Kolkata Crime Writers' Festival set for March 29

The Kolkata Crime Writers’ Festival is set to take place on March 29 at the Storyteller bookshop. This event will include workshops, author sessions, and a short story competition focused on crime fiction. The festival is organized by Mayura Misra, who runs the Storyteller bookshop. Misra previously delivered books during the COVID-19 lockdown. The festival aims to teach young participants about crime writing and its popularity in books, films, and online content. The crime-writing workshop will be run by journalist and author Arindam Basu. It is open to students from Class 8 onwards. An online short story competition has already started, and winners will be announced at the festival. Their stories will also be published online. Misra and co-organizer Amrita Mukherjee believe crime stories attract a wide audience. They noted that Kolkatans enjoy reading and discussing crime-related content. Misra emphasizes the importance of encouraging young adults to explore their creativity through crime writing, which can help develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Misra also mentioned that stories do not have to focus solely on violence. Instead, they can revolve around imaginative scenarios, like a pet being kidnapped, making crime writing suitable for children and young adults who enjoy mystery genres.