Basing fiction novel on real events

[writingirish]

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[Aschenbach]

Check out David Peace's Red Riding Quartet. He wrote 4 novels that took the Yorkshire ripper murders as their starting point.

In fact, three of the books have been adapted and filmed by Channel 4, and the first one will be on this Thursday. It will be F'IN AWESOME. The critics are saying it is the most bleak and intense TV series that has ever been shown on British TV. I can't wait.

[Henri Bauholz]

A writer by the name of Zachary Lazar just put out a novel about the Rolling Stones, called "Sway". The characters are called Mic, Keith, Brian etc. but their real last names are not used. There's an article about the process in the current issue of "The Writer", which is quite fascinating. I would have thought that such a task would be near impossible, but he seems to have pulled it off. According to the article the novel is a dark tale that revolves around events at the Altamount concert and it seems that the writer undertook the piece without cooperation or contact with living members of the band.

Just words for thought.

My Blog (http://yeyeright.wordpress.com)

[tehuti88]

Can I fictionalize a true murder trial, but still use some of the actual events that happened? Thanks for any insights.

The TV show Law & Order does this all the time. ("Ripped from the headlines!") They regularly make a point of basing plots on well-known crimes, then of throwing in an unexpected twist at the end (the "made-up" part). Seems fine to me.

[vrabinec]

Not to nitpick, but, FYI, "fiction novel" is redundant. Tell an agent you've written a fiction novel, and they'll likely toss your querry on the spot.

[JamieFord]

Go for it. Sounds like you have vicariously done a ton of research, might as well put it to use. Real events get fictionalized all the time, so you'll be in good company.

[James81]

Not to nitpick, but, FYI, "fiction novel" is redundant. Tell an agent you've written a fiction novel, and they'll likely toss your querry on the spot.

Ha ha, that's a little harsh (and not always true), but hey, I do agree that fiction novel is redundant.

[writingirish]

Not to nitpick, but, FYI, "fiction novel" is redundant. Tell an agent you've written a fiction novel, and they'll likely toss your querry on the spot.

thanks for the feedback. I'm still learning.

[CaroGirl]

Ha ha, that's a little harsh (and not always true), but hey, I do agree that fiction novel is redundant.
Wow. I'd love to hear in what case "fiction novel" is not redundant.

[James81]

Wow. I'd love to hear in what case "fiction novel" is not redundant.

I meant that it's not going to immediately mean that the agent will print your manuscript, light it on fire, and then piss on the ashes in a fiery uncontrollable rage.

[willietheshakes]

Wow. I'd love to hear in what case "fiction novel" is not redundant.

In Cold Blood.

Which Capote referred to, and was marketed as, a non-fiction novel.

[CaroGirl]

In Cold Blood.

Which Capote referred to, and was marketed as, a non-fiction novel.
Right. But does that designation still exist? In Cold Blood was the first of its kind and I think they didn't know what to call it. It was ground-breaking. But now the true-crime category exists. I've never heard anyone call Ann Rule's books "non-fiction novels." And, since there's one book in the history of books that's been called a non-fiction novel, one can safely say it's best not to use the term. Most people would consider it redundant.

[CaroGirl]

I meant that it's not going to immediately mean that the agent will print your manuscript, light it on fire, and then piss on the ashes in a fiery uncontrollable rage.
Sorry. Sometimes I don't read good.

[willietheshakes]

Right. But does that designation still exist?

Hey, you didn't ask for a CURRENT case!

:)

[CaroGirl]

Hey, you didn't ask for a CURRENT case!

:)
;)

[Samantha's_Song]

When I was writing my very first novel (still to be edited lol), I wanted a big crime to happen in it, as my policeman is a little bent and in on the big crime. As luck would have it, a few months later, the big diamond robbery in Paris happened, so I incorporated that into my story.

[melaniehoo]

I have a wip that originated with a real crime that I read about online. I assume people do this all the time, and while your situation is a little different since you were there for the trial, etc, I don't see why there should be a problem, especially if you change the details that could upset the involved parties.

[Barpaio]

I'm writing a novel that is centered around Pinochet's coup in Chile. He even has a cameo, but outside of that most all of it is fiction.

[James D. Macdonald]

History is the novelist's secret weapon.

[CatSlave]

Can you add a disclaimer up front that yours is a work of fiction based on true events, and names and details have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved?

[ideagirl]

In Cold Blood.

Which Capote referred to, and was marketed as, a non-fiction novel.

...which in no way demonstrates that "fiction novel" is not redundant. Quite the opposite: Capote coined that phrase because it conveyed the idea that "this is a true story, but it reads like a novel." So, what does the need for that phrase tell us? In other words, why did he have to say "non-fiction"? Because the word "novel" by itself refers to a work of fiction--thus, "fiction novel" is redundant.

[DMarie84]

I think it'll be fine especially if you add your own twists and turns in the plot.

In my historical fiction book, I'm using fictional people based on a few real ones, taking some biographical info from some and adding it to my characters. I'm also using part of the history of the founding of the Mitsubishi company as fodder for my book too (changed of course to a fictional company loosely based off of them)

I'm also using a real historical figure that was known to be the leader and influence behind much of the ultra nationalist fervor that happened in Japan from the late Meiji era to WWII.

[writingirish]

Thank you for your insights and assistance. I appreciate you taking the time to provide such helpful comments on my question.

And, regarding the "fiction novel" mistake - Okay, I get it and I'll never use that term again. As someone new to this genre I simply didn't know the correct words and I didn't realize it was such an awful thing to say. But, now that it's been pointed out to me (several times http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/icons/icon11.gif), I know better. Thank you for the guidance.

[TheRightEyedDeer]

History is the novelist's secret weapon.

That is just ... brilliant.

[sindy9001]

Yes! Very good.http://photo-collection.co.cc/img/3177/a08b1010ygij/grin.gif

[Arkie]

Before television, CNN and the transcontinental freeway system, novelists were readers connection to a world they had not known and would not know. I think that's why Hemingway, Faulkner and Steinbech, to name three legendary writers, were award winners because they took readers to Italy, Spain and Cuba and allowed them to experience the Okies escape from the dustbowl to California. I still think Hemingway's novels read like a travelogue, but that's what readers liked 50 years ago. And I still think if a writer can give a reader a good story in a unique setting somewhere outside of New York City, (s)he just may have a winner.

[Chumplet]

Eric Stone used the Bre-X gold scandal as a launching point for his novel Flight of the Hornbill.