THIS IS A TRUE STORY
Except, in the case of The Salt Path it turns out it may not be.
I have read and enjoyed the book and this week went to see the film. I saw it after the Observer story had come out –
and was therefore a little surprised to see that my local cinema was considerably fuller than it usually is! Are the book and film going to find a whole new audience interested to see what the fuss is about?! The film is well-made but it’s very light on real drama and – post-Observer revelations – what drama there is now feels even more tenuous!
The creation of a ‘true story’ is never as clear-cut as it might appear. Even in the most accurate ‘true stories’ dialogue has to be invented or imagined, even when portraying something that has indisputably happened. In fact even in the verbatim stories – where dialogue is lifted and used word for word, the editing, the reduction and reshaping of that verbatim dialogue involves big editorial decisions that can significantly affect how the story plays out (Reality, London Road, etc)
But it seems to me, that the revelations around significant omissions – and additions (if true) – in The Salt Path cross the line of being acceptable. The telling of a true story, those captions at the start and end of a film / TV show, establish a contract, an agreement between writer / production and audience. The significant details that are (apparently) untrue in The Salt Path undermine the trust that the reader invests in a supposedly true story, break this unspoken contract. The Salt Path is a cracking, involving read. But a big part of the reason it’s such a good read, it turns out, is through the creation of events and backstory that may not have happened; and by portraying herself and her husband as innocent victims (of extreme misfortune in both finance and health – neither of which, it seems, were the case).
Readers and cinema audiences may now feel their enjoyment of this story has been compromised, undermined – that they have been duped. And what of the lead actors and director who in publicising the film have acted as spokespeople for the people they’re playing?
There is of course nothing wrong with the idea of fictionalising a true story – this can instil a story with a sense of drama and meaning – but the reader / audience need to understand their relationship with the stories they’re reading and viewing.
Raynor Winn perhaps didn’t think her three stories would have the same impact if written as novels, as works of fiction. But in trying to pitch fiction as fact, she betrays her readership. It doesn’t surprise me that there has been a significant emotional backlash.
It’s interesting that Raynor Winn / Sally Walker, in trying to reconstruct a life that had clearly hit something of a crisis has discovered an undoubted gift – for storytelling. There is a reason that all three of her books have found an audience – she is a talented storyteller. It will be interesting to see where her (apparently highly marketable) storytelling goes from this point or whether she will quietly disappear as an author. Should we now turn our backs on her work? Or just enjoy them without worrying about the genre / context?
Someone pointed out on Twitter that this genre – of old(er) people going on an epic inspiring walk – had become a regular staple of grey-pound British cinema – The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, The Great Escaper, The Last Rifleman (all three films released in 2023!). But they were fiction.
What something like this does – when the real and significant truths are supposedly hidden and reversioned – feels like a negative for storytelling generally. It invites our scepticism and suspicion. So many people have come out of the woodwork this week on social media to say that the story never rung true in the first place. But we want to be able to read and watch ‘true’ stories like this, take them at face value, be open to their inspirational, aspirational subtext. There is so much crap happening in the real world, so that when a true story turns out to be a calculated fabrication, it chips away at our ability to trust more generally.
NB After an initial, very brief response without any real substance, Raynor Winn has now written a lengthy rebuttal on her own website, which does address some of the accusations (particularly around her husband’s illness).
It will be interesting to see if this puts an end to the accusations.
SCRIPT READING & DEVELOPMENT Q&A September 10th 2025
The next evening zoom session will be on Wednesday September 10th 6-8.30pm and I am now taking bookings.
Taking part in this session also gives you access to my Script Reading & Development WhatsApp group.
Feedback from the most recent course –
‘I highly recommend the session for anyone seeking genuine insider expertise and the chance to connect with other like-minded professionals.’
‘I think what attendees don’t necessarily anticipate, but which I’ve found incredibly useful, is what you get around these courses and sessions. The added value is in the instant, like-minded community that Philip creates, specific to each session. It’s a support network to share ideas and leads… this is all without mentioning the educational content of the session, which supports a basic understanding of the skills and requirement involved in script reading and editing.’
https://script-consultant.co.uk/script-reading-development-qa/
The next newsletter will be on Friday July 25th,
Best wishes
Phil
PHILIP SHELLEY
www.script-consultant.co.uk
Friday July 11th 2025
