What to expect when basing a novel on real-life drama

Posted on August 13, 2019 at 3:43 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Stephanie Kane knows, from experience, the risks and rewards of using real-life events as inspiration for fiction.

Her novel Quiet Time is based on the actual murder of her then-boyfriend’s mother — and its publication ultimately led to a conviction, thirty years after the crime.

While your reward may be on a smaller scale, such as providing some closure or healing for you, you’re likely to encounter many of the same plot, character, and setting complications that Kane did.

See what choices she had to make and issues to resolve in Writer’s Digest.