Fictional world-Real person.

Ageless Stranger · Jul 28, 2008

Basically my problem is I'm writing a fantasy and certain details from our world exist in that world such as it's suffered two world wars, it's geography is similar in places, etc. Now one of my MCs is a famous figure of sorts and I can't write him out of the story- too important and I don't want to change his name as he brings a kind of legend with him. Is this okay or would it leave people going "WTF is he doing there???"

dawinsor · Jul 28, 2008

I know I'm supposed to say "it depends," because that's absolutely the right answer, but I have to say I love this idea. Good stories often come from putting people in places where they don't fit. This could be genius.

Richard Martin · Jul 28, 2008

Ageless Stranger said:
Now one of my MC's is a famous figure of shorts ....

Ageless Stranger · Jul 28, 2008

Richard Martin said:

Damn you!

I'm editing that!

BenPanced · Jul 28, 2008

If it's an alternate universe and you can't tell the story without the characters, I'd say do it.

kuwisdelu · Jul 28, 2008

Ageless Stranger said:
Damn you!

I'm editing that!

I'd assumed you were making a bad pun and the person in question was Napoleon Bonaparte....

Sunshine13 · Jul 28, 2008

Would you explain how he got there? Or just throw her/him in there? Just personal opinion, if there was a short simple explanation of how he ended up there, or it ends with him finding a way to another alternate universe (us) . . . bah what am I saying, it could work even if you didn't do this. I'm just being picky lol.

kuwisdelu · Jul 28, 2008

Is it an alternate version of our world where things are just very, very different?

Or a completely different world that happens to have a few similarities?

The former I'd have no problem with, the latter would seem a bit strange.

E.g., I can see Attila showing up in Camelot. But I'd find him out-of-place in Narnia.

Stlight · Jul 29, 2008

I guess one question might be is famous person currently alive or not?

If yes, what are you going to have him do? (not tell us, just think about it.)

Stlight

Ageless Stranger · Jul 29, 2008

My world is several degrees different to our own but there are a few similarities such as certain events, my world has some parallels to ours in terms of people, there are some similar buildings, countries, etc. Still, it's a far, far different world to our own, it contains far more differences than similarities. Also I make it clear that there are other dimensions.

No, Stlight, he's long dead. Sadly.

Shar-Jan · Jul 29, 2008

If you do that have more than one, that would make it less weird than if it was Comrade Stalin ruling over the F'aghn Union of Hr'all Republics. Or include more elements similar to this world, or cut down on the differences.

zornhau · Jul 29, 2008

kuwisdelu said:
E.g., I can see Attila showing up in Camelot. But I'd find him out-of-place in Narnia.

I'd pay to see him in Narnia.

FennelGiraffe · Jul 29, 2008

Stlight said:
I guess one question might be is famous person currently alive or not?

If yes, what are you going to have him do? (not tell us, just think about it.)

Stlight

Or has close family members still alive. (children, grandchildren)

ideagirl · Jul 29, 2008

FennelGiraffe said:
Or has close family members still alive. (children, grandchildren)

If he was a public figure, it's probably alright even if he's got living family members. Particularly since this is a fantasy world/alternate reality. You could write a biography of Churchill if you wanted, let alone a fantasy/alternate reality novel with Churchill in it.

Vincent · Jul 29, 2008

I like the idea. Similar stuff has been done before, and in those cases I found it very inventive. Hell, one book mixed real AND fictional historical figures (like famous movie characters) together in the same alternate world, and it worked!

Ageless Stranger · Jul 29, 2008

I too thought it was a very good idea, especially because you bring that persons own mythology/history with them and that can be used to great effect. Well I'm glad to see that it would go down well. Cheers all for you replies.

kuwisdelu · Jul 29, 2008

Ageless Stranger said:
Also I make it clear that there are other dimensions.

Ah, for me that would explain it all.

Phaeal · Jul 29, 2008

Yup, Dimensions ex machina.

kuwisdelu · Jul 29, 2008

Phaeal said:
Yup, Dimensions ex machina.

Phaeal · Jul 29, 2008

So that's where my cat went. I warned him about chasing hadrons.

Fictional world-Real person.

Ageless Stranger

Dave Brubeck kicks your ass.

dawinsor

Dorothy A. Winsor

Richard Martin

Villager

Ageless Stranger

Dave Brubeck kicks your ass.

BenPanced

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Sunshine13

Mom by day, writer by night!

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Stlight

ideas are floating where they will

Ageless Stranger

Dave Brubeck kicks your ass.

Shar-Jan

zornhau

Swordsman

FennelGiraffe

It's green they say

ideagirl

Vincent

Cheers

Ageless Stranger

Dave Brubeck kicks your ass.

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.