John Dean – Crime Writer

One of my friends, a very successful crime writer, contended that every word he wrote, every place he described, every character he devised, was entirely fictional, that he did not draw on real life in any way.  

I disagreed with him and, although I never had the debate with him, I heard of those authors who did and that the conversations could get quite heated.

I was amazed that anyone could agree with my friend’s standpoint but, over the years, I have met quite a few authors who do. Not that that has changed my view – I think it is inevitable that real life impinges on the fiction writing process to some extent. I can believe that it might be to a relatively small extent but not at all? I don’t think so.

If you wish to find out more about the debate, you can read it on my website at

Feature – how fictional is fiction? – John Dean – Crime Writer