Deadly need not refer solely to a physical body’s demise. To suspense writers like us, a  fiery verbal interaction among friends or family members can provide the impetus for verbal assassination of a book character.

Motive? Revenge for a harsh word or action perpetrated against us in real life!

In fact, we become so incensed, we contemplate using the verbal culprit’s real name in our book!

Let’s get real! Unless you decide to write under an alias, I advise you to take a breath as you consider the 3 consequences of verbally assassinating your book characters:

FEAR! How will character assassination, even with ALL names changed, impact future relationship with this person?

DECEIT! Even if your nemesis never reads your book, are you prepared to keep the truth from this person forever?

LOSS! Are you comfortable with duplicity rupturing your relationship with the offending person?

If these 3 consequences are a bitter pill you prefer not swallow, summon up courage and confess your book intentions.

SELF-REDEMPTION! It well may be the case that although you were all worked up about a perceived verbal humiliation, the other person failed to even lose one night’s sleep. That person has no problem with you doing a character assaination using them as your black angel!

That said, protect yourself by changing names, occupations, and possonly even the authentic setting.

The relief you’ll feel at having “come clean” to the real person involved enables will enable you to live your truth, guilt-free.

Wait! You ARE guilt-free, right??