I've searched around and not found this exact issue in vaious threads (although I'm sure it's here somewhere).
Normally I know enough to stay away from using any real person's name in a book, but this one has proven difficult.
I'm writing about my experience during a hostage situation that occured a number of years back. I initially wrote it using only first names, but that became cumbersome. Finally I gave in and used full names of anyone that was reported in newspaper accounts or court transcripts, thinking they were a matter of public record.
I've doen it as sparingly as possible - but given the factual nature of this book, it didn't feel right any other way.
But, for expample, the members of the SWAT team involved are all listed in an account of this sitaution in another book. Most of the other names involved were basically all over the news at the time and certainly some of them, such as the county sheriff involved, were essentially public figures.
So where should I draw the line, because I'd really hate to change every name in the book.
Normally I know enough to stay away from using any real person's name in a book, but this one has proven difficult.
I'm writing about my experience during a hostage situation that occured a number of years back. I initially wrote it using only first names, but that became cumbersome. Finally I gave in and used full names of anyone that was reported in newspaper accounts or court transcripts, thinking they were a matter of public record.
I've doen it as sparingly as possible - but given the factual nature of this book, it didn't feel right any other way.
But, for expample, the members of the SWAT team involved are all listed in an account of this sitaution in another book. Most of the other names involved were basically all over the news at the time and certainly some of them, such as the county sheriff involved, were essentially public figures.
So where should I draw the line, because I'd really hate to change every name in the book.
