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'any similarity to persons living or dead is a coincidence etc, etc'

pbwpbw
edited August 2010 in - Writing Problems
How do you ensure that the characters you invent and the company names do not inadvertently allude to real entities? A certain amount can be checked by Googling and other research but can anyone advise the best way to be sure? For example, I have to refer to a legal practice in my book. Let's say I've called them 'Grabbit, Bill and Gredie Limited' Family Solicitors. What's the best way to ensure that there isn't really a firm called this and that I am not libelling them? Incidentally if there is a firm called by that name then any reference is entirely coincidental and does not in anway infer any reference to them....well you know what I'm saying. How do you all handle it?

Comments

  • dorothyddorothyd
    that's for the publishers to worry about, PBW, not the writer. Your task is to do the best you can to ensure you don't libel anyone. It's impossible to check all names and all companies, you could run a check through the Law Society for your solicitors, perhaps, but provided what you are writing is not libellous, there should not be a problem.
  • CarolCarol
    And it would be unlikely that where you have set them would bare any relation to reality, and basic checks would tell you that.
    You can't avoid using names of real people.
    You can google that name and use something relevent to the profession you've given them to pin down any possible living people if tou are very concerned...
  • Stan2Stan2
    ^
  • RosalieRosalie
    I would recommend that the author takes responsibilty for this kind of checking - especially in the case of a character in your book whose professional capabilities are portrayed as poor! Most publishers are conscientious and will help you in this area but you might need to express your concerns to them first. Don't just leave it to the publisher to take the initiative.

    Also, it's very easy to pick a name you think has come from your imagination, when in fact it's one you've heard and half-remembered from somewhere.
  • St ForceSt Force
    edited August 2010
    The name of my book is the same name of a noble that tried to overpower Queen Elisabeth the 1st. He was put to death when he failed. He had EUX on the end of his name while my book would only have an A. He isn't well known... Would I have to change my title?
  • dorothyddorothyd
    No

    There are many books out there which are a single name title, Rebecca comes to mind for a start. The whole point is this libellous bit. Seriously, if you check on google and nothing comes up that resembles the name you have chosen, whether for business or individual and you are sure that nothing you write is libellous, scandalous or anything, it's fine.

    Now me, I am writing of people who still have family/friends etc living, so some of my books must go past the lawyers first, the Duchess of Windsor is one. That's a whole different ball game to a work of pure fiction.
  • DwightDwight
    In some cases, the meaning of the name might lead you into hot water unless you get it vetted. With Chinese names, for instance, you maight call your protagonist Han Chun Wang. This might turn out to implicate the president's wife with shocking debauchery ;) .
  • CarolCarol
    StF, you cannot libel the dead, only the living.
    Titles are not copyright- though you'd have trouble if you used Harry Potter in the title...;)
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