Can an author get sued if he includes the names of real people in his work?
I'm currently writing the fifth installment of my six-part memoir and the word count has already reached 512k words. So far I've been using the real names of the people in my life though after reading an article about Thomas Wolfe recently I'm beginning to worry about potential legal action when my book inevitably becomes culturally significant and widely read.
Should I change the names to pseudonyms?
If so it's going to take many days to find and replace hundreds of names, some only appearing once or twice. This really is a hurdle I hadn't anticipated.
YOU CAUGHT MY ATTENTION THIS TIME BECAUSE YOU USED PEPE
JUST CHANGE THE NAMES. YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT DAYS WRITING THE DAMN THING
>>7703245
>DAYS
I've spend over a year and a half writing it so far, with at least six hours of each day dedicated to it. It really will be a large revision project and I'm really not sure whether I should just trust my instincts and use any potential legal problems as a marketing tool in order to add even more "hype" to the eventual publication.
>>7703252
R T D
>>7703260
Read the dickie?
>>7703260
Huh?
>>7703239
Are you the guy who posted some time ago about messaging back an agent for having declined you? What did you call your work; presumptuous? Post an excerpt, I'm genuinely curious as to what sort of life you've led that could be stretched out into something so dense and something you are evidently certain will be published.
>>7703267
Yes that is me. I'm not posting an excerpt, for reasons previously explained and subsequently justified. What "sort of life I've led" is for the most part irrelevant. I possess a sensitive disposition and a rich inner life and therefore every moment (if life / time can be said to consist of "moments") has been incredibly meaningful to me, and thanks to a great talent at articulating my thoughts and exposing my mental landscape I have depicted a life that, although filled with relatively little novelty beyond the age of around sixteen (the diversity and intensity of novelty and novel experiences being the currency many if not most individuals use as a means of evaluating the quality of their and other peoples' lives) is nonetheless extremely interesting, both as a succession of real-world events and as an accumulation of gradually more profound and in a sense tragically lucid thoughts and observations. Both fortunately and unfortunately I experience more mental phenomena, both intellectual and emotional, by watching a sparrow drift across a cloudless sky in winter as most other people experience in their entire lives despite deaths in the family, divorce and other so-called "tragic" events, the sadness of which is usually dispelled by drinking alcohol or pursuing "fun" or employing the kinds of mental strategies detailed at lengthy by Zappfe in his essay "The Last Messiah."
>>7703276
As I'm sure it's been said to you, you can extol yourself and the work to the heights of Olympus but until you post an excerpt your description of it, however prolix, is no more effective than two or three words. These 'mental phenomena' you experience cannot be understood by anyone unless they read how you describe the state so again, nothing could be said until a fragment of it, at least, is read. I can't help but wonder where you have gained the confidence to say that in your 'lucid' moments you experience what another man doesn't in his whole life; you can see how that can be understood as presumptuous or even arrogant right?
I don't think novelty diminishes or increases the worth of a man, but it is a pivotal quality in the writer who is writing of his own life. I don't know why you don't post any of it, but I wonder if you've received any criticism from anyone you know or from another site; what were you told? Anyway, I admire what you're doing if only because it is suggestive of an ambition that is far too seldom found in those I talk to. I hope you earn the greatest successes with it brother.
>>7703292
I appreciate your rather unsubtle attempts to coerce me into releasing a portion of my work without there being any copyright to protect it should anybody immediately acknowledge its genius and take advantage of me by using it themselves, though I am not naive enough to pursue the shallow pleasure of brief anonymous acclaim at the expense of the international respect and praise that my work would (or should, in any so-called "civilized" society) earn. I have gained that right by maintaining a detached though (rather ironically perhaps) penetrative perspective on life since early childhood. When I read about how John Kennedy Toole's mother said that had observed life through adult eyes since his birth, or when Thomas Wolfe's mother recalls her son always taking mental notes of his surroundings, I immediately recognize in these and other geniuses an example of my own view of the world. In February 2014 I experienced a brief though non-sexual relationship with a female and within hours of our first intense conversation she remarked that I "make too much sense" when articulating my thoughts about the behavior and motivations of other people.
I disagree about the value of novelty for novelty's sake. Any truly intelligent individual of adult age avoids novel experiences (that is, in the outside world) and understands that no external event is worthy of influencing his emotional state. My life remains extremely interesting despite the fact I have decided not to hitchhike across Thailand, engage in degenerate sexual acts, consume illicit drugs or any of the other things often praised as signs of an "experienced" and therefore interesting individual. The only criticism I've received is from the agent I first submitted my work to and the occasional underhand jibe at my expense by my mommy who sometimes forgets that her "angel" (her words) is destine fore more in life than the tedium of a safe, obscure existence.
And thank you for your praise and admiration, your encouragement is most appreciated.
>>7703319
Lol if only you could see how big your head has gotten in the meantime
Juat shut up and finish your work, thats where the real meat is
>>7703327
I have already been writing and revising for the past five hours. But this article I read about Thomas Wolfe continues to plague my thoughts. If it is necessary to go through my work and employ the "find and replace" function to change all the names I have so far included I would rather do so now so that I can use the pseudonyms as I continue writing.
The size of my head directly corresponds to the depth of my talent.
>>7703333
Perceptual abilities =! prose talent
Learn to economise and you might be going places.
>>7703337
The fallacy of equating terse, minimalist writing with a greater literary talent is repulsive to anybody who has not been completely exhausted and worn down by life to the point where their dull thoughts can only be expressed in short, declarative sentences, the combination of which apparently reveals some hidden emotional intensity despite the fact that the work itself, or the experience of reading it at least, is about as entertaining as a three-hour youtube lecture about hollow earth theory. I refuse to bow to those promoting minimalist expression at the expense of properly articulated thought. If their degraded attention span can't appreciate a sentence which includes more than a single comma then it is a failure on their part, not mine.
>>7703348
Although I appreciate the sentiment, you should acknowledge that being concise is a skill, that requires honest mastery in its way.
>>7703348
Idk senpai, it might help with all that editing you have infront of you
>>7703356
Don't call him senpai, he's not your master
>>7703361
I called him senpai, wordfilter did the rest
That aside, senpai is said pretty tongue in cheek around here anyways, as if what ive been saying to him hasnt been indication enough
i've seen you around before
>>7703363
F a m*
>>7703355
I am concise, though that needn't mean that I imitated every other minimalist writer in composing a body of text comprised of short sentences carefully partitioned and expressed without intellectual vigor or any apparent enthusiasm. My style as is probably obvious in this thread is consistent and entirely justifiable. Hemingway and his contemporary ideologues can harass individuals like myself, and like Thomas Wolfe and all the other great writers who refused to be brought to their knees by the dark-blowing pygmies of the literary elite, but in the end I will prevail. If my victory is at their expense then so be it.
>>7703356
I have already edited the first, second and third installments of my memoir. They are practically ready to be published, though I will of course perform subsequent revisions after the entire body of work has been written and the final period marked.
>>7703371
>I am concise
>[rest of the post]
Just don't kill yourself when no one wants to publish your opus magnum.
>>7703374
The fact that you lack the necessary intellectual investment in life to appreciate anything that demands more than a few seconds of your attention and which does not promise you some form of emotional reward does not undermine the fact that my prose is lucid, careful, intelligent, profound and consistently entertaining. Unfortunately for individuals like yourself not all aspects of life can be explained by a brief summary of their more general parts or functions. I refuse to sacrifice my dignity and respect your definition of concise simply to gain more money, attention or sexual opportunity.
>>7703361
r u new?
>>7703382
>to gain more money, attention or sexual opportunity.
Who even mentioned this
>>7703382
>words
>being susceptible to obviously set bait and continuing to mimic a fool for personal enjoyment
seek help
>>7703382
You might have a brain tumor.
>>7703386
It is an observable sociological fact, as well as a biological imperative, that sexual experience has been, is, and will remain the primary motivator for many if not most animals, human or non-human. Wealth and attention are by-products of this rather repulsive fixation on the most disgusting of human recreations, and are therefore often cited as among the most important things a person can hope to achieve. I will languish in obscurity if the alternative is to sacrifice even the tiniest morsel of my virtue, a virtue I have defended and nourished since my birth, and a virtue that my mommy both admires and fails to fully comprehend due to her own Fallen state.
>>7703398
So what you're saying is that you made an assumption.
>>7703400
Your attempt at a "cool" retort is rather pathetic.
>i-it's amazing I swear
>I-I don't have to prove anything to you
>I'm gonna be famous, you'll see!
I hope your book's a comedy because you're hilarious, op
>>7703398
So you're a virgin?
>>7703403
I guess thats a "yes".
>>7703239
please never stop posting anon. I love you so much.
>>7703417
>"I possess a greater virtue than the majority of my peers" -Me
You're either a troll or mentally ill. I'd like to feel bad for you but i'm envious of your level of delusion for which i'm incapable of.
>>7703422
>I love you so much.
Seriously was about to post this. I love your confidence and your density in writing. I have argued against minimalist writing and will continue to do so if only to reveal that it is not a fault in the writer, if the long text is not understood simply for its length, but that of the reader. Don't compromise yourself to satisfy the attention span of rodents who have sold themselves for the amusement they find in Vines and Snapchats. Consider me among those who will read your work and find pleasure in it, if your posts can be taken as a reflection of your style of writing in the memoirs. I'm curious as to how old you are to have been able to come up with enough to write as much as you have and plan to. Again, best of luck.
>>7703433
I've stated previously and with an articulation no-doubt envied by those who read it that my concerns about mental health are minimal. As long as I comprehend logic and possess the capacity to articulate my immense internal archive of emotional and intellectual experience then external accusations of waywardness on my part are utterly irrelevant to my existence.
>>7703435
I'm 24 years of age.
So does anyone care to answer the question I originally asked? I really would like to find the solution to this problem if a problem does indeed exist. I can only use the library computer for another 30 minutes and an answer within that period would be greatly appreciated.
He kind of reminds me of that autist making yandere simulator.
>>7703438
I'd personally change the names, but try searching on google to see if anyone else may have asked a publishing agent that question
>Ignatius posting
>>7703441
I have already googled as much as the rather repressive library internet filter allows, though the boundary between memoir and Roman a Clef appears to be rather vague and as someone who is not acquainted with the obscure details of legislature pertaining to published writing I am still in doubt as to whether I will be arrested or sued when my work is published. I imagine many of those mentioned in the book will neither learn about my book (or any book's) publication, and probably wouldn't remember me if they did, though I do not wish to lose any potential revenue to individuals whose contribution to my life and thus my memoir are paltry at best. I would also appreciate some advice or guidance from anybody qualified in the legal sphere on potential advertising strategies I am considering, some of which may again lead to my being detained or fined.
>>7703451
Your best bet is to just finish it and then talk to an agent, solidify a deal and then work on the editing.
>>7703452
This does seem like a reasonable idea, though my experience with agents thus far has confirmed my suspicion that they are existential hangers-on, mercenaries of mediocrity, thuggish bouncers standing at the door of an establishment to which they themselves have been refused entry. I am almost tempted to self-publish my work, though realistically I realize that any attention I will receive will have to come from this board and its largely temperamental and easily-distracted userbase. I am still considering the pizza delivery route as I have yet to receive any reasonable criticisms as to why I should rule it out. I have other ideas, some of which are influenced by musicians whose attempts to gain the attention of their desired record label were successful, though for the moment I am focused primarily on my tome.
>>7703458
If all else fails, do the pizza delivery
>Special Snowflake: Verbose Edition
Be sure to post the title once you're published; we all look forward to pitying you.
>>7703461
I appreciate that it may appear as a rather "extreme" solution to the potential problem of my being otherwise ignored, though really it would be an amazing contribution to my wikipedia page and the biographies that will one day be written about my life and works. My other idea involves copying my work onto a USB stick and covertly dropping it into the pocket of a respected Editor while he commutes to or from his office, with some legal disclaimer stating that my work may not be copied or my name slandered on social media should he decide to refuse my work. I have also considered essentially faking my disappearance in the hope a national news outlet will pick up on the story and lend some mythology to my writing, though I'm not sufficiently convinced that anybody would presently notice any disappearance on my part except my mommy, who has already frequently stated that she would not be surprised should I decide to end my life. Other ideas are rather more extreme in the context of alternative solutions, and may result in any debts I accrue being imposed on my mommy should I "dissapear" to avoid repaying them after using the money to print thousands of copies of my works and distributing them en masse to various culturally significant locations (universities, notable libraries and so on) where those of my ilk tend to amass.
>>7703440
That autist is evaXephon, if you didn't know. If you don't know who THAT is, you need to lurk more.
>>7703477
You're certainly one of the more dedicated roleplayers on this site, I'll give you that, but sentences like
>the biographies that will one day be written about my life and works
>an articulation no-doubt envied by those who read it
>my immense internal archive of emotional and intellectual experience
are simply too self-absorbed to be believed.
9.5/10, keep at it.
>>7703461
>If all else fails, do the pizza delivery.
I've never heard this expression, what does it mean?
>>7703525
It means "pizza time!"
>>7703540
Porgot pivcz
>>7703470
>we
ITT: People fall for bait so obvious you'd have to be borderline Downs to take it seriously.
>>7703582
>i'm new
He's been posting about his memoirs for weeks if not months at this point.
OP is a comedy genius. 7/10 bait.
>>7703319
I read an award winning book about a person such as yourself. He died and everyone, including him, was glad.
good thread desu
>>7703239
I think you're autistic bro.
>>7703319
Reminds me of elliot Rodger, u should go out the same way except only kill yourself
OP I love your threads. I don't even care if you're real or not. I'd just change the names if I were you.
>>7704342
>threads
post link to the others?
You know your average text editor lets you replace all the instances of a certain word with a different one in around 3 clicks right?
>>7703348
You have no respect for your audience, or any other human for that matter.
No one will glean a shred of insight from your 'memoirs' and your work will continue to go unpublished while you wallow away in self-righteous pride.
You have decided to stagnate, and not explore the multifarious facets of a rich life-experience.
This is your hubris, this is your doom.
Take this warning with solemnity.
Don't change the names.
If it ever gets published, you can certainly have some intern or other editor-lackey do it for you.
You're a pretentious twat, OP. Fuck off.
>>7703239
okay 100 reply anon GTFO
>>7704615
you fuck off anon, memoire-chan makes great threads
The bit about doing all of this on a library computer is a stroke of comedic genius.
>>7703382
Thats fine
But you are not concise
Just saying you are doesnt make it so
>>7703614
I've been here for a lot longer than you friend, that doesn't change the fact that this is an obvious bait thread.
>>7703525
In another thread op thought it was a good idea to buy an empty pizza box, dress up as a delivery guy and deliver his book in disguise of a pizza
He honestly believes this is an effective way to get his book published. I hope it works because i would love to read a book that came from the same mind as fake pizza book deliveries
>>7704806
link to that thred?
>>7703239
Eventually you'll make it, and I'm cheering for you, OP, so keep in the good work! :)
>>7703239
If you have any reason to believe one of the people you have written about will consider the work libelous, then yes, it'd be smart to change the names. I work at a literary agency and I've found that Murphy's law thrives in these instances.
>>7705123
will you publish op's book?
at least tell him which agency so he can deliver you a free pizza
>>7705130
If there is an MS, I really want to see it. I want that deluxe personal cheese pizza with chicken kickers dream memoir.
You all know that OP is the guy who boasts about how he makes really successful troll threads, right? I'm pretty sure he admitted it in the pizza-box thread that it was a complete fiction.
>>7705197
Im going to let you in on a secret about 4channothing is realits all roleplaying
>>7705271
>breaking character
>>7703437
24 and so wise and deeply insightful as to put real people in your text without considering the ramifications. What depth, what foresight, truly a mastercraftsman's blunder.
>>7705568
Have some respect, impetuous troglodyte. Would He have created this thread if he wasn't considering the ramifications?
>>7703252
holy balls man, ever hear of "find and replace"?
Go to bed Tao.
>>7705577
>Would He have created this thread if he wasn't considering the ramifications?
>He
>he
We clearly see you've lost respect for OP following this mishap. He's descended from your treatment of capitalization. You don't have to grieve, He never lived.
>>7705613
What have I done; OP I'm not worthy of admiring you. Forgive me memoir-chan.
