Real people often find their way into our stories, whether as supporting characters in nonfiction or as inspiration for characters in fiction. Writing about them can be tricky, especially when a character's memories of past events don't align with yours. Because memory is often imperfect, what do we need to consider when writing about real people, directly or indirectly? How much should we rely on our own memories versus others' perceptions of events? And when and how do legal matters come into play?

Hope Edelman is the author of eight nonfiction books, including the bestsellers Motherless Daughters, Motherless Mothers, and The AfterGrief. A graduate of the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program, she has been teaching at the Festival since 1995.