How to Write Stories Based on Reality

Balancing Truth and Creativity in Fiction Based on a True Story

Writing fiction based on a true story offers a unique challenge and opportunity for authors. Blending the structure and creativity of fiction with the reality of actual events can create a compelling, emotionally rich narrative. However, it also requires care in balancing truth with artistic license.

Whether you’re inspired by historical events, personal experiences, or news stories, here’s a comprehensive guide to crafting fiction based on real-life events while maintaining both authenticity and engaging storytelling!

Fiction Based on a True Story

Fiction based on a true story involves writing a narrative where the central plot, characters, or settings are derived from actual events or real-life figures. While these stories are grounded in reality, writers are not confined to retelling historical facts verbatim. Instead, they weave the truth into fictionalized versions, allowing for artistic exploration and creative expression. Authors often take real-life scenarios as a starting point and build from there, adding their interpretations, imaginations, and fictional elements.

Why Write Fiction Based on a True Story?

Many writers are drawn to telling stories rooted in reality for various reasons. Real-life events can provide rich material, grounding a story in emotional truth and universal human experiences. Historical fiction, for example, allows readers to learn about past events through immersive storytelling, while personal memoirs may provide deeper insights into individual struggles, triumphs, and emotions.

Moreover, fiction based on a true story often carries a strong sense of authenticity. Readers are drawn to real events, especially those with significant cultural or emotional weight. Writing such stories allows authors to honor the memories, histories, or legacies of individuals and moments that have shaped society.

How Do You Choose the Right True Story?

Before beginning, it’s crucial to decide which story you want to fictionalize. Here are a few considerations for selecting the right real-life event:

Personal Connection: Fiction based on a true story often carries a sense of personal relevance. If you feel emotionally connected to an event or individual, your passion will be evident in the writing. This could be a family history, a moment in your life, or a societal event you’ve witnessed.

Significance: Choose an event or story that has personal, emotional, or historical significance. Whether it’s a love story, a political shift, or a life-changing moment, the weight of the true story will resonate with readers.

Potential for Fictionalization: Not every true story will translate well into fiction. Some events might be better left as non-fiction or memoirs. Consider whether there is room for creative exploration and character development that adds layers to the narrative.

The Balance Between Fact and Fiction

One of the biggest challenges when writing fiction based on a true story is knowing how much to alter and how much to retain from the real-world events. Striking the right balance between accuracy and artistic freedom is key.

Research Thoroughly

Before you begin writing, immerse yourself in as much source material as possible. This could include books, articles, interviews, documentaries, or even conversations with people who experienced the events. The more detailed your research, the more authentic your fictional world will feel.

Creative License

While your story might be based on true events, there’s no rule saying you must adhere strictly to what happened. Think of it as a starting point. You can adjust details, create composite characters, or even tweak the timeline to suit the narrative flow. Fiction allows you to enhance emotional depth, create intrigue, and develop characters in a way that feels true to the spirit of the events, even if it isn’t an exact replica.

Character Development

When writing fiction based on a true story, you have the opportunity to build multi-dimensional characters. Real-life people may inspire your characters, but don’t feel the need to capture them perfectly. Instead, focus on their emotional truth—the internal conflicts, desires, and relationships they might have experienced.

Theme over Facts

Fiction based on a true story often focuses more on the underlying themes than the exact events. A true story may be transformed by exploring themes like loss, redemption, love, or survival, giving you the freedom to present events in a way that serves the overall message of the work.

How Do You Handle Sensitive Subjects?

Writing about real-life events, particularly those involving trauma, loss, or injustice, comes with responsibility. You must approach sensitive topics with care and respect.

Respect Privacy and Integrity: If your work is inspired by real individuals, be mindful of their privacy. Avoid writing anything that could cause harm or distress, and ensure that you handle their portrayal with respect. Sometimes, authors will choose to fictionalize names, settings, and details to avoid legal or emotional repercussions.

Consider the Ethical Implications: With fiction based on a true story, especially if the story involves distressing events, be mindful of how you portray individuals and communities. Sensitivity to the subject matter will maintain your story’s integrity and prevent it from feeling exploitative.

Avoid Glamourizing or Simplifying: Real-life events can often be messy, complicated, and painful. Don’t shy away from the complexities of human experience. Avoid oversimplifying or romanticizing difficult topics in ways that feel disingenuous or shallow. By embracing the complexity, you create a more realistic and relatable narrative.

How Can You Avoid Confusing Readers with a Blended Story?

When fiction based on a true story intertwines fact and fiction, it’s important to ensure your readers can follow the narrative. A confusing storyline or lack of clarity can undermine the impact of your work. Here are ways to maintain clarity while blending the two:

Clear Demarcation of Fact vs. Fiction: One method for helping readers understand the fictionalized nature of your work is to provide context in the beginning, such as an author’s note. This explains which elements of the story are rooted in truth and where the fiction takes over. Providing transparency upfront allows readers to appreciate the blend of fact and fiction rather than feeling misled.

Seamless Integration: Rather than alternating between fact and fiction, strive to integrate real events into the story naturally. Characters, settings, and historical moments can be woven into the fictional world in a way that doesn’t jar the reader’s experience. By gradually revealing real events through character interactions, internal monologues, or the setting, you maintain an immersive, believable world.

Consistency: Ensure that the tone, narrative style, and character development remain consistent throughout the novel, even when blending real and fictional elements. Keeping your storytelling voice steady ensures that readers can track the story and feel grounded in the fictional world you’ve built.

Examples of Fiction Based on a True Story

There are many successful examples of authors who have skillfully written fiction based on true stories, offering insight into how to balance factual events with imaginative exploration.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: This novel tells the story of two sisters living in France during World War II. While the characters and certain plot elements are fictional, the horrors of war and the resistance efforts are deeply rooted in history.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain: A historical fiction novel about the relationship between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. McLain uses the real-life backdrop of Hemingway’s life to craft an emotionally rich narrative.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick: Although written as non-fiction, this book has elements that blur the line between fact and story. It covers the real-life sinking of the Essex, which inspired Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.

Crafting Fiction that Honors the Truth

Writing fiction based on a true story offers both unique challenges and rewards. It allows authors to explore powerful real-life moments while still exercising creative freedom. The key lies in balancing authenticity with fictional elements, respecting the truth, and carefully blending fact and imagination. When done thoughtfully, fiction based on a true story can captivate readers, educate them, and offer deep emotional resonance.

Erin K. Larson-Burnett, Production Manager at Atmosphere Press (submit your manuscript here!), is a born-and-raised Southerner currently living in Katy, Texas, with her husband and their small domestic zoo. She is an avid ink drinker who lives and breathes books—during the day, she works remotely with authors around the world, honing and perfecting books published through Atmosphere Press. By night, she crafts her own stories…or at least tries to. The Bear & the Rose is her debut novel.