› ›
Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime

name already in use!

magic15magic15
edited June 2010 in - Writing Problems
Hi everyone I have a query reguarding the name of companies which are already use. Only I was planning to use one them later on in novel i.e the nsc which is aleady used and mention it cryptically or indirectly as I have also done a bit of information gathering and googled it to, my question is would any of you use companies that have names i.e the nsc or places that have names which already exist at all without getting sued for libel which is what I am, afraid of happeneing. Also could you recommend a few more names using the letters NSC please
Phil.

Comments

  • dorothyddorothyd
    Definitely would not use names that are already out there, people are too litigious!
  • LizLiz
    I'm not sure what you mean magic.

    How can we suggest names for a company when we don't know what they do?

    You couldn't be sued unless you were talking about a company which had the same name and had the same business... ie if you talked about a company called Heinz which made baked beans, and suggested in your novel that their company is corrupt, or their baked beans are not healthy.

    If the company in your future novel has the same name, but not the same product or service, you'll be fine.

    Or better still, if you want a particular product/service company, why not just make up a name?
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    If you go to the companies house website, that might help. You can look at names for dissolved companies.

    http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/3e22cddb616b2132155161949be345a3/wcframe?name=accessCompanyInfo
  • SilentTonySilentTony
    Not really sure I understand the question to be honest. If you are asking about using a real company as a part of the novel plot then I'd be very cautious indeed. If it is incidental, like using the names of drinks, cars, shops, food or any everyday item that would be part of the characters life then that should be fine. Unless you comment on it as said above like the beans example.
Sign In or Register to comment.