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Hi,
in 2016 I began writing a story called, Marley for the Win and posting it here. I'm heavily into cycling and TG issues and at the time I was reading the Gaby stories and wanted to do something similar. I got as far as 16 parts then stopped. I changed jobs, and went from a 5 minute commute to a 1 hour commute, way more responsibility and far less free time. I forgot about the story.
During the COVID19 situation I'm working from home and taking lots of walks. On a walk I suddenly remembered this story and my mind started exploring what would happen with Marley, who was 13 or 14 years old.
Now I want to write the story of her in college, I was thinking an interesting plot device would be the women's Little 500 bike race at Indiana University. Problem of course is the details. I'm thinking about just creating a fictional version.
What's worse, a fictional event that is obviously a copy of a real thing. Or writing about the real event and setting but getting the details all wrong because I don't have the real life experience.
My very subjective opinion
I prefer a clear distinction between reality and fiction.
If you portray an actual place or event, details should be correct. For me to find it only almost matching reality breaks "suspension of disbelief" - I stumble on a perceived discrepancy, get a WTF moment, and then have to try to get back into the story again.
Basing your fictional version on the real thing, but e.g. changing names slightly (but keep them recognizable, like "Cape Town" vs. "Cape City" in "Charlie Jade") makes it more into some sort of alternate reality where I do not expect everything to match what I know about the "real" events and places in our reality.
for me
and it seems my readers, you can combine reality with fiction, it just needs some care.
So when I use a real location whether that be a town or just a building, I try to ensure that its recognizable to the point where a visitor wouldn't be going 'what the heck?'. The same with events, so if its a genuine event i'll do my best to get, for example, the race route and timings, something like reality to the point i'll check timetables and journey planners, look to see where motorway services are and so on.
For fictional events/places I do as much background work as for real, so I plot out on maps where a race is going, check that they go up hill when the road does and so on. If its done well readers won't be able to tell reality from total fiction. I think all to often writers spoil stories for want of checking a few facts, yes I know its fiction but the readers buy into it more if there is some detail that they can relate to, it only takes a few minutes to check Google Maps for street names and even route planning.
I'm sure a little bit of searching would give you lots of details of route, timings, format etc of the real Little 500 on which you could base your tale. You don't need to go into deep technical detail but it should feel like the real thing to the reader.
Good luck
Mads
Madeline Anafrid Bell
Wow, thanks for the comments,
Wow, thanks for the comments, so cool!!! So here's an example of my quandary. The specifics of the Little 500 race would mean for my main character to compete they must be a student at the college, in my mind they weren't a student. Does this mean I change my character, or just change the rules of the event. I'm thinking that it makes more sense for me to make my story and characters fit reality then bend reality to fit them.
Thanks for the help, the wheels are turning now. Going to start writing soon!
you don't have
to worry too much, a little 'bending' of reality is allowed, for example, your character could be on some kind of exchange scheme that would qualify them to take part, or ride as a doppelganger for a friend, or.... - well you see where I'm going? (If you do, drop me a line and let me know as I haven't a clue!)
Mads
Madeline Anafrid Bell