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Using last names of real people

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Deepthought

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In my novel, I am using the last name of a former chess champion. Obviously, there are multiple people in the world with the name, but I intend for the story to be a series. And I intend to use other last names of chess champions as well in the later books. But they would be my own characters, with different appearances and characteristics, and first names. Is that okay?
 

blacbird

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If they aren't intended to represent the actual people, but are fictional characters "with different appearances and characteristics," why do you want to use the names of the real people?

caw
 

Deepthought

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If they aren't intended to represent the actual people, but are fictional characters "with different appearances and characteristics," why do you want to use the names of the real people?

caw

A large part of the story is strategizing and decision making, taking into account what others might think and do, weighing the possible consequences of a person's actions. It would be symbolic.
 

blacbird

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Well, you can do what you want. I can't see any advantage to using "Botvinnik, Karpov, Fischer, Kasparov," etc. other than to mystify the reader as to why you're doing that.

caw
 

BloodSpatterAnalyst

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As long as they're your own characters and not carbon copies of the real deal.. then yes, it is totally fine. You shouldn't run into any problems if you intend to publish, someday. It's kind of like a hidden Easter egg for anyone who's a hardcore fan of chess. I like it.
 

Jamesaritchie

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They're Easter eggs, and many writers hide them. Sometimes readers find them, sometimes they don't, but it's fun hiding them, and many readers love finding them.
 

Shadow_Ferret

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Last names are not copyrighted. I think many writers use the phone book to come up with appropriate last names for their characters. I don't see any problem with where the last names come from. You'll be using different first names, correct? Like JAR said, readers might see them as fun Easter eggs.
 

Deepthought

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Ah, ok. Thank you all so much, I feel great relief flooding my heart like the calm before the storm, then finding out the storm decided not to show up. Yes, Easter eggs are the term (Cadbury's Cream eggs...mmm, now is the season, time to load up), I heard of that a long time ago, thank you so much for reminding me. That's exactly what it is.
 

oooooh

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I saw a movie (can't for the life of me remember the name) where all the characters surnames were famous scientists. Never noticed it in the film, only reading trivia about it afterwards. It adds a nice touch, I think, if you do it somewhat inconspicuously.
 

beck_magruder

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Just watch out for libel. You don't wanna get sued by the real person you based your character off of. :) But if you're not depicting that person in a negative light, you're probably okay.
 

Deepthought

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Just watch out for libel. You don't wanna get sued by the real person you based your character off of. :) But if you're not depicting that person in a negative light, you're probably okay.

Hmm, most of those people are actually the bad guys...But, most of the real life people are dead, so being sued by them isn't an issue. Karpov is still alive, and he's going to be a real bad man. But the only similarities are that they are both farsighted (not eyesight-wise) and Russian. Should be OK though. And the real Karpov probably won't ever know I wrote it anyway.
 

beck_magruder

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Ha, I would imagine there are some exceptions. I doubt anybody would sue Quentin Tarantino for his "defamation" of Hitler in Inglourious Basterds.
 

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shaldna

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This thread and talks of easter eggs reminds me of pretty much every Terry Pratchett book I've ever read.
 

Deepthought

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There was this case: Scarlett Johansson sues bestselling author for using name in novel 'tribute'

So maybe stick to names of dead chess masters, just to be safe.

Hmm, that one seems to copy way too much. But yeah, being on the safe side, I would use the ones who passed away. But...I don't think I will! Really though, it should be okay. I was just worried that using a lot would somehow mess things up, or that it's not meant to be done. But it doesn't seem like that's the case.
 

GeekTells

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I'm confused by the OP. Are you using the last names of chess champions as fictional chess champions or as people unrelated to the chess world?

Your forum name made me leap to the conclusion that you are writing a story involving chess, and I thought I should ask for clarity before commenting.
 

Deepthought

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I'm confused by the OP. Are you using the last names of chess champions as fictional chess champions or as people unrelated to the chess world?

Your forum name made me leap to the conclusion that you are writing a story involving chess, and I thought I should ask for clarity before commenting.

They are people unrelated to the chess world. As for the username, I just have a kind of fascination with strategy and competitiveness, reliance on thinking, and I think a lot. Introspection and such. I thought Deepthought was an epitome of that, the name itself (the computer wasn't so great), so I used that.
 

Marian Perera

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It adds a nice touch, I think, if you do it somewhat inconspicuously.

Agreed about doing it relatively inconspicuously. I once read a fantasy novel where the heroine was called Faraday. Each time I read that name, I thought of Michael Faraday, which distracted me from the story and didn't seem to have any relevance to the heroine.
 

GeekTells

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They are people unrelated to the chess world. As for the username, I just have a kind of fascination with strategy and competitiveness, reliance on thinking, and I think a lot. Introspection and such. I thought Deepthought was an epitome of that, the name itself (the computer wasn't so great), so I used that.

In that case, it will be seen as a nice easter egg for those who recognize the names (likely a subset of your readers). My only caveat is to be aware of the risk that it comes off as ham fisted.
 

Deepthought

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In that case, it will be seen as a nice easter egg for those who recognize the names (likely a subset of your readers). My only caveat is to be aware of the risk that it comes off as ham fisted.

I think there are places where I could use a more common name, and even change the spelling of the name itself. But like you said, it would likely be a subset of readers. I'll try to be careful.
 

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The one downside I can see is that if you're using Russian/Eastern European/German centric names (as were many of the chess grand masters) and your story takes place in a small town in the US South, the names will be very out of place.

Russian names are not common in the English speaking world and they sound quite odd to English speakers, so they will certainly stand out on the written page. And not always for the better. You don't want the reader to be distracted by unfamiliar sounding names and Russian names may also invoke strong preconceived connotations in the reader, which you may not want to bring to the story.

Depending on the context of your story you should be careful in which unusual sounding names you use.
 

Jamesaritchie

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Just watch out for libel. You don't wanna get sued by the real person you based your character off of. :) But if you're not depicting that person in a negative light, you're probably okay.

Libel, at least in the U.S., is extremely difficult to prove, and really has to be intentional. Nothing like this puts you in danger of libel.

I base almost all my characters on real people, and, on occasion, even use the real names, first and last, plus accurate descriptions, when the person is famous.
 

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A large part of the story is strategizing and decision making, taking into account what others might think and do, weighing the possible consequences of a person's actions. It would be symbolic.


symbolic to you.

to me it would be self-conscious and trite, and enough to make me put the book down.

that isn't at all what you asked, but may be worth considering also--if you were thinking this was a gambit that would make your book brilliant, it won't, it will just scream gimmick. If this gimmick is special to you, use it anyway (maybe) but yeah....consider the message you convey as well as the legalities
 

Deepthought

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symbolic to you.

to me it would be self-conscious and trite, and enough to make me put the book down.

that isn't at all what you asked, but may be worth considering also--if you were thinking this was a gambit that would make your book brilliant, it won't, it will just scream gimmick. If this gimmick is special to you, use it anyway (maybe) but yeah....consider the message you convey as well as the legalities

Guess that's true. But a lot books, to some degree or another, have conflict and choices. This is about killing and escaping and stuff, and yes, people trying to outsmart each other. It is subtle in that sense, because I don't think many people would make the connection. I would definitely have to avoid the obviousness of it, if and when they occur. It isn't so much that it is special to me (it isn't) but it is convenient and holds meaning- again, without making it obvious. Not like, "Oh, he is a murderer. How do you do, Mr.Murderer? No? That's not your name? Oh, I'm so sorry Mr. Manson." Haha
 
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