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  1. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    writing about the president

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by deadrats, Apr 23, 2018.

    I have just finished a first draft of my science fiction story. At one point in the story the president addresses the people over tv in an attempt to calm the masses during a zombie apocalypse of sorts. I probably shouldn't call it that since that's not exactly what it is, but it's close to that. Anyway, my problem is with my president character. I just call him the president. It could be anyone, really. Someone thought maybe I should name the president and asked me why I didn't. I said, "Um... because it's Trump." Normally, I might name the president to add some realness, but adding Trump into any story would probably change it and f*ck it all up. Have any of you run into this problem? Would Trump mess up your story? How bad is it not to name a president in your story?
     
  2. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    i'd make up a fictious president - naming Trump is asking to get sued
     
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  3. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Depends on what you're hoping to get out of it. If it's just a television address I don't think you need a name, though it might get awkward if you have characters repeatedly referring to him as "the president" when it would be more natural for them to say "Trump" (or Wiggins or Corky) occasionally. I definitely wouldn't name him "Trump," but you can do a wink-nod thing to indicate that it's him, assuming that's a gag you feel like pursuing. Something like "Even in the face of a zombie horde he didn't have a hair out of place" might be worth a chuckle or a raised eyebrow.

    For what it's worth, Tom Clancy didn't name his presidents (I think) for several of his books, even when they appeared in the flesh. Later when they became more important characters he assigned them names. I might be wrong about this, but I remember noticing it in The Hunt for Red October. It wasn't weird or anything... just notable.
     
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  4. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    That is not something I'm worried about at all. I know a lot of you guys worry about getting sued, but I've been taught and told different stuff than some of you when it comes to this sort of thing. So, if we can drop that whole getting sued thing (though Trump is crazy, but I don't think he reads more than twitter updates) I am just wondering thoughts on a real president or nameless one. If anyone else was president, I would probably use their name. I even thought about using Obama in the story, but it is science fiction so it happens now or futurish, and Obama isn't president anymore so I'm not sure if that would just sound stupid.

    My main reason for not naming Trump is that he's crazy, and if I put him in my crazy story, I'm not sure how believable it would be for him to act normal in a crisis situation.

    I will say this so people don't get hung up on if I can or can't name someone without getting sued. In this case I think most people would see it as a non issue. My president character has a small role of addressing the public on television with an official statement of what is going on. It wouldn't upset or make anyone look bad. Believe it or not, it wouldn't even make Trump look bad at all. He might actually like that he made it into a science fiction story in this way. But I hate him. And I think if he is a character, that changes everything much like his presidency has done.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I would love to hear from others because I'm not exactly sure what I am going to do. The story is done with a nameless president, but it just doesn't sound as grounded as if I actually put a real president in this role.
     
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  5. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    Thanks. It is a television address. I like the example you gave. I might think up something along those lines. But my problem is that even implying it's Trump adds layers of complications I'm not ready to dive into. However, you've got me thinking. Since this hasn't happened yet, who knows who the president will be by the time the undead take over. I might make the president a woman. It wouldn't be Clinton, and I would make it clear that it wasn't her through description or things like that. I probably wouldn't name her. But that might be an interesting option I did't think of before. Thanks for the comment and inspiration.
     
  6. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Yep - it was just 'the president' up to the end of clear and present danger ... (essentially it was Regan/Bush senior but he was only ever reffered to as "The president" - where officials were named they were fictional - as with Admiral Cutter the NSA in C&PD

    For the sum of all fears where the president was shown in a bad light he invented president fowler.... a man who bedded his new NSA (EE) and nearly launched a nuclear war .... Clancy was pretty right wing and it was an open secret that Fowler was essentially Bill Clinton, but TC said in an interview that his lawyers had advised him to fictionalise to avoid risk of law suit

    From there it followed a completely fictional path... VP Durling becoming president in Debt of Honour, then Ryan himself in the next three books, then Kealty, then Ryan again.

    Stephen Coonts on the other hand used Bush Senior and Dan Qualye as character in "Under siege" but generally showed them in a favourable light... all other officials were fictionalised.
     
  7. Indigo Abbie

    Indigo Abbie Member

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    I think even a "crazy" person would slap on a serious face in the case of an apocalypse of any sort so if you want to name it Trump, go for it.

    My suggestion would be to name it something bland, like a typical United States President name. Only because I think naming the president in your story after the current, actual president would date the story.
     
  8. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    You'd think - but we are dealing with a president who announced a missile strike on another country (ahead of time) via twitter. If America today was hit by a ZA the Trump response would be to tweet "Look out Zombies, this country is protected by Smith and Wesson. Normal lawz suspended folk, go whoop some undead arse"

    On point I'd still say make up a fictional name - including someone real means you've got to depict them and how they'd act"
     
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  9. John-Wayne

    John-Wayne Madman Extradinor Contributor

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    I can kind of see this thread going really bad really quick! But before that, personally I would suggest a fictional character so that you don't date your book and can have some more fun with said fictional president if the chance arises. And and I feel this would be the same with any present you used Obama, Clinton, bush or even mr. Trump. I feel like you'd be locking yourself in a corner where either have to some accuracy or parody or both. So make your own president and make him anyway you want.

    And it is in the book for such a small amount of time and just use the generic the president.
     
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  10. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    This I can agree with. A zombie apocalypse is crazy enough. And it's scary to think you nailed what would likely be Trump's actual response. That's why it can't be him. I need the response of a normal president or it will mess up the whole story. And the story is done. If Trump is president in it that would make it a whole different story.

    This is a small role in the story. What are your (or anyone's) thoughts on making it a female president? I'm not sure what it would do if anything to the story, but I kind of like the idea. We can assume there will be a female president in the future and we can assume zombies might come to get us in the future, right? But for real, what do you guys think? Can I make the president female for no good reason other than I kind of want to?
     
  11. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I'm not so worried about dating my story since the plan is to sell it now, but I can see what you're saying. I don't think I'll make up a name, but I am leaning toward the future is female. Any thoughts on that?
     
  12. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I have no intention for this thread to go bad or this to be a political debate and I don't think it is. Already, you guys have helped me think about this and sort of shift where I thought I needed to go with it. Thanks for the response.
     
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  13. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Sure. The only problem I could see would be if it touches some kind of political nerve (or creates an illusion of agenda) in readers and takes the story (for them) to a place you don't want it to go, but that would apply to just about anything political or presidential these days.
     
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  14. John-Wayne

    John-Wayne Madman Extradinor Contributor

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    What is the future is female supposed to mean, what are we men going extinct? I'm pretty sure that would mean they're going extinct as well! And I don't think the spectrum of time has a gender, though I could be wrong. We were all becoming androgynous, but then then there wouldn't be men or women, just androgynous beings, like Android! I want to be an Android! I can help destroy Humanity, LOL.

    Personally, I find the phrase to be silly.

    Edit: we truthfully know the future is animals with hats.
     
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  15. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I'll give this some thought. Thanks. My story does call for a president to say something about what's going on. I was thinking if I make the president female then people will know 100 percent it's not Trump. It's such a small part of the story that I really don't think it would affect readers much. And I would like to think my readers and people in general are as open to reading about a female president as they are about the undead coming to get us. This president character is in the story for one or two paragraphs. That's it. And I don't plan on expanding their role.
     
  16. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    I didn't make up the saying. They sell t-shirts that say that. And it's not a line in my story.
     
  17. 123456789

    123456789 Contributor Contributor

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    Great idea. Make sure it's Tulsi Gabbard or Nina Turner.
     
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  18. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    They made 'cutting edge' TV shows with a female president, didn't they, two years back, to make themselves appear relevant?

    Autistic President, I think for a sci-fi.
     
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  19. soupcannon

    soupcannon Active Member

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    1. noun; the act or process of locating.
    Gasp! How did you know President Corky Wiggins was going to be a character in my upcoming political thriller?!
     
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  20. deadrats

    deadrats Contributor Contributor

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    My president is now a woman. :)
     
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  21. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    I just read a story in the New Yorker that names Trump (and not in a positive light).

    No, you're not going to be sued naming him.

    If it serves the story, name him. Otherwise, it will just date the story and not add anything worthwhile.
     
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