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Like most writers I get most of my inspiration from events that happen or that I see happen in my life. Some are very personal. I have no problem being open and honest with my life, but how do I go about doing that without exposing those closest to me? I can change their names, and even give my characters different characteristics, but even with that I know that people will recognize themselves in my stories.
So how would you go about this? Would you ask permission before writing a character in your story that mirrors someone in your real life? Would you try to hide the character so that the person would not recoginze themselves?
Not all my story ideas come from my real life experiences, but a few do, and I don't know how to resolve this issue.
My second novel was more fact than fiction. I changed the names of those involved, invented a character or three and marched on. Since having it out, several of the people involved have read it and none has complained about how I portrayed them.
In a "how to write" book I enjoyed once, the author said she makes herself immune from any action by describing her less likeable characters as having really small male parts. She has yet to have a man claim he's that character! LOL!
I didn't go that far, but I did make sure to give most characters good and bad moments, traits to match and personalities that flow with the events - just as real people's do.
I have a non-fiction book that's being shopped around right now by my literary agent. Since some of the people in it are portrayed (quite honestly) in a less-than-flattering light, I changed location, hair/eye color, names, jobs, etc. It makes it hard for a person to 'prove' that I was talking about him/her, and (if the book sells and does well) it also protects the privacy of those people.
I didn't ask permission from the people I wrote about when I wrote the book, and I don't intend to do it now.
My second novel was more fact than fiction. I changed the names of those involved, invented a character or three and marched on. Since having it out, several of the people involved have read it and none has complained about how I portrayed them.
In a "how to write" book I enjoyed once, the author said she makes herself immune from any action by describing her less likeable characters as having really small male parts. She has yet to have a man claim he's that character! LOL!
I didn't go that far, but I did make sure to give most characters good and bad moments, traits to match and personalities that flow with the events - just as real people's do.
Good idea! I also will combine a couple RL people into one character.
This is a great question. I have never written a book but it has always been a goal. I am seriously considering it now. Let's say I get it published using my real name so now everyone who reads it knows where I live...what about the businesses in the book, wouldn't they guess/know they are being mentioned even though I changed the names? Would I still have to get their permission if I change the names?
Location: where the moss is taking over the villages
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moniker!
Quote:
Originally Posted by AllAboutEve
Like most writers I get most of my inspiration from events that happen or that I see happen in my life. Some are very personal. I have no problem being open and honest with my life, but how do I go about doing that without exposing those closest to me? I can change their names, and even give my characters different characteristics, but even with that I know that people will recognize themselves in my stories.
So how would you go about this? Would you ask permission before writing a character in your story that mirrors someone in your real life? Would you try to hide the character so that the person would not recoginze themselves?
Not all my story ideas come from my real life experiences, but a few do, and I don't know how to resolve this issue.
Location: Splitting time between Dayton, NJ and Needmore, PA
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If the names are changed and there isn't a significant amount of nuance to the mannerism of the real-life person within the character (how a person holds a cigarette, the way they turn their head to the right just as they begin to ask a question) that is usually enough of an effort to shield real-life persons. Of course, the disclaimer at the front of the book always helps:
Any similarity of the imagined characters in this novel to real people is purely coincidental.
It also helps to refrain from putting in any outlines or notes a comment like "Gwen Collins is to be patterned after Heather Dawkins. Man, what a *****!!!!!!"
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moniker!
