How long before one can introduce fictonial people into TLs

In my TLs it depends on what I'm going for. For example, in "End of an Age" I've only gone four decades from the POD, but a lot of the figures who were important OTL won't be born (Shapur II, Constantine I, St Athanasius), others who were obsure OTL have become major players TTL (Vaballathus, Victorianus II, Bahram III), and some have had lives similar to OTL (Diocletian, Arius, Claudius II, Tiridates III). Very soon only fictional characters will be showing up (though some might have familiar names). Of course this only applies to the Roman world - China's history has been unchanged so far.

By contrast, my US politics TL, which will come up sometime next week, won't use fictional characters because it will be more interesting to see how OTL politicians are different in that world.
 
And in any event, "Da Vinci" isn't a name. It just signifies that Leonardo came from the town of Vinci.

And what with all the other Renaissance superman polymaths of Vinci, using this moniker will clearly cause confusion. Your objection is just and noble, as opposed to if this were not the case, where it would be base pedantry.
 
Now, something in the Middle Ages, I'd have whole different countries colonizing, etc., but also, because of time limitations, I wouldn't be doing incredibly specific things, just generally saying what happens. So, I wouldn't be as worried about the specifics of fictional characters.

Yes, apart from those things you mentioned and really important events, I was gonna be pretty ambiguous(sp) until the French Revolution and fill the space by saying they were improving North-South Infractructure :).

If you have an analog to the Quattrocento and the flowering of art and culture that comes with it, it won't really matter if Da Vinci and the other figures of OTL aren't around; there will be others in their place. And if the Renaissance doesn't take place, it will be a moot point anyway.

I thought a bit about that and I guess he could be just LdV but with a different name and serving different lords.

That said, I think your idea of "cheating" might work. perhaps you can give your alternate people the same initials, if that helps keep things straight in your mind. And, alter things a bit so they're not totally like OTL's Napoleon (your N(whatever) B(whatever) for instance.

I imagine part of it for some is the need to keep thigns straight in their minds.

I guess I could do that. I know, as NB are my sisters initials, I'll have her conquer the world! (cept ATL Boney wont do so well)

Thanks for all your help, guys:)

Jim
 
I personally like to draw a line between "fictional" and "hypothetical" people. "Fictional" people I consider to be people born prior to the PoD, whom as discussed previously you are elevating from a position of anonymity to a position of prominence. "Hypothetical" people are those born after the PoD, for whom all bets are essentially off. I personally dislike using "fictional" people overmuch, but I have few qualms about employing "hypothetical" people, particularly a sufficient distance from the PoD.
 
"Hypothetical" people are those born after the PoD, for whom all bets are essentially off.

I like that concept


Well the one trap of using fictional people; is that they are fictional. You don't have recorded personality traits and background from which to go off from (Then they're those historical figures we know little about, and they might as well be fictional in your TL's use). I at least fear, that the fictional person will do things I want them to do, rather then what they would actually do. However this is problem of any writer, whether AH or not.
 
My inclination is that the lower the rank, the less 'real' they can be.

Though it may depend on the type of POD you have in mind, for example if you want to move someone out of an area where in your opinion - they made a 'balls-up' of it - it's better to replace them with a someone from an OTL world rather someone conjured up out of thin air.
But, the people who are doing the fighting as a result of the changes you have made with your POD, can IMO be a mix of OTL characters and ATL names.
For example - suppose you want to add Dive-bombers to the attack on Tarranto via two carriers. How would you know who from OTL would fly them, so I think it valid to make up the names and background for them.
 
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