DAE get flak for basing characters on real people in prompt responses?

I used a prompt about a family secret and modeled a character after my aunt without asking. Some friends say it's creative freedom, but others call it a betrayal of trust. I'm stuck between wanting to write honestly and hurting someone close. Where do you all draw the line with inspiration vs. privacy?

3 comments

3 Comments

david7391mo ago

When I was in college, I based a villain on my old boss. It felt right for the story, but when friends read it, they knew it was him. Now I change enough details so no one can tell who it is, like mixing traits from multiple people. If the secret is something that could hurt them, I'd make it up completely or ask first. Writing honestly doesn't mean using real names and events, it means getting the feelings right. Try writing the scene first, then go back and change the character until it's someone new.

harper7341mo ago

I read a piece by a novelist who said they take real feelings but put them in made up people. They described using the anger from a breakup but giving the character a different face and job. That way, the emotion is real but the person isn't recognizable. It's a good way to write truth without the mess.

evan2951mo agoMost Upvoted

Actually, what if the feeling itself needs to change to fit the new person? Like, anger from a breakup might be sharp and sudden, but for an old farmer losing his land, it could be a slow burn. If you just copy-paste the emotion, it feels stuck in your life, not theirs. I tried writing a kid's fear of darkness based on my fear of heights, and it fell flat until I made the fear about unseen noises, not falling. You have to let the feeling adapt to its new home.