Full Answer
What is RPF (real person fiction)?
Real person fiction or real people fiction ( RPF) is a genre of writing similar to fan fiction, but featuring celebrities or other real people.
What is the definition of fiction in literature?
Says Albert Camus, “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” Novelists are generally aware of how much of real life and how many real people work their way into their books. Be careful. Real people can also be libeled in a fictional universe.
Is it possible to use real people in fiction?
If using a real person is too constricting, another method is to use historical figures as a backdrop to fiction. This is what Gore Vidal does in the seven books comprising Narratives of Empire.
What is the difference between fiction and reality?
Most fiction stems from real life, but if you think about the lives of ordinary people, there’s not usually a novel to be had. Real life is messy and complicated and doesn’t follow the rules of fiction; it’s also boring at times…mundane.
What is fiction based on real life called?
nonfictionFor writers and readers alike, it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between fiction and nonfiction. In general, fiction refers to plot, settings, and characters created from the imagination, while nonfiction refers to factual stories focused on actual events and people.
What is fiction as a therapy?
“Talking about issues and externalising them through the eyes of a fictional character may allow the therapist to work with projection. Going on a journey with a character and learning from the world the characters inhabit can allow the reader to feel the changes made and learn from them.
What does it mean to be a fictional character IRL?
A fictional character is a person or animal in a narrative work of art (such as a novel, play, television series, or movie) The character can be completely fictional or based on a real-life person. In that case, the difference between a "fictional" and "real" character can be made.
Can you base fiction about a real person?
Using real people in your fiction—whether they are correctly named or not—can be legally hazardous. If an author includes enough details that a specific fictional character is identifiable as an actual person, that person could possibly pursue legal action.
How does literature heal?
Like psychotherapy, literature can help resolve conflicts, navigate traumatic experiences, integrate disowned aspects of ourselves, and perhaps even achieve inner wholeness or self-actualization. Books and the experience of reading can promote psychological change, heal trauma, and offer spiritual fulfillment.
How books can heal?
Reading reduces stress levels by 67%, and a 2003 study also claims that reading can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 35%. So, by spending time with a great novel, you are not only helping yourself feel happy and relaxed, you are also looking out for your future elderly self.
What is kinning a character?
Kinning is when you relate to a character, in basic terms. However, it goes deeper than that. You feel as though you have a connection TO the character, as in, you feel as though YOU ARE the character. Characters you kin don't have to be your favorites, they simply have a connection to you and ARE you, per se.
Who is the most famous fictional character?
"Sherlock Holmes," it is claimed on the promotional material, "is not only the most famous character in crime fiction, but arguably the most famous character in all fiction."
Why do I act like fictional characters?
Psychologists have discovered that while reading a book or story, people are prone to subconsciously adopt their behavior, thoughts, beliefs and internal responses to that of fictional characters as if they were their own.
Is it illegal to write about a real person?
First, a simple rule. If what you write about a person is positive or even neutral, then you don't have defamation or privacy issues. For instance, you may thank someone by name in your acknowledgements without their permission. If you are writing a non-fiction book, you may mention real people and real events.
How do you write a fictional story about your life?
10 Top Tips for Turning Fact into FictionHave an Exciting Start. Start the novel at a point that is exciting and which has relevance to the main point of the story. ... Seek Permission. ... Get Inspired. ... Write with Confidence. ... Shorten the Timeframe. ... Create Strong Characters. ... Reduce your Characters. ... Use Dynamic Dialogue.More items...•
Can you name a fictional character after a real person?
Using someone's name, image or life story as part of a novel, book, movie or other “expressive” work is protected by the First Amendment, even if the expressive work is sold or displayed. Therefore using a person's life story as part of a book or movie will not be deemed a misappropriation of the Right of Publicity.
What is real person fiction?
Real person fiction or real people fiction ( RPF) is a genre of writing similar to fan fiction, but featuring celebrities or other real people. Before the term "real person fiction" (or "real people fiction") came into common usage, fans came up with a variety of terms, which are still used for specific genres or cultural practices in ...
What is a slash fiction?
Main article: Slash fiction. Real person slash ( RPS ), also known in some circles as real-life slash ( RLS ), involves relationships. (See slash fiction for more on the subtleties and variations in definition.) These are usually complete fabrications, not based on any real-life indications of the subject's sexual orientation, ...
What was the RPF in the 1990s?
In the 1990s, early online RPS communities were devoted to depictions of bands. Most band-related RPF was slash fiction . Older RPF communities also began to see a rise in slash content, in contrast to earlier stories, which had generally featured original (non-"canon") characters as partners for band members.
What is RPF in fan fiction?
Like most fan fiction, the RPF genre includes stories of every kind, from innocuous to sadistic to pornographic.
Why don't fans of RPS allow slash fiction?
Due to the potentially libelous nature of some stories, and the knowledge or fear that some celebrities dislike slash fiction involving themselves, some fan fiction communities denounce RPS fiction and do not allow it on their websites.
Why do some fan fiction communities denounce RPS fiction?
Due to the potentially libelous nature of some stories, and the knowledge or fear that some celebrities dislike s lash fiction involving themselves, some fan fiction communities denounce RPS fiction and do not allow it on their websites. This type of RPF also brings up issues of consent and objectification of real people.
What is a politician fic?
Politician fic is sometimes used as a form of satire, or to highlight the underlying biases or attitudes of the politician being portrayed , although more recently there has been an increase in more 'ordinary' fanfiction about British politicians in particular, with a notable emphasis on slash.
Who are some of the best authors to write believable fiction?
There are many well-known authors who have used their work backgrounds to create believable, technically correct fiction. John Grisham and Patricia Cornwell come to mind. Grisham made a name for himself writing legal thrillers based on his experiences as an attorney; Cornwell worked in a medical examiner’s office and turned this experience into a series of medical examiner thrillers. The inside knowledge these two authors possess contributed to their success and made their fiction believable.
When is the deadline for writing fiction?
Deadline: Saturday, July 31st. Writing fiction from real-life experiences isn’t as easy as it sounds. Fiction writers—writers of short stories and novels—must know when to use real-life details and when those details don’t work well in prose. Putting your real life in writing can be inspiring, but it can be dangerous too.
Is it dangerous to write fiction?
Putting your real life in writing can be inspiring , but it can be dangerous too. Creating Fiction From Personal Experiences: Life is a wealth of material for writers. Most fiction is autobiographical to some extent, as writers draw from their real-world experiences—a first kiss, graduation, birth, death, marriage, divorce, career changes, ...
Can you turn a real life story into fiction?
Just be careful that you’re being honest with the way you show real life in fiction. If you become too emotionally attached to turning your real-life story into fiction, you may lose sight of those elements that differentiate a smooth, well-crafted story from a real-life tale. Emotion can be a stumbling block if a writer isn’t flexible.
Is fiction a real life story?
Most fiction stems from real life, but if you think about the lives of ordinary people, there’s not usually a novel to be had. Real life is messy and complicated and doesn’t follow the rules of fiction; it’s also boring at times…mundane. The trick is to lift characters, events, tragedies, and triumphs from the pages of real life and create a new existence for them—using literary techniques and a good dose of creativity to make them more exciting, more interesting, more disturbing—more worthy of being read.
When the facts are known about a person, how they plotted and maneuvered, it’s hard to?
When the facts are known about a person – who they ordered executed, how they plotted and maneuvered – it’s hard to get away with making them sympathetic. And main characters have to be sympathetic in order for us to identify with them. The same goes for Oates’ attempt to humanize the film star icon Monroe.
What is the story line of Intimacy?
When author Hanif Kureishi produced his novel Intimacy in 1998, its story line about a man who leaves his partner for another woman seemed unexceptional. The trouble was, Kureishi had just done the same thing in real life. His ex-partner was not amused. At all.
What is the trap Vidal often falls into?
The trap Vidal often falls into is that of including so much detail that the action grinds to a halt. He’s also stymied by the facts. It’s hard enough to make the situations you need to drive the plot seem spontaneous when all you have to do is make them up.
How many books does Gore Vidal write in Narratives of Empire?
If using a real person is too constricting, another method is to use historical figures as a backdrop to fiction. This is what Gore Vidal does in the seven books comprising Narratives of Empire.
Who is the main character in The Help?
This is what happened to Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help. The main character of this novel is a black maid called Aibilene who looks after the white children of a local family living in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s.
Do fictional characters behave like real people?
The final issue to think about is this: fictional characters, especially main characters, almost never behave exactly like real people would. They’re smarter, more persuasive, more appealing, more sensitive, better looking, stronger, more hot headed, braver and at least twice as sensual as anyone we’re ever going to share office space or an apartment with. Make your characters too real and the reader will soon lose interest. Give them some real characteristics and they’ll jump out of the page and into your audience’s mind with a single bound.
Who fictionalized the French Revolution?
The prime example here is Hilary Mantel, who fictionalized the key events and personalities of the French Revolution in A Place of Greater Safety, and moved on to greater renown with her two (eventually to be three) books about Thomas Cromwell: Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.
What case ended badly for the author?
Bindrim v. Mitchell (case ended badly for the author)
What to do if you feel uncomfortable with libel?
If you feel uncomfortable with the legal minefield of libel, right of privacy and right of publicity law, consult a publishing attorney. A publishing attorney can evaluate or vet your manuscript, and suggest ways to mitigate or avoid many of risks of writing about real people and actual events.
Is there a veil of fiction in memoirs?
If your memoir is fictionalized, but you don't make that clear to readers, there's no veil of fiction to hide behind for purposes of libel law. Despite the breathing space the First Amendment affords writers, not all libel-in-fiction lawsuits are resolved in favor of the author or their publisher partner.
Can a fictional character survive summary judgment?
Happily for novelists (and The Weekly World News ), when the model upon which a fictional character is based sues, generally, their claim doesn't get not survive summary judgment. For a novel, or other fictional work, to be actionable, its detail must be convincing.
Can you defame the dead in Frankenstein?
Speaking of Frankenstein, the dead cannot be defamed.
What is the trick with non-famous real people?
The trick with non-famous real people is not just to rename them but actually fictionalize them.
Who said each writer is born with a repertory company in his head?
Gore Vidal, who knew something about writing history (recent history included) wrote, “Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players …. I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.”.
Why do we think of ourselves as unique?
We think of ourselves as unique, partially because we’re trying to market that uniqueness. But in truth we’re collections of gestures and perceptions and received ideas, united mostly by whatever fiction we’re using to provide ourselves with coherence. (Rimbaud: Je est un autre. I am someone else). Even when we write about the very famous—people so constantly in the public eye the Public Figure defense protects our work—we’re inventing them, supposing, projecting.
Who said fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth?
Says Albert Camus, “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” Novelists are generally aware of how much of real life and how many real people work their way into their books.
What do writers write?
Writers write what they know. It’s perfectly natural that someone within their acquaintance might have amazing or interesting features that inspire a character in their story.
Who is Dana Isaacson?
DANA ISAACSON worked as Senior Editor at Penguin Random House for thirteen years. There, he edited a wide variety of titles—from bestselling commercial fiction to literary biographies and historical narratives. Prior to that, he was an editor at various publishing houses, including Pocket Books and ReganBooks.
Is Jane Miller a real Jane?
Start with the name, of course. Jane Miller might be changed to Nancy Jones. And if the real Jane is from Scranton, Pennsylvania, perhaps instead she hails from Racine, Wisconsin. If Jane is tall, Nancy might be short. Rather than wisecracking, she might be stoic. It should be obvious to anyone who actually knows Jane that this Nancy character is not Jane. Keep going … until you have formed a new character in your head.
Can you sue someone for using real people in a book?
Here’s where it can get sticky. Using real people in your fiction—whether they are correctly named or not—can be legally hazardous. If an author includes enough details that a specific fictional character is identifiable as an actual person, that person could possibly pursue legal action. That means in the above example, your real-life neighbor Jane could sue if a reader wrongly concludes from your fiction that she is an out-of-control drunk.
Can real people be libeled?
Real people can also be libeled in a fictional universe. Maybe in a novel, a writer chooses to cast their story with colorful real people. Jackie O. or Cardi B attends their protagonist’s fabulous birthday bash.