diff --git a/src/towncrier/__init__.py b/src/towncrier/__init__.py
index 0c504e1f..a7578e17 100644
--- a/src/towncrier/__init__.py
+++ b/src/towncrier/__init__.py
@@ -4,3 +4,27 @@
 """
 towncrier, a builder for your news files.
 """
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+
+__all__ = ["__version__"]
+
+
+def __getattr__(name: str) -> str:
+    if name != "__version__":
+        raise AttributeError(f"module {__name__} has no attribute {name}")
+
+    import warnings
+
+    from ._version import __version__
+
+    warnings.warn(
+        "Accessing towncrier.__version__ is deprecated and will be "
+        "removed in a future release. Use importlib.metadata directly "
+        "to query for towncrier's packaging metadata.",
+        DeprecationWarning,
+        stacklevel=2,
+    )
+
+    return __version__
diff --git a/src/towncrier/_project.py b/src/towncrier/_project.py
index 3489e123..3fe6fa94 100644
--- a/src/towncrier/_project.py
+++ b/src/towncrier/_project.py
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import contextlib
 import importlib.metadata as importlib_metadata
 import sys
 
 from importlib import import_module
 from importlib.metadata import version as metadata_version
 from types import ModuleType
-from typing import Any
 
 
 if sys.version_info >= (3, 10):
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def get_version(package_dir: str, package: str) -> str:
     Try to extract the version from the distribution version metadata that matches
     `package`, then fall back to looking for the package in `package_dir`.
     """
-    version: Any
+    version: str
 
     # First try to get the version from the package metadata.
     if version := _get_metadata_version(package):
@@ -105,9 +105,7 @@ def get_project_name(package_dir: str, package: str) -> str:
     module = _get_package(package_dir, package)
     version = getattr(module, "__version__", None)
     # Incremental has support for package names, try duck-typing it.
-    try:
+    with contextlib.suppress(AttributeError):
         return str(version.package)  # type: ignore
-    except AttributeError:
-        pass
 
     return package.title()
diff --git a/src/towncrier/_shell.py b/src/towncrier/_shell.py
index 24642e3e..3e36e5cc 100644
--- a/src/towncrier/_shell.py
+++ b/src/towncrier/_shell.py
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@
 
 import click
 
-from click_default_group import DefaultGroup
-
 from .build import _main as _build_cmd
 from .check import _main as _check_cmd
+from .click_default_group import DefaultGroup
 from .create import _main as _create_cmd
 
 
diff --git a/src/towncrier/_version.py b/src/towncrier/_version.py
index a0a1263f..93736bae 100644
--- a/src/towncrier/_version.py
+++ b/src/towncrier/_version.py
@@ -2,13 +2,11 @@
 Provides towncrier version information.
 """
 
-from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
+# For dev   - 23.11.1.dev0
+# For RC    - 23.11.1.rc1
+# For final - 23.11.1
+# make sure to follow PEP440
+__version__ = "23.11.1.dev0"
 
-
-try:
-    _version = version("towncrier")
-except PackageNotFoundError:  # pragma: no cover
-    _version = "0.0.0.dev"
-
-_hatchling_version = _version
+_hatchling_version = __version__
 __all__ = ["_hatchling_version"]
diff --git a/src/towncrier/test/test_packaging.py b/src/towncrier/test/test_packaging.py
index 2dbcbfbf..199adffd 100644
--- a/src/towncrier/test/test_packaging.py
+++ b/src/towncrier/test/test_packaging.py
@@ -7,10 +7,20 @@
 
 
 class TestPackaging(TestCase):
-    def no_version_attr(self):
+    def test_version_attr(self):
         """
-        towncrier.__version__ was deprecated, now no longer exists.
+        towncrier.__version__ was deprecated, but still exists for now.
         """
 
-        with self.assertRaises(AttributeError):
-            towncrier.__version__
+        def access__version():
+            return towncrier.__version__
+
+        expected_warning = (
+            "Accessing towncrier.__version__ is deprecated and will be "
+            "removed in a future release. Use importlib.metadata directly "
+            "to query for towncrier's packaging metadata."
+        )
+
+        self.assertWarns(
+            DeprecationWarning, expected_warning, __file__, access__version
+        )
diff --git a/src/towncrier/test/test_project.py b/src/towncrier/test/test_project.py
index 30939d2f..3beda360 100644
--- a/src/towncrier/test/test_project.py
+++ b/src/towncrier/test/test_project.py
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ def test_missing_version(self):
             get_version(tmp_dir, "missing")
 
         self.assertEqual(
-            ("Package not installed and no missing.__version__ found",),
+            ("No __version__ or metadata version info for the 'missing' package.",),
             e.exception.args,
         )