Making fact fiction

[loopyloops]

Hi all
I'm trying to write a variety of things at the moment (not being Superscribe, I just can't decide which one I want to pursue).
One is about my year abroad. It is autobiographical, but for many reasons I want to change names etc. How much needs to be changed, do you think? A lot of it is pining for my ex, and I want to avoid him reading it and getting big-headed, whist at the same time protecting my DH. How do I do this? And as for other character assassinations, where friends and family will recognise themselves, is it better to change the story altogether?

Thanks :)

One method I once read about is to change the sex of the person in question.

Do read Charlotte Bronte's The Professor, for a warning of what not to do with regard to autobiography and wish-fulfillment. It is quite cringeworthy.

Dream-sequences could help you get certain traumatic episodes out of you without making them "real".

Is any of this helping?

Or turn it around and have the man pine for his ex! That could annoy your ex!

Thanks for your help, I've only just seen your responses. The Professor was dull as you like.
Yes, changing things around significantly might be a really good idea, thanks PP. :)

Oh, so you had to read the Professor, too! Was it a GCSE/A-Leval text? I can't imagine having read it otherwise, except as a Bronte "fix" after having read everything else. A bit like I have read some dire Agatha Christies because they were obscure and I just hadn't read them yet.... turns out there is a good reason those were obscure! I've now happily moved on to James Anderson and Margery Allingham, much better and richer whodunnit wrters! Meanwhile, "costume drama" has come back, with steampunk! Very exciting. I'm reading a brilliant series at the moment.

Sorry for the lengthy aside, but I imagine as a writer, you will enjoy reading, too, and will admit that books offer different satisfactions - not just the highbrow but the morality-tale (comeuppances, etc.), emotional-resolution tale, and just escapism.

I'll look out for you on the talk boards in future

Yeah, it was a Bronte addiction! (I was very young).

Not a massive fan of the Christie, I've read a few crap ones.

Have to ask, do you have a connection with French grammar? (The name, obv.). I'm a French teacher you see.

Yeah, I keep hoping I have outgrown Agatha Christie. That is really a better thing to do, and something to be prouder of, than outgrowing Bronte!

As for the name, I have studied French and Latin, but I do think the name was a mistake. I'm actually thinking of reverting to an earlier name, (making this one into a "had been" - hahaha . You see: the name encourages me to make stuck-up and silly jokes like that, and I really don't need much encouragement...)

Made me laugh!

Bronte, not so much outgrown as was obsessed with at about 12-13, you know how it is with that kind of thing and you don't want to go back to it?
Well, I had the same with Roald Dahl but now I can read them again, but it has to be in French (well worth it btw.).

Haha, I am now reading any Agatha Christie's in French!

(see what I mean about the sort of posturing "pluperfect encourages?! Gah! Must change back soon...)

I had never thought of Roald Dahl in French! Are translations widely available?

Yes, in France they are, but books in France are always really expensive.
Harry Potter good too.

I've replied to this using the new messaging service, which I believe is just a replacement of the CAT, except without the subscription.

Sorry, anyone else reading this, if the showing off has been obnoxious. We didn't mean it to be showing off!