The Use of Real Countries in fiction writing...

GHWard · Oct 26, 2012

I want to get some informed opinions on this issue

I am working on a fictional story that involves a well-known South American country generally considered hostile to the US and its political interests. While the story does not hold the country in a particularly positive light, it does make the plot more believable... in light of real-life events and the strained diplomatic relationships.
I make direct reference to the country and its capital in my story. One of the characters is fleeing the country in fear of his life. I believe established Authors have referenced hostile countries in their works in the past. Are there any legal issues I need to consider before publishing this story (it will be self published)?

guttersquid · Oct 26, 2012

If you sell a million copies of your book worldwide, you might have to cancel your vacation plans for going to that country. Other than that, I wouldn't worry about it.

If real countries and real foreign cities were not named in novels, there would never be any spy stories.

rwm4768 · Oct 26, 2012

I'm not expert, but I don't think this should be a problem.

katci13 · Oct 26, 2012

It's not a problem. Everything doesn't have to be made up. Go for it! ^_^

blacbird · Oct 26, 2012

Go look at some actual books. Stuff like this is done all the time. Invention of fictitious countries in otherwise realistic fiction, although done, is much less common than simple use of existing ones. Who you gonna piss off? Hugo Chavez? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Kim Jong-Un?

caw

L.C. Blackwell · Oct 26, 2012

No, this is emphatically not a problem, unless, as Guttersquid points out, it involves a future change of your vacation plans.

At the very worst, you could get a few nasty internet comments from people who are sensitive about the way their locality was portrayed. I would hope that doesn't bother you, assuming you portrayed it honestly.

(I use real countries, real cities, streets, and even buildings. I also use historical figures when called for. This is standard in many types of fiction.)

While there are potential legal concerns when using institutions, companies and real life people who don't qualify as public figures--and even some who do--there is no such problem with fictionalizing a nation, a city, or an international political situation.

Best wishes with your project.

P.S. By the way, self-pubbing has nothing to do with it. Neither does profit or lack thereof.

P.S. 2 If you were a resident of a totalitarian country, or had ties to one--and were portraying your own country--this would be a different situation.

HystericalHistorian · Oct 26, 2012

L.C. Blackwell said:
At the very worst, you could get a few nasty internet comments from people who are sensitive about the way their locality was portrayed. I would hope that doesn't bother you, assuming you portrayed it honestly.

Or sympathizers of the country's government. Look up any Youtube video about North Korea. You'll find lots of Kim Jong-un supporters on there. (Which is ironic, considering that only the highest officials in NK can even use the Internet.)

Coco82 · Oct 27, 2012

This is not a problem at all. I read a lot of Vince Flynn and he uses real countries all the time, among many, many other authors. Don't worry about that stuff, just worry about making it good, it sounds interesting.

Flicka · Oct 27, 2012

I'm on the other side - I'm making up a country and worrying about that being all right, but as it is meant to be a sort of tribute to The Prisoner of Zenda it has to be done. Plus I love worldbuilding so I can't resist.

vitani · Oct 27, 2012

The only thing I'd advise is to be careful with stereotypes if you're portraying characters from that other country. As an Irish person, nothing throws me out of a story faster than a clichéd Irish character.

Ken · Oct 27, 2012

_ _ _ if you cast the country in a really bad light and make up a lot of negative things about it then I suppose the country might take you to court for slander or defamation of character. I'm not sure if such a suit would stand up in court. Rather doubtful. A small town might still give it a go, if mentioned by name, and slandered badly. (Just some speculation.)

In your own case, you don't have anything to worry about. Just write your story. You're fine.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 27, 2012

It's no problem. In fact, I'd say it's a writer's duty to be as truthful about real countries, and real problems, as possible.

Haven't you ever read any spy novels, political novels, etc.?

firedrake · Oct 27, 2012

Definitely write about real countries and their problems.
My first published novel has some harsh truths about Pakistan. I managed to piss off precisely one reader whose father just happened to be high up in the Pakistan Army.

Susan Coffin · Oct 27, 2012

GH:

As others said, it's no problem. I would suggest picking up some spy thrillers at the library and read some.

dangerousbill · Oct 27, 2012

GHWard said:
I want to get some informed opinions on this issue

Ask Salman Rushdie about writing about the cultures of other countries. But with South America, you're safe. But do your research if you want to be truthful in your writing. Almost everything you read in the US about South America has been filtered through carefully fostered propaganda and prejudices.

For example, Venezuela has been cited as having 'the most carefully monitored election process in the world', and Huge Chavez is very popular with the Venezuelan people. This is not what Big Oil and the US government want you to think.

Corinne Duyvis · Oct 27, 2012

dangerousbill said:
But do your research if you want to be truthful in your writing.

Yeah. Don't base your portrayal of a country purely on hearsay. Visit it, talk to people, read books from the perspective of locals. Otherwise you'll risk reinforcing incorrect, negative stereotypes.

GHWard · Oct 27, 2012

blacbird said:
Go look at some actual books. Stuff like this is done all the time. Invention of fictitious countries in otherwise realistic fiction, although done, is much less common than simple use of existing ones. Who you gonna piss off? Hugo Chavez? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Kim Jong-Un?

caw

LOL Chavez will be pissed then... :tongue

Wilde_at_heart · Oct 29, 2012

vitani said:
The only thing I'd advise is to be careful with stereotypes if you're portraying characters from that other country. As an Irish person, nothing throws me out of a story faster than a clichéd Irish character.

That. Or getting basic details wrong that five minutes of research would have fixed, which is why 'write what you know' is practically a mantra, along with researching the rest until it becomes what you know.

Not sure what the rules are for posting about other forums, but 'blackflagcafe' is a good one that is moderated by travel journalists. It is not a writing forum, but a travel to dangerous places forum and it's a good quick way to get an insider view on a lot of different countries.

Jamesaritchie · Oct 29, 2012

dangerousbill said:
For example, Venezuela has been cited as having 'the most carefully monitored election process in the world', and Huge Chavez is very popular with the Venezuelan people. This is not what Big Oil and the US government want you to think.

He's hardly universally popular with the Venezuelan people, or even close to it. He usually runs somewhere around fifty percent in polls, and in elections.

I've never heard Big Oil, whatever that is, or the US government talk about how unpopular he is, only that he's an evil, socialist, SOB who's done tremendous harm, and he is.

WeaselFire · Oct 29, 2012

1) Salmon Rushdie. Just sayin' ...
2) Many TV shows and movies: Use an imagined, dictatorial country in South America that somehow looks exactly like Southern California.
3) Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin

Jeff

BenPanced · Oct 29, 2012

If authors had to pay royalties for the use of real cities in their writing, Armistead Maupin would owe HYOOGE payments to San Francisco, London, England, and Winnemucca, Nevada, as much as those cities play in his novels.

The Use of Real Countries in fiction writing...

GHWard

A Broken Keeper

guttersquid

I agree with Roxxsmom.

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

katci13

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blacbird

L.C. Blackwell

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HystericalHistorian

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Coco82

Flicka

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vitani

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Ken

Jamesaritchie

firedrake

practical experience, FTW

Susan Coffin

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dangerousbill

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Corinne Duyvis

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GHWard

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Wilde_at_heart

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Jamesaritchie

WeaselFire

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BenPanced

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The Use of Real Countries in fiction writing...

A Broken Keeper

I agree with Roxxsmom.

practical experience, FTW

creative genie

Keeper of Fort Blanket

Overlord of the Bunnies

Dull Old Person

The Tobermory Hamster

practical experience, FTW

Tell it like it Is

Retired Illuminatus

My New Cat Is Too Big for Shoulders

A Broken Keeper

&#965;&#960;&#949;&#943;&#954;&#969;phobe

Benefactor Member

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

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