By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Writing a story about an actual person or event provides an opportunity for readers to explore, invoke sensory perception, and imagine themselves as those who lived through a notable time in history. A real or fictitious character who embarks upon the established adventure sets the stage for an incredible story.

The writer can borrow information from a source in history or front-page news, but either process has three challenges:

1. How much information can a writer use legally without being guilty of plagiarism?
2. How can the event or person be used to create an intriguing story?
3. If a real person is part of the story and recognized as a hero or heroine, how does the writer show growth and change?

At first glance, the prospect is intriguing. The facts and research are documented and adding characters and fiction to tell the story should be . . . easy. But the development requires skill and technique to accomplish the goals of an unforgettable story.

The key lies in striking the right balance between staying true to the source material and offering a structured, engaging, and dynamic narrative that resonates with readers. To create an effective plot, consider the following components:

1. A character who steps into a reader’s heart and takes permanent residence. He/she is three-dimensional, feeling, thinking, acting, and reacting person who has a dynamic backstory that explains behavior in the present.
2. A plot that identifies a problem and employs a complicated means of solving it. Mounting conflict moves the storyline forward.
3. A strong point of view expressed by the character who has the most to lose and the most to gain in every scene. For a recognizable person in history as the protagonist, traits must identify with what is commonly accepted about the person.
4. A credible display of character emotions motivated by the five Ps: past, present, passion, personality, and persuasion. Life experiences influenced the real person’s emotions. Identifying with the person and creating how he/she reacted and responded to various situations can be a tightrope, but when completed effectively, readers will praise the writer.
5. A dialogue linked to genre, culture, setting, and detailed characterization.
6. A setting with strong antagonistic traits.
7. A climax that explodes naturally from all the happenings and events leading up to the black moment.
8. A critical resolution designed to meet reader satisfaction. It must tie all the loose ends and answer all the questions.

The plot doesn’t have to match the historical or front-page headlines, but it needs to be believable. Writers take seeds from verified 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 or event is a task worth the hard work.

How do you suggest a writer create a story from real events and people?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

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