Incorporating real life into fiction

[jeninflorida]

I’ve been taking notes at several companies that I’ve been involved with and really have some great (Drama filled) fiction. Well, I want to use it. I know that this is taboo and could bite me in the ass as I go to great lengths to keep my real identify hidden but I know have enough material to fill three books. A Dallas meets Melrose place, but with more drama and sex.

So has anyone written from real life? How much work do you put in to hide the guilty players?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I use real life all the time. I call all my characters Todd and Ethel.

 

[jeninflorida]

I use real life all the time. I call all my characters Todd and Ethel.

that is the easy part......real life makes for some great fiction

 

[Bebeslut]

I’ve been taking notes at several companies that I’ve been involved with and really have some great (Drama filled) fiction. Well, I want to use it. I know that this is taboo and could bite me in the ass as I go to great lengths to keep my real identify hidden but I know have enough material to fill three books. A Dallas meets Melrose place, but with more drama and sex.

So has anyone written from real life? How much work do you put in to hide the guilty players?

Why do you think it's taboo? Happens all the time.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Are we talking roman à clef level details? Or just snippets here and there from real life that you plan on weaving together?

I think if you change the details that most people latch on to when identifying companies (or people), you'll be fine. You might need to downsize the companies, or move them, or not mention a city at all, or change their industry, or change a character's occupation, etc. Can you create fictitious companies by swapping multiple details from company a to company b or c? Or insert a major character that doesn't work at any of the companies?

Most of all, avoid phrases like, "a large multinational corporation, headquartered in Fairfield, CT," or "the former CEO, John Tropicana," etc. Seriously, I've seen phrases like that before.

 

[lovecraft68]

I’ve been taking notes at several companies that I’ve been involved with and really have some great (Drama filled) fiction. Well, I want to use it. I know that this is taboo and could bite me in the ass as I go to great lengths to keep my real identify hidden but I know have enough material to fill three books. A Dallas meets Melrose place, but with more drama and sex.

So has anyone written from real life? How much work do you put in to hide the guilty players?

I've only used one personal experience in a story. SWB Samhain was based on a ceremoney I attended when I was around 20. I exaggeratedsome of the sex and used my incest series carriers as the focus. My part was that of an initiate (the one that has sex with the sister NOT the one on the altar and don;t get crazy she wasn;t my sister)so I simply changed my name in the story

 

[jeninflorida]

Are we talking roman à clef level details? Or just snippets here and there from real life that you plan on weaving together?

I think if you change the details that most people latch on to when identifying companies (or people), you'll be fine. You might need to downsize the companies, or move them, or not mention a city at all, or change their industry, or change a character's occupation, etc. Can you create fictitious companies by swapping multiple details from company a to company b or c? Or insert a major character that doesn't work at any of the companies?

Most of all, avoid phrases like, "a large multinational corporation, headquartered in Fairfield, CT," or "the former CEO, John Tropicana," etc. Seriously, I've seen phrases like that before.

I'm curious to hear if it bit anyone in the butt

 

[sr71plt]

I'm curious to hear if it bit anyone in the butt

It hasn't bit me so far and I've gotten pretty close to some pretty specific and sensitive matters.

I learned in my professional life that what you do isn't scrutinized nearly as much as the movies suggest it is. Big Brother actually isn't looking all that much or all that hard.

 

[jeninflorida]

Why do you think it's taboo? Happens all the time.

from my job experience, I want to show the world how the direct mail "world" is filled with shysters and how incestuous the industry is.

 

[sr71plt]

from my job experience, I want to show the world how the direct mail "world" is filled with shysters and how incestuous the industry is.

But that hardly would be a surprise, would it? Good ground for stories, though.

 

[lettersaroundmidnight]

Sex and drama happens in real life? Go figure!

They say every one has a book in them - if you have three you are well ahead of the game.

All fiction starts off as real life to some degree surely. No one can make up something completely out of their head (no doubt some smart ass will now prove me wrong)

lettersaroundmidnight

 

[1sickbastard]

I’ve been taking notes at several companies that I’ve been involved with and really have some great (Drama filled) fiction. Well, I want to use it. I know that this is taboo and could bite me in the ass as I go to great lengths to keep my real identify hidden but I know have enough material to fill three books. A Dallas meets Melrose place, but with more drama and sex.

So has anyone written from real life? How much work do you put in to hide the guilty players?

Sure, real-life is so wierd, there's really no substitute. Hiding 'real life' depends on who you know is reading your work. Avoid personal details unless they are germain to the story.
Use the story-teller's right to embellish, the more the better. At some point no- body will be able to recognize the real-life situation (even yourself!)

BUt for companies, like the others have said, avoid details or identifying characteristics. Be as non-specific as possible.

 

[jeninflorida]

Sure, real-life is so wierd, there's really no substitute. Hiding 'real life' depends on who you know is reading your work. Avoid personal details unless they are germain to the story.
Use the story-teller's right to embellish, the more the better. At some point no- body will be able to recognize the real-life situation (even yourself!)

BUt for companies, like the others have said, avoid details or identifying characteristics. Be as non-specific as possible.

totally agree....maybe when I'm totally free then I can write a tell all about some people! hehe.

 

[stephen55]

Ah...let's see...

This story is fictional and any similarity between it and real events are purely co-incidental and so forth and so on...

 

[1sickbastard]

Ah...let's see...

This story is fictional and any similarity between it and real events are purely co-incidental and so forth and so on...

Yeah, that soooooo worked for Orson Wells in Citizen Kane.

 

[jeninflorida]

Ah...let's see...

This story is fictional and any similarity between it and real events are purely co-incidental and so forth and so on...

I would love to get some feedback from someone here on literotica that wrote a true life ish story and if anyone figured it out. also since many have started to sell ebooks

 

[sr71plt]

I would love to get some feedback from someone here on literotica that wrote a true life ish story and if anyone figured it out. also since many have started to sell ebooks

I have some chapters in my somewhat memoirish published Flying High (eXcessica) that would easily be identified by those involved in some real events--and at least one having been an international incident. That book's been out for three years, and large sections of it have been posted here on Lit. even longer. Not a hint of anyone I know tracing it to me.

 

[stephen55]

Yeah, that soooooo worked for Orson Wells in Citizen Kane.

I think it worked out just great for Orson Wells. From wikipedia...

There is a semi-official consensus among film critics that Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made, which has led Roger Ebert to quip: "So it's settled: Citizen Kane is the official greatest film of all time."[2] It topped both the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies list and the 10th Anniversary Update, as well as all of the Sight & Sound polls of the 10 greatest films for nearly half a century.


William Randolph Hearst apparently ordered all of his newspapers to never mention the name of the film. So if Wells' aim was to stick it to the guy, Hearst got stuck and he did it himself.

So, bring on Mistress Pane, a debauched tale of how the direct mail "world" is filled with shysters and how incestuous the industry is, the under the desk world of favors given for favors received, what really happened at last years Christmas party and much, much more....

 

[fairygoddess68]

I would love to get some feedback from someone here on literotica that wrote a true life ish story and if anyone figured it out. also since many have started to sell ebooks

I've written a few from real life but exaggerate to the way I WISH it sometimes had been. I leave out things that will identify too much. I know that if one story was read by the right person, he'd recognize the scenario but as no names or details that would definitively identify it to anyone else I feel just fine about the whole thing. There is another that is in it's most basic form pretty true, but there is a whole lot more added to it that it can't be seen as "truth" through and through.

 

[1sickbastard]

I think it worked out just great for Orson Wells. From wikipedia...

There is a semi-official consensus among film critics that Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made, which has led Roger Ebert to quip: "So it's settled: Citizen Kane is the official greatest film of all time."[2] It topped both the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies list and the 10th Anniversary Update, as well as all of the Sight & Sound polls of the 10 greatest films for nearly half a century.


William Randolph Hearst apparently ordered all of his newspapers to never mention the name of the film. So if Wells' aim was to stick it to the guy, Hearst got stuck and he did it himself.

So, bring on Mistress Pane, a debauched tale of how the direct mail "world" is filled with shysters and how incestuous the industry is, the under the desk world of favors given for favors received, what really happened at last years Christmas party and much, much more....

Except Hearst put the screws to the studios & within a few years, Wells had disappeard totally, only to find limited work doing wine comercials & some voice over work in the 70's

Well's pissed off the wrong mougle...

 

[jeninflorida]

I've written a few from real life but exaggerate to the way I WISH it sometimes had been. I leave out things that will identify too much. I know that if one story was read by the right person, he'd recognize the scenario but as no names or details that would definitively identify it to anyone else I feel just fine about the whole thing. There is another that is in it's most basic form pretty true, but there is a whole lot more added to it that it can't be seen as "truth" through and through.

the novella that I have is great, 99% true....the crazy things people do! the only part that I feel bad, is exposing the dirt. yeah these people are dishonest and other things so it was great therapy writing.

part of me is torn, on publishing this.
part of me wants to expose them so that they can't take advantage of other people. we were lucky and never got burnt.

 

[TxRad]

I would love to get some feedback from someone here on literotica that wrote a true life ish story and if anyone figured it out. also since many have started to sell ebooks

Off the top of my head, my Caught Fishing is a true story. Also the Memories of series of stories. As far as I know no one has caught on but then again I'm not really worried about it.

You can check them out through the stories link in my sig if you want to.

All my writing contains some true to life stuff. I don't see how a writer can write stuff without something bleeding through.

 

[jeninflorida]

Will do thanks!

in this story, its Melrose place on steroids...more sex, more drama, and more sex hehe

Off the top of my head, my Caught Fishing is a true story. Also the Memories of series of stories. As far as I know no one has caught on but then again I'm not really worried about it.

You can check them out through the stories link in my sig if you want to.

All my writing contains some true to life stuff. I don't see how a writer can write stuff without something bleeding through.