tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post2134380244704259216..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Why we all need English PenKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-28083699544489283722015-03-04T10:37:56.617+00:002015-03-04T10:37:56.617+00:00The vast majority of what I write is fiction - and...The vast majority of what I write is fiction - and historical fiction at that - so it isn't something that keeps me awake at night - although I can well understand that it's a worry. I am aware that people can even become very defensive of their antecedents. I've had one angry email from a grand-daughter of a former landowner - I'd labelled him 'absentee' in a non fiction book (he was!) and she didn't like it. I don't suppose I'd have liked it if he was my grandfather either but fortunately there was no question of defamation since he was long dead. I must say, whenever I have occasion to mention any real product in a novel I'm only ever nice about it. If I wanted to slate something, I would definitely make a name up. Catherine Czerkawskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14554969254207924049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-23237468471099146012015-03-04T10:17:37.393+00:002015-03-04T10:17:37.393+00:00I have thought of this, but lots of books are base...I have thought of this, but lots of books are based on real people. Libel involves defamation and even before the change you describe, as far as I know, truth has always been a full defence against libel charges. I can see why publishers put the onus on the author and I don't blame them - they have no way of knowing whether an author has a personal exe to grind and has had a go at someone to a libellous level and it would be impossible to check. Changing names isn't enough if you make the person very recognisable to anyone who knows them, but there are other ways of changing them. If you tell the truth you should be ok! Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-3805125085621497172015-03-04T09:37:46.692+00:002015-03-04T09:37:46.692+00:00As a writer of travel, I always have the libel sit...As a writer of travel, I always have the libel situation in mind. But - I don't make anything up (so no one can accuse me of fibbing), I always try to balance anything that looks like criticism with an acknowledgement that I can never tell the whole story. And I always change names.<br /><br />Although sometimes I wish the racist, patronising woman I met in Laos could recognise herself and be ashamed!JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-46345995667501358462015-03-04T09:25:32.473+00:002015-03-04T09:25:32.473+00:00Very interesting. This is not something I ever tho...Very interesting. This is not something I ever thought of. I write fiction so I would hope no one would think of suing me. Wendy H. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04022089775887274043noreply@blogger.com