Turning People into Characters
Based on a true story. There are dozens if not hundreds of movies made that have been based on a true story. But what does that mean? “Based” means the creators used some or all of the source material to create and present their story. Sadly, sometimes it means they bought the rights to the source material’s name and characters, then do whatever they want, often leaving audiences who loved the source material angry and upset.
But what about basing your characters on real people? If they’re celebrities or other well-know people, you’ll want to make sure you’re not disparaging them – that’s a lawsuit waiting to happen! But you can often get away with basing something on friends, family, or acquaintances a little easier. Me personally, I try to talk to those people to get their okay, but sometimes I just have to roll with it and let them know later. Of course, I let them read their character profile and some sections of the story to get their approval, especially when I’m turning them into something they’re not, like a lawyer I based off of a friend who has never been near a courtroom, or an honest-to-the-bone family member into a blackmailing snitch constantly trying to leverage their information to get what they want.
Sometimes, I even write stories about people specifically for them, for their entertainment. Currently, a short story I’m working on about a friend is turning into something longer. Depending on how long it gets, I’ll have to ask their permission to publish it as a novella or novel. Currently, my information is based on some discussions we’ve had and a basic physical description of him and elements of his personality. My imagination has taken it from there. I’ve been keeping him informed of the progress and some major plot points, and he’s loving it so far.
But keep in mind that if you want to write this way yourself, you should get the permission beforehand. Even if the saying is it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, once something is in print, there’s no going back. Even if it’s available for only a short time, or in a single medium, there’s still enough opportunity for someone to find it and save it.
What is your experience with creating stories and characters? Have you purposefully or accidentally based it on something you know (“write what you know!” after all) that others may not wish to have shared publicly? How did you fix it?
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