linking your plot to other fictional events?

[Cli-Fi]

If I wanted to mention a well-known event that happened on a TV Show in my book as if that actually happened is this considered stealing? Would I have to get permission to do this?

I have a cool idea to start with and at first I would link the missing plane in Lost to an event that happened in my book, but that's really all it is; a little background. I do make the readers more aware of why this can actually happen towards the end of the third book. Because it's on a metaphysical level and really delves into hot imagination itself works and where that comes from.

Basically by the third books humans are pure energy and can experience anything they want so it sort of ties in even in the beginning.

 

[Brian G Turner]

If I wanted to mention a well-known event that happened on a TV Show in my book as if that actually happened is this considered stealing? Would I have to get permission to do this?

You're inviting all sorts of potential problems by using anything from any existing Intellectual Property (IP).

Simply put, the moment your hard work is made public, you could face a court order demanding the removal of your book from distribution, plus compensation for the originator and costs for taking the action against you.

It doesn't matter whether the claim is legitimate or not - the fact is, no one wins in the legal process except lawyers, and it is just not worth the risk to intentionally invite it.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I would be extremely wary of this. Not only are there legal consequences, it would also tend to label your work as "fan fiction," with all that implies.

I think it would be better to come up with something original.

 

[Cli-Fi]

I would be extremely wary of this. Not only are there legal consequences, it would also tend to label your work as "fan fiction," with all that implies.

I think it would be better to come up with something original.

Ah thank you. I thought of fan fiction as soon as I posted this, This really is just a mention not really having anything to do with the actual TV Show. So I am not quite sure how that would fall under the fan-fiction banner, but that's not what I want it to be.

 

[Dan Jones]

I think it depends on how you mention it in passing. If you're lifting tropes or set ups rom the show, you're in trouble. If it's a case of someone watching Lost on the TV in your book, or casually mentioning it in dialogue, then that's fine. So while Victoria and Brian are right to be wary, there's probably a tad more - but not much more - nuance in the context.

 

[zmunkz]

Ah thank you. I thought of fan fiction as soon as I posted this, This really is just a mention not really having anything to do with the actual TV Show. So I am not quite sure how that would fall under the fan-fiction banner, but that's not what I want it to be.

I think the moment you plant yourself into the world another person created, you are becoming fan fic. If you decided to write a story about a wizard student at Durmstrang, which had nothing to do with Harry Potter whatsoever save for that one named building, you would nonetheless be trespassing on J.K.Rowling's world. I think the same is true in your example using Lost.

 

[The Big Peat]

There are a few cases of call outs in historical fiction. Simon Scarrow included a reference to Lindsey Davis' Falco in one of his books (although removed it after Davis objected on account of it implying domestic violence); he does the same thing with Cornwell's Richard Sharpe in Fields of Death. It is clearly not absolutely verboten but at the same time, we are dancing in a mine field. And its a lot easier to include someone else's inclusion to our world, then someone else's world altogether.

They're also very passing references, more akin to Martin's Lord Trebor Jordayne of the Tor than what Cli-Fi proposes.