I have been editing the latest Jack Harris crime novel before sending it off to my publishers The Book Folks and I thought that an insight into the process might prove interesting.

I know that some writers dislike editing, preferring the creative process of filling a blank page, but I love it. Indeed, editing is my favourite part of the whole…

Interested in crime fiction? Then check out my good friend the excellent Bud Craig talking about his craft in the latest instalment of the free Tall Tales Mysteries Mug Shots series of films. Bud, one of the Book Folks stable of writers, talks in particular about sense of place. You can watch the interview at…

Should you so wish, you can check out my views on sense of place in an article specially produced for the excellent Trip Fiction website, at 

Talking Location With… author John Dean – the importance of place Blog |…

I am editing the first draft of the new DCI Jack Harris novel for my publisher The Book Folks and dealing, as writers always do, with the thorny issue of their characters’ past – their back story.

Back story is a common theme in my writing, my teaching and my assessment of manuscripts and a theme that I return to in my blogs on a regular…

Writing is a highly technical business. Sense of place, characterisation, plot, grammar, pace, back story, spelling, these and many more considerations crowd in on an author’s mind with every word that they write.

And rightly so – the manuscript has to be the very best it can be. The writer seeking to be published needs to give themselves the…

Novelist John Dean has announced the 2021 dates for weekend writing workshops at his home between Castle Douglas and Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, subject to ongoing Covid restrictions.

John, author of 20 crime novels and currently published by London-based The Book Folks, is the creator of the popular DCI John Blizzard and…

The Crime Writers' Association has announced the longlists for this year's eagerly-awaited Dagger awards. Congratulations to all those selected.

You can find out more at

The CWA Dagger Awards 2021 - Longlists Announcement -…

The latest novel in the crime fiction series featuring Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard is No Age To Die.…

Interested in crime fiction? Then check out the brilliant Martin Edwards talking about his craft in the latest instalment of the free Tall Tales Mysteries Mug Shots series of films, which I have helped to plan with Sara from Tall Tales Mysteries, at…

Plotting is one of the biggest challenges for a crime writer - any writer, in fact - and it can be a tortuous process, not least because it is subject to the Butterfly Effect.

The Butterfly Effect, which is part of Chaos Theory, states that the flapping of a butterfly’s wings in one part of the world can cause a hurricane elsewhere.

But…

I have recently been advising several aspiring crime writers on how to improve their work and much of the discussion has centred on dialogue.

Dialogue is crucial to the success of a novel. Good dialogue lifts a story, bad dialogue wrecks it. However, it’s vital to remember that writing dialogue isn’t about replicating a real-life…

Crime novelist John Dean has teamed up with his daughter Laura, a skilled editor and manuscript assessor, to provide manuscript assessments.

Should you be interested in finding out more, then feel free to drop John a line and he and Laura can discuss your needs.  For further details, you can contact John at …

The latest novel in the crime fiction series featuring Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard has passed 50 reviews and ratings on Amazon, having been published by The Book Folks. Thank you to those who took the time to pass on…

This may interest. Culture Perth & Kinross Libraries in Scotland have announced that Douglas Stuart, Sally Magnusson, Vic Galloway, Elaine C Smith, Cameron McNeish and many more will be appearing online at the Soutar Festival of Words during April. Tickets are available now, and with the exception of a small charge for a couple of workshops, all…

Libraries, booksellers, publishers and festivals are among those being invited to take part in National Crime Reading Month this June.

National Crime Reading Month is a unique festival, held throughout the UK, which promotes the crime genre. Hosted by the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA), it will take place throughout the month of June,…

I am delighted that the Selkirk Arms in Kirkcudbright is supporting my weekend writing workshops, to be…

Interested in crime fiction? Then check out Priscilla Masters talking about her craft in the latest instalment of the free Tall Tales Mysteries Mug Shots series of films, which I have helped to plan, at…

I am pleased to say that the latest novel in the crime fiction series featuring Detective Chief Inspector John Blizzard has attracted some encouraging reviews, having been recently published by The Book Folks.…

Ever wondered what inspired authors to become crime writers when they were young? If so, it's worth checking out the videos featuring conversations with a number of authors on the Crime Readers' Association website at 

Video showcases Archive - The Crime Readers' Association…

I am delighted that charismatic detective inspector Maureen Lyons is back in the latest episode of David Pearson’s The Galway Homicides series – Murder in an Irish Bog (The Book Folks).

David has a great knack of dreaming up intriguing mysteries then telling the story with verve and pace.

In this case, a passing comment in the post…