In 1999, a bright young Cornell graduate, Lauren Weisberger, went to work for the queen of fashion publishing, Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue. After a year with the demanding Wintour, Weisberger left for another magazine and began working on a book based on her experience. The Devil Wears Prada, published in 2003, was ostensibly a work of fiction, but it was instantly recognized by those in the know as a thinly veiled and unflattering tell-all about Wintour and the inner workings of the fashion magazine. It quickly became a bestseller, and in 2006, a movie based on the novel, starring Meryl Streep as the imperious editrix, was released.

The business world isn’t immune to the roman à clef, either. In 1987, when the movie Wall Street came out, the lead character, Gordon Gekko, embodiment of corporate greed, was said to be based on Ivan Boesky, an ’80s arbitrageur who ran spectacularly afoul of the law.

What if a former employee’s getting ready to publish a roman à clef and you’re cast as the villain?

1. Request an Advance Copy of the Book From the Author, Not the Publisher
You need to know what’s between the covers so you can prepare a response. Ask the writer, not the publisher, for a copy. First, by going directly to the author, you appear to be humane and down-to-earth; also, this establishes you as a reasonable person, contrary to whatever’s in the book. Second, once you call the publisher, all bets are off. He or she will contact the legal department, and everyone gets nervous. Besides, the publisher may decide the controversy will sell enough books to justify any headaches.

2. Get Together With Your Legal and Public Relations Teams
Go through the advance copy with your legal and P.R. advisers and plan a strategy. Your lawyers will make sure the book doesn’t imply you’ve done anything illegal. The goal is not to sue, thus generating more attention, but to remove any libelous portions of the text and discourage the author from spreading defamatory information. As for your P.R. team, while they need to be aware of bad press, they don’t need to take any further action. Making a fuss will only stir up more interest.

3. Consider Making a Joke Out of It
When the subject comes up, handle it lightheartedly. (Do not issue a press release: far too serious.) Engaging in point-by-point refutations elevates the work to documentary status. The best weapon is self-effacing humor. A C.E.O. target might say to an inquiring reporter, “Let me set the record straight: In real life, I’ve killed far fewer people than the author implies,” or “Everybody has a hobby. Some people play tennis; I frighten small children and puppies.” Anna Wintour showed a sense of humor by attending the movie premiere—in Prada.

4. Consider Using It for Publicity
Enjoy the attention while it lasts. The press will pick up anything that carries even a whiff of celebrity, and roman à clefs make good gossip items.

5. If the Subject Comes Up, Say You Think the Book Is Great
People are expecting you to get mad. Don’t give them, or the author, that satisfaction. Your anger will only add fuel to the fire. Say something like “I thought the writing was great. If I knew he had this much talent, I wouldn’t have let him go.”

6. Get Over It
Very few people read entire novels or track new releases meticulously. Chances are most of the audience you’re concerned about won’t get through the whole thing, or even a part of it. And if you aren’t sure whether or not someone has seen the book, don’t ask.

Sources: Jonathan Bernstein, president, Bernstein Crisis Management; Eric Dezenhall, C.E.O., Dezenhall Resources; Richard Laermer, C.E.O., RLM Public Relations; and Michael Robinson, former public affairs and policy chief for the Securities and Exchange Commission and currently senior vice president, Levick Strategic Communications.