Safer calling your work 'A Slightly embellished memoir'

tammtt642003 · Feb 28, 2009

I know as I write I love to embellish on a chapter in my life, then there are things I have to embellish on because I can't remember how things fell into place, or phone conversations, exact conversations that took place and so on.

Then I've read that even when you change the names of those in your story, you still need to obtain a signed release from those characters. I've read that you can also be sued for 'implied identifications'.

Maybe it would just be safer to call it slightly embellished even though 90% is actual.

jerrywaxler · Mar 1, 2009

Hi tammtt642003,

If you write a memoir, the assumption is that you are writing the most accurate facts you can remember. Having said that memoir writers would need to tweak a dialog here and there, for example.

If you really aim to embellish, then you will be pitching it as "fiction based on real life events." If you are afraid of being sued, leave off the phrase "real life events."

As for "getting sued" - if you are saying nasty things about people that they can prove are damaging and untrue, I suppose they could sue you. As everyone says when this subject comes up - I'm not a lawyer.

I hope this helps.

Jerry

Safer calling your work 'A Slightly embellished memoir'

tammtt642003

jerrywaxler