Do you have to acknowledge current events in your story?

[CrimsonGenius]

Like acknowledge political figures and events.

Me, my story, if I acknowledge
it, is like JFK was never assassinated, so a chain of events lead to different people being in different positions in authority.

Basically I will have a fictional leader.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Nope, it's your story. When you say pigs are veggies, they're veggies in your story, I mean who's gonna stop you?

 

[Succubiome]

I think you only have to note it if it's relevant to the story?

Unless you mark it as historical fiction or alternate history or something like that, most people will be like "Oh, President Notareal Guy, sure, this story is not mirroring RL perfectly" and move on when they're mentioned in passing.

But if the story is about, say, this fictional presidential legacy, people might need to understand at least the basics of historical differences to appreciate it.

I guess I might include one early thing in your story to imply it's not precisely our RL world, just to set expectations?

 

[Rhaps]

I do to some degree, like to change some historical events. I.e, Saxon didn't take over Britain, but Brits will always be Brits.

As a precaution, put this Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

That's known as an alternate universe, very common in storytelling. I use that method myself, though I don't go into specifics about where the universe I write about diverged from the real world.

 

[Corty]

No.

I write to escape current events.

 

[miyoga]

Nope, it's your story. When you say pigs are veggies, they're veggies in your story, I mean who's gonna stop you?

Bacon, the ultimate veg-fruit-carb-dairy-protein, pre-/post-workout, hormone-free, organic superfood that reverses and stops aging, cures cancer, promotes a healthy gut-biome, and is full of fiber. In short, absolute deliciousness.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Like acknowledge political figures and events.

Me, my story, if I acknowledge
it, is like JFK was never assassinated, so a chain of events lead to different people being in different positions in authority.

Basically I will have a fictional leader.

I have Keanu Christ, which is Keanu Reeves combined with Jesus Christ.

Bacon, the ultimate veg-fruit-carb-dairy-protein, pre-/post-workout, hormone-free, organic superfood that reverses and stops aging, cures cancer, promotes a healthy gut-biome, and is full of fiber. In short, absolute deliciousness.

YES.
DEEP FRIED BACON FOR THE WIN.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Not current events, but I do have to acknowledge past events from the past 200 years.

 

[Daitengu]

Depends.
1. If it matters to the characters.
2. If it matters to the plot.

Now, you don't have to spell out the reason behind the difference to the read. Contextual situations and character remarks can be enough. Sometimes random news works. Like the time Buzz Aldrin punched out a fake moon landing journalist. Have a retired Kennedy support Buzz. Kinda overt, but you're not directly saying "hey, I decided to let Kennedy live".

 

[KrakenRiderEmma]

I deliberately went with an alternate universe that diverges pretty recently -- around 2010.
That way it's not VERY different, but I can ignore a lot of recent stuff that I'd rather only reference indirectly, or have alternate versions of.

 

[Domoviye]

Like acknowledge political figures and events.

Me, my story, if I acknowledge
it, is like JFK was never assassinated, so a chain of events lead to different people being in different positions in authority.

Basically I will have a fictional leader.

No need to acknowledge them unless it directly affects the plot.
Whenever I write something in the modern day, or set in the past as a historical story, I automatically make it a fictional Earth that superficially resembles the real world. Makes it much easier for me.

 

[Chrono157]

No, I like high fantasy novels so that I can get away from the real world and immerse myself in a fantasy world. It allows me to get some rest from the stresses of everyday life.

 

[VictorDLopez]

I would agree with others here that you only need to acknowledge current events if it is relevant to the story. The story itself can make it clear that current events are the same or different from reality. If the reader will not be able to tell what the divergence is and why it happened, then it is probably a good idea to clarify what is different in your fictional universe and why. The story itself will usually do that either directly or indirectly through subtle changes that will lead the reader to realize something is not quite right or the same with the world. Clues can be subtle if it helps the story. If the South won the Civil War and your story is set in Georgia, that fact will likely become obvious pretty quickly, but perhaps less so if it is set in New York. "Show rather than tell" is usually a good rule to follow. But that also depends on who the target audience is and what you can assume they know about the world generally and how quickly they may be able to realize they're in an alternate history/universe. If your story begins with President Amy Lyn, or with a president with an 80 percent approval rating your reader will know the story is set either in the future or in an alternate history rather than in the present or recent past. But if it is a children's story, that may not be as obvious.