Q: Can fiction be based on a true story and still be fiction?

A: Absolutely

Q: When do you know to call it nonfiction or a novel based on a true story?

A: That depends

I’m sure there are varying degrees of answers to these questions, but I’ll attempt to give you my version below.

The setting of the story may be in a real place and in a time during an actual historical event, but the characters are all fiction. While the setting and plot i...