I teach a lot of writers and some themes crop up time and time again. One of them is how to write with pace. Learning how to write a narrative with the right pace is one of the most important skills, particularly given the vast number of books out there in today’s market.
Get the pace wrong and you are seriously jeopardising your chances of success, get it right and you give yourself a chance of climbing those bookseller charts on Amazon and the like.
So, what does writing a…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 19, 2020 at 10:11 — No Comments
I am pleased to say that the latest in the DCI John Blizzard series, published by The Book Folks, is continuing to attract complimentary reviews and ratings. Writing can be a solitary business and feedback from readers is deeply appreciated by authors.
In The Latch Man, Doris Hornsby, the bed-bound matriarch of a notorious criminal family,…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 13, 2020 at 14:43 — No Comments
I have been working on a humourous piece for an online group of which I am a member and it drove me to recap on some of the rules for creating comedy.
The first thing to remember is that humour is subjective. What is funny to one person may easily leave another cold. The best approach is write in your own style in the way that pleases you, because, if it makes you laugh, then there will be a whole audience out there who will plug right in to what you're offering. Not everyone but…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 13, 2020 at 11:02 — No Comments
One of the big challenges for writers is the way they tackle difficult subjects and it has come to my mind once again as I work on my next Blizzard novel which has at its heart a theme set around the victimisation of the vulnerable.
There are various reasons why writers need to tackle the tough themes, not least because a story about people getting on really well for 60,000 words can tend to be a touch on the boring side!
Introduce something spiky into the narrative – conflict,…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 7, 2020 at 11:16 — No Comments
As one of the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Libraries Champions, I speak up for libraries whenever I can and given that this week is Libraries Week it is an ideal opportunity.
Libraries are so important - not everyone can afford new books and libraries are key to developing the reading habit for so many people, particularly…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 6, 2020 at 14:00 — No Comments
I am always interested in what triggers a new character for a writer. When and how do they burst into life?
I am thinking of this once again because I am working on the latest DCI John Blizzard novel for the Book Folks and, although some of my regulars appear, I needed some new characters as well, preferably trailing behind them a new plotline!
For me, characters often start out with the jobs I need them to do within the story. They are not there to fill space, they’re there to…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 5, 2020 at 10:30 — No Comments
I am working on my latest crime novel for The Book Folks and, as is often the case, I am drawing on incidents witnessed in my own life. Not re-telling the stories but using them to inspire my fictional plots.
For me, it helps to provide a sense of authenticity if I have some sort of experience of what I am writing about. As the old adage goes, ‘write about what you know’.
Of course, I have not experienced everything but I do find that dipping into my life is helpful.…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on October 1, 2020 at 9:11 — No Comments
The DCI Blizzard novel Strange Little Girl (The Book Folks) is closing in on 200 Amazon reviews/ratings - you can find out what the reviewers say at…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 30, 2020 at 16:17 — No Comments
The Debut Dagger competition for new crime writers, which is run as part of the Crime Writers' Association's annual Dagger awards, opens for entries on October 1. Entries can be submitted until the closing date of February 26 2021.…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 25, 2020 at 14:08 — No Comments
A quick reminder that crime novelist and creative writing tutor John Dean is running an online Crime Fiction Course.
John, author of 19 novels and currently published by London-based The Book Folks, is the creator of DCI John Blizzard and DCI Jack Harris.
The online course, which runs in eight parts and can begin at a time and date to…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 24, 2020 at 11:41 — No Comments
There has been a lot of debate among writing circles about how authors handle Covid-19. It’s a really interesting question and I, like other writers, have given it a lot of thought. In the end, although my books are set in modern day, I have opted not to weave the virus into my plots.
There are three reasons, one of which is that, for all I like to make people think about the world in which they live, I believe that there’s more than enough said and written about the virus without me…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 23, 2020 at 10:34 — No Comments
Having just finished my latest novel for The Book Folks, my mind turned to its title. I like to have the title fixed before I start writing, as was the case here, but it is always worth going back to it later on to see if it remains relevant and accurately reflects the story you have created. In this case, Kill Shot fits perfectly.
It’s worth…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 21, 2020 at 10:24 — No Comments
Good writing is about evoking reactions in your readers and that can sometimes take them on a journey into the darkest corners of human experience. For the crime writer, the dark corners come with the territory. They are the territory.
It is an important thought for crime writers – indeed, all writers - because good storytelling is…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 16, 2020 at 9:53 — No Comments
I am pleased to say that the latest in the DCI John Blizzard series published by The Book Folks is continuing to attract complimentary reviews. Writing can be a solitary business and feedback from readers is deeply appreciated by authors.
In The Latch Man, Doris Hornsby, the bed-bound matriarch of a notorious criminal family, calls in the…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 15, 2020 at 14:12 — No Comments
The Crime Readers’ Association (CRA) is seeking to expand its membership to help more people to celebrate the hugely popular genre.
Established by the Crime Writers’ Association, the CRA provides readers with information on their favourite authors plus a whole host of articles offering insights and handy hints for new writers who are learning…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 15, 2020 at 10:18 — No Comments
I have just started work on my latest crime novel for the good people at The Book Folks and have spent quite a bit of time working through the plot. At the heart of the process has been a concentration on conflict because it is conflict that will drive the story.
But why is conflict so important in writing? Because stories need things to happen and that usually comes out of conflict - characters argue, fight, feud etc. Two people having a chat in which they agree with each other can…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 14, 2020 at 9:40 — No Comments
Dead Hill, the first DCI Jack Harris crime novel published by The Book Folks, has reached a hundred reviews/ratings on Amazon. Thank you to everyone who took the time to pen something.
You can find out more, and buy the book, at…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 10, 2020 at 11:00 — No Comments
I have been working with a number of new writers over recent months and to be exposed to their creativity, enthusiasm and burning desire to learn their craft has been a joy.
One theme that we keep coming back to is the requirement to ensure that every word is needed. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, all writing is about every word doing its job and with that come numerous pitfalls. Yes, you may have lots to say but in doing so do you distract from the story?
In a number…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 10, 2020 at 10:45 — No Comments
How far would powerful men go to protect their darkest secret? Blizzard must find out in this crime novel published by The Book Folks. You can find out more, and buy it, at…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on September 8, 2020 at 11:28 — No Comments
I have always said, somewhat glibly, that I dislike writing and love rewriting. There is an awful lot of truth in the statement and it comes home particularly when I have completed the first draft of a novel, as just happened.
I do derive some satisfaction from the initial writing process but what I really enjoy is the editing, the reworking.…
ContinueAdded by John Dean on August 26, 2020 at 10:18 — No Comments
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