Writing.Com General Discussion

Freedom of speech doesn't mean it doesn't cost anything to speak the truth.

Publishers don't have the answers for your question and aren't in the business of dispensing legal advice without the proper credentials. Chances of members here having the answers is also slim to none.

The type of person you should be asking this question of is a lawyer who has specific expertise in that kind of legal question in the location/domain in which such a legal contest would be held. It may be the kind of thing that no one can say "if you do this and that, you cannot be successfully sued."

If spending money on a consultation fee is not your cup of tea, then doing the work to finish the job of safely fictionalizing your novel is the easiest and simplest route, despite the work involved.

People in the publishing industry might have information about what changes they'd recommend (look for) in fictionalizing a story, that they'd be willing to share if asked. They may also be able to refer you to such a lawyer.


There's also another pertinent marketing question (hurdle) you have not asked: Does your novel have all the necessary parts to qualify as "story" in fiction? The odds predict that a fictionalized real-life tale will not.

The Gary Provost Paragraph describes the plot 90% of the time. If you can write an equivalent paragraph with the pertinent details from your novel -- from what's on the page, not what's in your head -- then it probably meets the criteria for being a story in fiction.








Hope that helps.

Northernwrites___

~~Image #6000 Sharing Restricted~~ ~~Image #603504 Sharing Restricted~~