Forum Discussions (13)

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Manuscript assessments

Are you an aspiring crime writer who is keen to develop your craft? Then perhaps I can help. I work with my daughter Laura, a skilled edit…

Started by John Dean

0 Feb 23, 2021

Mentoring programmes and online writing courses

Novelist John Dean is offering online courses for writing groups who may be struggling to meet in person during the current coronavirus res…

Started by John Dean

0 Feb 7, 2020

Libraries Champions

John Dean is one of three UK Libraries Champions appointed by The Crime Writers’ Association. Key elements of the role include linking libr…

Started by John Dean

0 Sep 12, 2018

Blizzard series

I have read a number of the Blizzard series on Kindle—Strange Littke Girl,The Railway Man, The Secrets Man and The Long Dead. Got The Latch…

Started by Deborah Kaback

1 Aug 8, 2018
Reply by John Dean

Creating something special

For me, there are plenty of examples of stories which are well written - well-crafted and technically competent. Often, they are very, very…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

Creating intrigue

Good short stories and novels are often written by writers that have a keen understanding of the need to intrigue the reader by creating te…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

Getting it right from the beginning

One of my students came up with a cracking first line the other day and it got me thinking about one of my favourite topics. A busy and har…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

How to create characters

A lot of my teaching focuses on characters (they are at the heart of my classes, they are, after all, our major tools as writers). So how d…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

What makes good writing?

What makes good writing? I think good writing is good writing because it triggers responses in its readers. Readers say ‘I have been in tha…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

Where do ideas come from?

I’ve been doing a lot of teaching, and giving talks, on the idea of ideas lately and came across these excellent quotes. ·         People a…

Started by John Dean

0 Mar 16, 2018

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An exciting character

Author Ian Robinson has a new crime novel out - and it’s attracting plenty of glowing reviews. Criminal Justice (The Book Folks) introduces undercover police officer Sam Batford, a man who walks the narrow line between successful detective and corrupt cop. The novel sees him sent to work with a serious crime team in London in an investigation which sees him play the good…See More
Mar 22
Tom Southern is now a member of John Dean Crime Novelist
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John Dean posted a blog post

Authors highlight different ways of starting to write a book

I have just started writing my next crime novel and I have more time to concentrate on it now that Kirkcudbright Book Week, which I help organise, has come to an end for this year.In fact, the subject of how best to begin a story cropped up during Book Week, not least when I chaired an in-conversation event at the Selkirk Arms, featuring crime writers Traude Ailinger,…See More
Mar 13
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Ann Bloxwich is now a member of John Dean Crime Novelist
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John Dean shared their blog post on Facebook
Feb 27
John Dean posted a blog post

Tackling the dreaded blank first page

 I am working on a new DCI John Bizzard crime novel for my publisher The Book Folks, and that means being faced with the dreaded blank first page.So, how do writers get going under such circumstances? How do they start writing their story? Well, in this hectic world, I have always felt that there is a lot to be said for holding back and allowing myself a little time to…See More
Feb 27

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