Sometimes dreams come true.
I began my writing career as a science fiction/fantasy writer, and I know or know of many writers who attended the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop (founded in 1968, it later split into two workshops—Clarion and Clarion West—and spawned similar SF/F workshops) and then went on to long careers as SF/F writers. I dreamed of attending myself, but that never happened and, as time went on, my writing drifted into other genres and (mostly) settled in crime fiction.
For many years I dreamed about having a similar workshop specifically for crime fiction writers. A while back, I mentioned this in a Facebook post and discovered Warren Moore shared the same dream.
I’m happy to announce that our dream is now a reality. Warren and I are co-directors of the Newberry Crime Writing Workshop, which will offer the inaugural four-week workshop next summer. The college’s official press release follows, with links to additional information, including a way to sign up to receive email once the workshop opens to applications.
Newberry Crime Writing Workshop Press Release
Newberry, SC – Newberry College today announced the launch of the Newberry Crime Writing Workshop (NCWW), an intensive 4-week writers’ workshop for developing crime and mystery authors, taught by major figures in the field. The inaugural workshop will take place July 6-31, 2026, on the historic campus of Newberry College.
“Newberry College has always been about helping people grow and develop their vocations, whether that has meant a traditional career or some other gift,” said Professor of English and NCWW co-director Dr. Warren Moore. “This workshop is another way of doing that – we’re working to grow the community of crime and mystery writers, and to keep a popular and powerful genre of fiction vital for today and tomorrow.”
Attendees will take part in daily sessions where they will develop and share their work with one another. Each week’s sessions will be led by an instructor who is active in the crime writing field. The instructors for 2026 include Joe R. Lansdale, Cheryl Head, Michael Bracken, and Moore.
Participants will live and work on the college’s historic campus, with meals provided at the college as well. Part class, part writers’ colony, NCWW is adapting the model of other successful workshops (most notably the famed Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop) and applying it to a genre with a wide range of fans and writers.
Fifteen applicants will be selected based on samples of work and statements of purpose – writers of any level of publishing experience are welcome to apply. The workshop’s $4000 tuition will cover room and board for the four-week term, as well as instruction, and some financial aid may be available. Applications and further information will be available at the NCWW website: www.newberry.edu/ncww.
For further information on NCWW, please contact Prof. Moore at crimefictionworkshop@newberry.edu.
Though Warren and I are co-directors, he did most of the hard work putting the workshop together, and he discusses the genesis of the Newberry Crime Writing Workshop in his blog post “So, About that Big Project…”
This workshop is for writers of all ages and experience levels. So, if you can spend four weeks in Newberry, S.C., next summer learning how to write crime fiction, this is for you.
We hope to see you there.
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“Banking on Love” was published in Micromance Magazine, August 20, 2025.
