The SoA Advisory Clinic: Whose life (story) is it anyway? A guide for writers taking subjects and inspiration from real life

SoA Sounds

True life experience can provide a rich resource for writers considering the subject and content of their next book. You may have discovered a hitherto unremarked life story that would lend itself well to memoir or be considering how to incorporate situations or experiences from real life into your next work of fiction. But what of the legal issues that may apply to you when handling information and material relating to living people? How do you ensure you have what you need when undertaking your research with your chosen subject? How do you ensure you don’t risk infringing upon a person’s privacy rights or falling foul of defamation laws. This episode will cover the three key areas to be aware of when writing about living people: copyright, privacy and defamation. It will also explore how defamation laws are open to abuse by powerful individuals or organisations to stifle freedom of expression in the public interest.

Show notes

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• The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho: "An absolutely thrilling, throat-catching wonder of a historical novel" STEPHEN F a book by PATERSON JOSEPH. (bookshop.org)
• Afternoon Tea with Paterson Joseph
• Watch Succession – on NOW (nowtv.com)
• Professional Development - Writing about Real Life
• judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Banks-v-Cadwalladr-judgment-280223.pdf
• www.antislapp.uk
• Human Rights Act 1998 (legislation.gov.uk)
• House of Lords - Campbell (Apellant) v. MGN Limited (Respondents) (parliament.uk)
• VON HANNOVER v. GERMANY (coe.int)
• The Guardian's Editorial Code | About | The Guardian
• Copinger and Skone James on Copyright - Paperback | Intellectual Property | Sweet & Maxwell (sweetandmaxwell.co.uk)
• The Society of Authors (vimeo.com)
• Events - The Society of Authors