Inspired by a True Story

Becca C. · Aug 12, 2011

The novel I'm currently writing for Camp NaNoWriMo (43k already! Whooo!) is... not based on, but heavily inspired by the life of Prince William. It's a YA contemporary romance about a boy who goes to a boarding school in England and there meets -- and falls in love with -- the future king. I've read other YA novels about fictional princes, modelled on Prince William, and I realize that a certain amount of comparison is of course going to be made. It's not like I can cover up who this story was inspired by. There are a couple nods to real life, like his mother having died in an accident, but I'm taking care to only mention, not include in the narrative, real people like Queen Elizabeth. She's mentioned as being his grandmother but never actually appears in the novel.

I guess I'm just kind of worrying about how this could be perceived. The royal family are public figures so I can't really get sued, and I've fictionalized other royal family members that are mentioned. The character is different enough from William that it's not obviously him written down, but still. Apparently I have a real thing for writing books inspired by real life like this, since my other manuscript was inspired by 19 Kids and Counting. *sigh* I give myself headaches this way.

Anyone else ever written something inspired by real life? Any tips?

strawberryblondie · Aug 13, 2011

I actually have an outline for a book that's inspired by Prince Harry, but I'm planning on setting in a fictional country (with all the royals being fictional) to try to separate it from real life.

Becca_H · Aug 13, 2011

I don't think it's how you'd be perceived as such, but the whole comparison issue you mentioned.

If this were me, I'd fictionalise it as much as possible. I can see people comparing, which would subsequently pull them out of the story.

Maybe you could make it between a British royal and another European royal?

Wholehearted · Sep 24, 2011

I think the premise sounds really intriguing. Having the story rooted in/inspired by the British monarchy will help the world building, I would imagine. As a reader, I wouldn't feel nit-picky about whether or not the details were too close/not close enough to Prince William's life.

The whole question makes me think of the Philippa Gregory books about various royal courts. The details aren't verifiable, but the characters and the plot hook you enough that you're not pulled out of the story wondering if X plot point really happened that way.

I realize that your story is different in that the details of the lives of the modern British monarchs can be verified, but I wouldn't be that distracted, as a reader.

Inspired by a True Story

Becca C.

strawberryblondie

Becca_H

Where am I again?

Wholehearted