Putting Real Stuff in Your Fake Stuff

We all incorporate the real world into our fiction. It’s impossible not to. Maybe we base a character on someone we love–or hate. Maybe we write a story inspired by a real life event–something that happened to us, or something we heard about in the news, or in a history book. But what are the ethics of this? Are we “stealing” other people’s experiences? Are we exploiting other people? What, if anything, do we owe the people we’re taking from? But insisting on some kind of gag rule is censorious and unreasonable and unrealistic. Here to weigh in is Ryan Estrada.

[Transcript here.]

Links:

• Ryan Estrada’s website
• “Cat Person” and Me
• Who is the Bad Art Friend?
• Bad Art Friends & Mediocrity Mafias

About Rite Gud: R. S. Benedict is an author, appearing in Fantasy and Science Fiction and Gardner Dozois’ The Very Best of the Best: 35 Years of The Year’s Best Science Fiction. Matt Keeley, founder of Kittysneezes, is producing Rite Gud for KS Media, LLC. Rite Gud is a Kittysneezes production. If you have questions, comments and concerns, email ritegud – at – kittysneezes – dot – com. Rite Gud is also on Patreon, at patreon.com/ritegud. Patrons receive access to the official Kittysneezes Discord, exclusive episodes and more.

The Rite Gud theme is by OK Glass. Follow them on Twitter, YouTube and Bandcamp, and at OK.Glass.

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