Fictional non-fiction and fibbers

Matt · Sep 21, 2006

I guess we all lie to a degree. And storytellers of fiction could also be seen as “fibbers” as they try and suspend a reader’s disbelief to “con” them into thinking “Hey, this could happen”. As a “fibber” of fiction writing, I don’t have a problem with that.

But writers of non-fiction?

True stories are sold on the basis they are TRUE. So what happens when a non-fiction book turns out to be a load of lies? Can readers claim their money back? As the recent case of Kathy O'Beirne has proved a person who “'has a self-admitted psychiatric and criminal history, and her perception of reality has always been flawed” can get away with selling a fictional “true-story” to a publisher. However, ultimately it’s the publisher who is selling the book to the public.

So who should be held responsible? Is it the writer? Or should the publisher vet the evidence before they publish so-called “true stories”? And should they be made to refund the cover price to the 350,000 or some people who have been duped?

At the very end, is it all about entertainment anyway, so who cares if it is true or not?

MarkEsq · Sep 21, 2006

I don't think writers of fiction are lying, or fibbing, because there is no intent to deceive the reader, that is, the reader knows the story is not real. As you say, it is a suspension of disbelief, not an abandonment of it.

As for non-fiction, I think it is incumbent on the writer, his/her agent, and the publisher to be truthful when they claim a book is non-fiction. We all know an autobiography will be selectively compiled and likely contain exageration. But to totally misrepresent fiction as fact demeans the writer (who will, hopefully, never sell another book) and those associated with him. There is only so much a publisher can do, of course, and hiring PIs to check everything the author says is not feasible. Trust exists in all professions, no less in literature.

Fictional non-fiction and fibbers

Matt

MarkEsq

Clever title pending.