: Re: How to avoid libel when writing a fictional account of a real event I was a researcher for many years and it is a habit that has its usefulness in writing but also some serious drawbacks.

@Alves689

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Consider the situation where I write a story about a famous writer named Richard Stanzak.

First I do some research about where the real person with that name lives, about his workplace, where he shops, his neighbours and family, etc.

Then I research the various unsolved crimes that have happened in his region of the country during the past decade.

Finally I have him going about his normal day to day life, but occasionally committing those awful crimes.

Everyone you know wouldn't doubt that I'm talking about you, and since everything else is correct, down to the fine details, many of them might suspect that the fictional part was also correct.

Or suppose instead, I used one of your beloved, but now dead, relatives as the main character.

How would you feel about this? What would you do about it?

Why would anyone else feel any differently about it?

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