bloomsbury’s famous Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook (2024 and 2025 editions), and regularly presents talks on editing to writers. She is a judge on the CWA’s Historical Dagger.

Fiction Feedback runs the CWA’s Criminal Editing service and is the proud sponsor of the Emerging Author Dagger.

Fiction Feedback’s manuscript notes are among the best I have ever received. In depth, perceptive and full of actionable, valuable suggestions. The reviewer highlighted weak spots and recommended solutions without ever being proscriptive. Exactly the kinds of insights that hugely improve a story.

– Ray Celestin, author of The Axeman’s Jazz and multiple Dagger award winner

“I’ve now read through everything and am so pleased with the editing report! It’s the kind of thing where you look at it and think – why didn’t I see that? Lots of work to do but I really appreciate all the suggestions and ideas (several of which I will definitely be using). It makes such a difference to have a crime fiction specialist. Those who don’t read crime (but might still be good editors) tend to miss a lot of areas re plot and giving good crime plotting suggestions.”

– Sherryl Clark, author of the Judi Westerholme series.

“I first approached Fiction Feedback for their overview, and received two genuinely helpful and different critiques. As a crime writer, I’d come across the company via the CWA website, and assumed we’d be a good match, which proved correct.

Once my MS was finished, I approached Fiction Feedback for copy-editing support. Again, I was very happy with the results, which included helpful thoughts and criticisms as well as a thorough refinement of grammar/punctuation/word choice, etc.

I’ve been fortunate to secure a renowned agent with an interest in my style of crime fiction. Without Fiction Feedback, I would not have had an MS ready to submit. I would ardently recommend Dea’s service for all areas of writing, be it critiques or in-depth edits.”

Elliot Sweeney, author of crime novels The Next to Die and A Killing in Paradise.

For more about Fiction Feedback, see the dedicated page

The podcasts and the promotional video above were recorded at historical Gladstone’s Library, home of the British Crime Writing Archives.

Fiction Feedback was established in 2008 and is a trading name of Dea Parkin.