Angela's Desk

Boldly Assuming You “Can’t Be Sued” Will Likely Lead to a Lawsuit

March 28, 2012

Boldly Assuming You “Can’t Be Sued” Will Likely Lead to a Lawsuit
Print Friendly

I am not an attorney. I’m just someone who’s been in the publishing business for 18 years and I’ve seen pretty much anything and everything. Please consult with an attorney for legal advice.

An author recently asked me about using real people (friends, relatives, acquaintances) in a novel. I told her doing so would be very risky from a legal standpoint.

She assumed just calling the book “fiction” would protect her from a lawsuit.

She also assumed simply changing a few names would also protect her from a lawsuit.

She then sent me this quote from lawinfo.com:

Can I Be Sued For Defamation Of Character If I Am Writing A Book Based On A True Story?

If you place a “disclaimer” at the beginning that the people and events have been changed to protect the innocent, and that any similarities to actual persons, either living or dead, are merely coincidental, it is not considered defamation of character and you can’t be sued.

I responded:

If anybody can identify the person(s) you are writing about, yes, you can absolutely be sued, even if you’ve changed their name. And, the term “you can’t be sued” is dead wrong. Anybody can sue anybody for anything and there’s no shortage of slimy lawyers that are happy to file frivolous lawsuits in the hopes of a quick pay off. The question of who wins is, of course, important but the legal fees leading up to a win or loss can bankrupt you and/or your publisher.

Just because a website has the word “law” in the URL does not mean it always provides good legal advice. I strongly urge you to consult an attorney before you publish your book.

I just emailed lawinfo.com and lambasted them for publishing that.

I don’t know if you ever read the bestselling novel Running With Scissors but it was based on actual events from the author’s life. He changed everybody’s name, but the family that he described in his book sued him. He settled with them out of court. Read more about that case HERE.

So, you see, yes, you CAN be sued for using real people in fiction even if you change names and publish a disclaimer. Never, ever assume that you “can’t be sued.” Doing so leads to reckless behavior, and boldly assuming you are immune to lawsuits will more than likely lead to a lawsuit against you.

DON’T MISS THIS EXCELLENT ARTICLE BY ATTORNEY MARK FOWLER!
Could I Be Liable for Libel in Fiction?

RELATED



Got questions about Print On Demand and Self-publishing? Ask Angela Hoy.

About The Author

AngelaPortrait72dpismall_400x400

Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the author of 19 books, and the co-owner of BookLocker.com (one of the original POD publishers that still gets books to market in less than a month), PubPreppers.com (print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish), and Abuzz Press (the publishing co-op that charges no setup fees).

Angela has lived and traveled across the U.S. with her kids in an RV, settled in a river-side home in Bradenton, FL, and lived on a 52 ft Irwin sailboat. Angela now resides on a mountaintop in Northwest Georgia, where she plans to spend the rest of her days bird watching, gardening, hiking, and taking in all of the amazing sunrises.

WritersWeekly.com - the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday.

BookLocker.com - According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is: "As close to perfection as you're going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I've ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can't go wrong here. Plus, they're selective and won't publish any manuscript just because it's accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors' books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know."

Abuzz Press offers FAST and FREE book publication, but only accepts a small percentage of submissions, and only works with U.S. authors.

PubPreppers.com - "We Prep, You Publish!" Print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish. Offers formatting and design services only, and then provides simple instructions for authors on where to sign up to have the print and ebook editions printed/listed/sold. Cut out the middle man. Keep 100% of what bookstores pay for your book!

Angela's POD Secrets Revealed Series can be found HERE.

Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers "disgruntled author discounts" to those who want to move from other POD services.)


See BookLocker's publishing packages HERE.


ANGELA ON TWITTER https://twitter.com/AngelaHoy


BOOKLOCKER ON FACEBOOK - Provides links to free excerpts!
https://www.facebook.com/booklockerbooks


ANGELA ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/angela.hoy.750


ANGELA ON LINKEDIN
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahoy/


Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/



Read More Of Angela's Articles HERE


ADVERTISEMENT

90 DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE
Your Book’s Daily Marketing Plan

PLUS “After 90 Days!”
Day-by-Day Promotional Tasks for Ongoing Sales

https://writersweekly.com/books/5948.html

Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90…and beyond!

Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/90daysofpromo
@90daysofpromo