Q –

I want to write about my childhood experiences involving experiences I shared with friends. I’d really like to use their names, and surprise them with a copy of the book when it’s finished. What advice can you give me about this? Is there already an article about writing about your childhood on WritersWeekly?

M.E.

A –

We always recommend changing the names entirely when you are writing about life events. You should also consider changing other identifying info. in each story. You never know when someone from your past has grown up to be a litigious adult. And, even if you change their names, they can still sue you if they disagree with what you’ve written.

The article you are looking for is here:
Don’t Invite Lawsuits by Real People Featured in Your Book! (Hint: You Can Still Be Sued Even If You Don’t Name Them!)

Brian Whiddon
Managing Editor – WritersWeekly.com
Operations Manager – BookLocker.com

Brian Whiddon is the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly.com and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.com. An Army vet and former police officer, Brian is the author of Blue Lives Matter: The Heart behind the Badge. He's an avid sailor, having lived and worked aboard his 36-foot sailboat, the “Floggin’ Molly” for 9 years after finding her abandoned in a boat yard and re-building her himself. Now, in northern Georgia, when not working on WritersWeekly and BookLocker, he divides his off-time between hiking, hunting, and farming.

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