Do I Need Permission?

[mom_of_four]

This is kind of an off-topic, off-the-wall question and it doesn't have anything to do with the bible. I didn't know where else to post it. I guess the family forum is as good as any other place. I am wondering if anyone knows if I would need permission from family members before I could write a book about things that have happened in my life? That is if I am going to put them in the book (which I intend to). So much has happened in my life. And I wouldn't be doing this for profit. I just think it would be kind of therapeutic to write this stuff out and it would help me to heal from things that have happened. I wrote a short book in my teen years though it was never published and it wasn't a biography. It was purely fictional and was never published. But, I love to write. Just wondering if I need permission before writing this. The reason I am wondering is because I would like to send it to a publisher. Not to have lots and lots of copies made - but just one copy for me to keep. Anyone know if I need permission? I plan on using real people's names and some of the events are not very pleasant to read about these people. Anyone know?

[mom_of_four]

Truth is, I would rather people didn't even know that I wrote this book. I would keep it in my closet.

[Firefighter]

Why not just change the names?

[mom_of_four]

Why not just change the names?

I guess I could....I had thought of that. I could even give them names that are similar to their own. Just got to come up with some names..hhmmm

[Dani H]

Why not write it in fiction form and change the names?

Just be careful, as dragging people's skeleton out in public, can very easily backfire, as we all have our own skeletons and things we're not proud of. Would you like other people to put you in their books in ways that highlight your less admirable moments?

[GitRDunn]

I'm no legal expert, but I don't believe there would be anything wrong with it in a legal sense. However, I think changing the names, at a minimum, would be a good idea because Dani's advice is good.

[Firefighter]

Would you like other people to put you in their books in ways that highlight your less admirable moments?

Ahem... I don't have any less admirable moments thank you very much! Hrrmph!

[Diggindeeper]

To be sure and to prevent someone from suing you for libel or for defamation of character, I would use fake names.

I copied this from an online legal dictionary:

Any intentional false communication, either written or spoken, that harms a person's reputation; decreases the respect, regard, or confidence in which a person is held; or induces disparaging, hostile, or disagreeable opinions or feelings against a person.

Defamation may be a criminal or civil charge. It encompasses both written statements, known as libel, and spoken statements, called slander.

So, you can write it, but I would NOT use actual names. I would also include the statement: "certain names have been changed" and you could say, "this work is based on actual events".

Don't chance a law suit or else. Who wants to be sued?

[Slina]

I remember reading about people getting sued over stuff like this, though if you don't intend for anyone to read it ever then you're probably fine (though yeah, go ahead and change names to be safe). If anyone you included does read it and even think it was libel, they could pretty easily take you to court over it, and regardless of outcome that's something that's best avoided if possible.

[The Mighty Sword]

I give you permission to not change Firefighters name

[Diggindeeper]

Ahem... I don't have any less admirable moments thank you very much! Hrrmph!

RIGHT! Talk all you want to about Firefighter. EVERYTHING you say about him would have to be good, praise worthy, honest, portray a good 'role model', and everyone would be wanting to read your book if they heard about it!

By the way, don't forget that if something happened to you, heaven forbid, but someone would find that book and read it and pass it around.

[Dani H]

If this is about a personal cathartic/cleansing/letting go issue, then write the thing, pour whatever you can think of into it, sit on it for a few weeks, then read it, pray over it, let things go as God leads, forgive whoever is involved ... and then toss it in the fire and watch it burn.

That's what I would do, personally.

[mom_of_four]

I am going to change all the names of everyone - including my name. Then, I am going to write it in 3rd person style as if it is a story about someone else. Knowing me, I will probable never get it published. I would like to. But, won't probably take the time or spend the money to do so. It will be another story I have written that will end up in a manilla folder filed away in my closet. But, I do think it will be therapeutic. Thanks for all of your advice.

[moonglow]

I am going to change all the names of everyone - including my name. Then, I am going to write it in 3rd person style as if it is a story about someone else. Knowing me, I will probable never get it published. I would like to. But, won't probably take the time or spend the money to do so. It will be another story I have written that will end up in a manilla folder filed away in my closet. But, I do think it will be therapeutic. Thanks for all of your advice.

They have these companies now where you can pay them to publish your book for a price and tell them how many copies you want printed...be it one or a few. No publisher is going to agree to publishing just one anyway because they are in the business of making money...they pay to have it published with the idea they can make money on the sales in which you get part of that money...this way you can have just one published.

Check this out: 6 ways to publish your own book

Hope that helps.

God bless

[mom_of_four]

I might or might not have it published. Not sure. Either way, I am sure that no one will ever be reading it except for me and my husband. I just have a need and a desire to do this. Crazy as it may sound, I have already started writing it. I am going to copy and paste a small excert from Chapter one below. Please let me know what you all think about it. By the way, my real name is not Josie

"Red. No, not exactly red. More like a faded, weathered shade of maroon. A washed-out, tired looking color. The kind you see on a barn that has witnessed generations of change. A faded maroon splashed onto a white, blank canvas. This color was symbolic of Josie’s life. As she stood there looking at the color she had mixed on her artist tray. This color spoke to her. There was something about a faded, dark color that seemed to be more believable and seasoned than a bright color would be. Bright colors seemed to portray youth, innocence, liveliness, and spontaneity. Darker, more faded colors were like old friends. They were experienced, trustworthy, and knew their paths in life.
Josie like these colors best. They reminded her of herself. Even though she was only 14 years old, she felt as though she were much older at times. She didn’t seem to fit in anywhere. She was too young to be trusted with adult matters. She was rarely asked to join in on adult conversations. Yet, she felt as though most girls her age were so immature and naïve about the world around them.
And then there was her family. Her parents had married at a young age. They had their first two children early in their lives. Then, much later, she came along. From the first day, Josie had always been told she was an “accident” and “unplanned”. And even though she knew her parents loved her, it didn’t take the sting out of those words when she heard them. There were times when she felt so alone. Josie’s sisters were much older than she was. Shelley was 13 when Josie was born. Deidra was 10 when Josie was born. Growing up in a house with no one your age is a lonely thing. So, Josie turned to painting. The canvas was always there to listen. The canvas never judged her or laughed when she cried. And no one tried to tell Josie what colors to choose or how to use them in her paintings. It was the only part of her life that she had control over.
Josie had dozens of tubes of paint. Most girls her age would spend their birthday money on clothes. But, Josie always bought art supplies. And she carefully used each and every tube. She would roll the tube up tightly and squeeze out every last little drop as if it would be the last tube of paint she would ever be permitted to buy. She would spend hours contemplating on what colors would complement each other and how to make them tell a story as she painted with them. She often times found herself daydreaming as she painted. She would dream of living in those paintings – walking down those country roads that lead to nowhere or sitting by those streams watching her reflection in the water as the sun glistened on the surface. It was her way of escape. It was her way of dealing with the world around her."