MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Do you need permission to write about public places?

ficbot · 12-23-2009, 01:01 AM

I am curious what the rules are about writing fiction which involves public places. I wonder if sometimes authors make up fake towns so they don't have to worry about offending people or getting details wrong by, say, having a crime in the story take place at an actual location. And what about locations which are proper names, do you need permission to use the names? Does it depend on how detailed you are or what the plot is?

For example, if my story is set in New York and I mention that my protagonist is a jogger and jobs past the Empire State Building, I doubt I would need to get permission from the Empire State Building for this. But what if my plot significantly occurs there? What if major story events happen there?

I am asking because I have a great idea for a story which involves a group of activists who decide to go 'off the grid' by taking up residence in hidden spots with the subway tunnels of the city. They set up a whole little civilization down there and various events happen. Would I get in trouble for using the real names of the stations? I might be better off just inventing a fake city and fake subway system, I suppose, but the subway is a public place and part of the local landscape. I am just curious if they really can prevent people from making art based on that.

12-23-2009, 01:01 AM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Do you need permission to write about public places? I am curious what the rules are about writing fiction which involves public places. I wonder if sometimes authors make up fake towns so they don't have to worry about offending people or getting details wrong by, say, having a crime in the story take place at an actual location. And what about locations which are proper names, do you need permission to use the names? Does it depend on how detailed you are or what the plot is? For example, if my story is set in New York and I mention that my protagonist is a jogger and jobs past the Empire State Building, I doubt I would need to get permission from the Empire State Building for this. But what if my plot significantly occurs there? What if major story events happen there? I am asking because I have a great idea for a story which involves a group of activists who decide to go 'off the grid' by taking up residence in hidden spots with the subway tunnels of the city. They set up a whole little civilization down there and various events happen. Would I get in trouble for using the real names of the stations? I might be better off just inventing a fake city and fake subway system, I suppose, but the subway is a public place and part of the local landscape. I am just curious if they really can prevent people from making art based on that.