by DiAnn Mills, @diannmills

Throughout time, the world has provided us with real people who attempted feats of courage to survive the odds against them. Those heroes and heroines tapped into mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual strength to battle and overcome obstacles. Those bigger-than-life people laid the foundation for fascinating stories to captivate readers.

The process of creating a fictional account or story based on real people challenges the writer to weave facts into characters and events, which allows the reader to walk the pages of the adventure with the character. The process sets the stage for an incredible story seen through a unique POV by using emotion, symbolism, and sensory perception that fits into the real person.

The writer explores information from reliable sources, libraries, respected websites, front-page news, or the latest media report to pull out facts and discover between-the-line possibilities. But the process has three challenges that must be addressed:

How much information can a writer use legally without the threat of plagiarism? Copying and pasting from previously published works is illegal.How can the event or person be used to create an intriguing story? The basis of heroism is a personality open to wisdom and learning. Story is line after line of emotive conflict, and the problem lingers on what could have happened vs. what might have happened.If a real person is part of the story and recognized as a hero or heroine, how does the writer show growth and change?

For many writers, the prospect is intriguing. The facts and research are documented, and adding characters and literary techniques to tell the story should be . . . easy. But the story requires skill to develop unforgettable and unpredictable characters.

What do writers need to accomplish their story?A character who steps into a reader’s heart and takes permanent residence. They are three-dimensional, feeling, thinking, acting, and reacting people who have a dynamic backstory that explains behavior in the present.A plot that identifies a problem and employs a complicated means of solving it. Mounting conflict moves the storyline forward.A strong point of view expressed by the character who has the most to lose and gain in every scene. For the protagonist to represent a recognizable person in history, traits must identify with what is commonly accepted about the person.A credible display of character emotions motivated by the past, present, passion, personality, and persuasion. Life experiences will have influenced the real person’s emotions. How do those critical parts of story line up with facts? Showing how the person reacted and responded to various situations can be a tightrope, but when completed effectively, readers will praise the writer.A dialogue linked to genre, culture, setting, and detailed characterization.A setting with strong antagonistic traits.A climax that explodes naturally from all the happenings and events leading up to the black moment.A critical resolution designed to meet reader satisfaction. It must tie all the loose ends and answer all the questions. Accuracy to facts is a must.Using fiction techniques for the sake of story is needed for rising action, but a writer who changes history might not find their story accepted.

The plot doesn’t have to match the historical or front-page headlines, but it must be believable. Writers take seeds from established facts and massage what’s necessary into the character’s life. Fascinating backgrounds help writers create a similar or fresh story idea.

The prospect of creating a story from a real person is a task worth the hard work. Done properly, the reader is entertained, encouraged, inspired, and learns more about what shaped our world.

Are you ready to roll back your writing sleeves and take on the project?

 

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, conference consultant for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn or her website: diannmills.com

 

Author @diannmills shares expert tips on creating compelling stories from real people while respecting facts and legal boundaries:
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