Can you do this

darrtwish · Apr 20, 2008

I've had an idea for a WIP, something I'm sure would make a very good story but I'm not exactly sure if it's considered acceptable in the writing world.

I'd like to do something like a memoir disguised as a fictional novel (this is the best way to describe it) but I wasn't sure if it's considered a faux pas in the writing world or not. So, is this acceptable to do, or not? And if so, does anyone have any advice at doing something like this.
Thanks.

Uncarved · Apr 20, 2008

my head hurts reading "fictional novel"

All novels are fiction. Thats redundant to say.

You can change things around in a memoir (change names, certain events, whatever) and have a novel. I know of many that do this to disguise certain people so they don't get sued

darrtwish · Apr 20, 2008

Sorry tinasamuels, when looking over my post I didn't even catch the fact that I had said "fictional novels" :| Thanks for letting me know that this is possible.

HeronW · Apr 20, 2008

Writers have been fictionalizing historical events all the time. Words are put in the mouths of soldiers following Caesar, Ghengis Khan, Boudicca, Patton etc. Even using letters and concurrent histories don't insure the exact words--how often do we write the exact same as we speak? Anything can be fictionalized.

ishtar'sgate · Apr 20, 2008

darrtwish said:
I'd like to do something like a memoir disguised as a fictional novel (this is the best way to describe it) but I wasn't sure if it's considered a faux pas in the writing world or not. So, is this acceptable to do, or not?

Well I guess if people can write fiction disguised as memoir I suppose you can do it the other way around just fine. I'd just be careful that people you've 'fictionalized' don't recognize themselves. If you've shown them in a good light they'd probably be flattered but if not....might get yourself into a bit of hot water!
Linnea

Phaeal · Apr 20, 2008

Sure, it's been done many times. David Copperfield, for example.

cherubsmummy · Apr 20, 2008

Ishtar raises a very good point. There is nothing wrong with wriing a memoir as fiction, but I'd be extremely careful to make sure people couldn't recognise themselves. Hurt feelings and law suits would not be a good end result.

benbradley · Apr 20, 2008

darrtwish said:
I've had an idea for a WIP, something I'm sure would make a very good story but I'm not exactly sure if it's considered acceptable in the writing world.

I'd like to do something like a memoir disguised as a fictional novel (this is the best way to describe it) but I wasn't sure if it's considered a faux pas in the writing world or not. So, is this acceptable to do, or not? And if so, does anyone have any advice at doing something like this.
Thanks.

I think that's fine, just be sure to be careful not to go "the other way" making a novel into a memoir - you could be "found out" that you're not as mean and as much of a bad-butt as you make yourself out to be, and Oprah will be really mad at you...

maestrowork · Apr 20, 2008

People write fictionalized memoirs all the time (do change the names, etc. though). It's called autobiographical novel. It's hardly anything new.

Exir · Apr 20, 2008

If I am not mistaken, Harper Lee admitted that TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is mostly based on real people, events, etc.

Bruzilla · Apr 21, 2008

Can a public figure sue? For example, if I use a line a novel such as "He told a Clintonesque lie.", could I get sued by the Clintons? Or, if I'm writing a fictional account of fighting in Afghanistan, and I mention Bush, Rumsfeld, etc., could I get sued or is that fair use of a public, historical, figure's name or title?

hammerklavier · Apr 21, 2008

Most memiors are fiction anyway (especially the political ones), so have at it!

Daehota · Apr 21, 2008

For more specific thoughts on this form of writing, why don't you try the "Life Stories" forum. They know what they're talking about.

zegota · Apr 22, 2008

Libel doesn't seem to be much of an issue any more. I would almost be comfortable in saying that it doesn't apply at all to public figures, but at the very least, libel only applies if a damaged reputation can somehow be proven. As the Clinton family already has a reputation for lying among certain sectors, using this common reference could in way be interpretted as libel. Also, I'm pretty sure you have to be trying to pass something off as true rather than just an opinion.

*IANAL - I Am Not A Lawyer

Bruzilla said:
Can a public figure sue? For example, if I use a line a novel such as "He told a Clintonesque lie.", could I get sued by the Clintons? Or, if I'm writing a fictional account of fighting in Afghanistan, and I mention Bush, Rumsfeld, etc., could I get sued or is that fair use of a public, historical, figure's name or title?

IceCreamEmpress · Apr 23, 2008

Bruzilla said:
Can a public figure sue? For example, if I use a line a novel such as "He told a Clintonesque lie.", could I get sued by the Clintons? Or, if I'm writing a fictional account of fighting in Afghanistan, and I mention Bush, Rumsfeld, etc., could I get sued or is that fair use of a public, historical, figure's name or title?

In the US, no. You can say anything you want about a public figure as long as it's not something you know to be false that you're saying with "malice aforethought"--"Donald Rumsfeld made poor decisions as Secretary of Defense" is fine, but "Donald Rumsfeld stole office supplies and had affairs with the Pentagon mailroom staff" is not.

If something's totally ridiculous--"Donald Rumsfeld is actually a ferret in a very clever disguise" that's fine, too.

The libel law of the UK and the former Commonwealth nations is very opaque to me, so I can't comment on this. Ever since I read Auberon Waugh's autobiography, detailing the many libel suits in which he was a defendant, I've been somewhat terrified of using any UK citizen's full name in writing!

James81 · Apr 23, 2008

Read James Frey "A Million Little Pieces" and then watch Oprah. lol

Poor guy. It's still a fantastic read, regardless of all the mud they slung at him.

IceCreamEmpress · Apr 23, 2008

James81 said:
Poor guy. It's still a fantastic read, regardless of all the mud they slung at him.

See, I disagree. I think it's poorly written (the Weird Capitalization thing bugs me) and the book's only selling point was that it was supposedly true. It rang false to me (especially the descriptions of Hazelden and the way things work there), so I wasn't surprised to find that it was fake.

If he hadn't tried to do it as a memoir, it might have been a better novel, because he wouldn't have been trying so hard.

Perks · Apr 23, 2008

darrtwish said:
I'd like to do something like a memoir disguised as a fictional novel (this is the best way to describe it)

Isn't that what's called an autobiographical novel? Basically, it's a novel that strongly relies on personal experience and features characters that could easily be matched to the players in a real occurance. It's the sort of thing you may see in the opening credits of a film 'inspired by true events'.

It's done all the time, but it does have some legal pitfalls.

Can you do this

darrtwish

Uncarved

I aim to misbehave

darrtwish

HeronW

Down Under Fan

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

cherubsmummy

Experienced Lurker

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Exir

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking

Bruzilla

hammerklavier

It was a dark and stormy night

Daehota

zegota

Fantastic!

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

James81

Great Scott Member

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower