A question on offensiveness

[David Williams]

Dear Mythic Scribes staff,

I´m gearing up to share a short fantasy/horror story, but I´m hesitating due to content. Is there a way to warn readers of strong adult content, or lock younger members out? I have read the forum & site rules and I feel I´m on very shaky ground and perhaps this forum is not the place for my story.

To be clear, I have written a violent and graphic attempted rape scene at the story’s climax. It's not going to be to everyone's taste. I should also check with you regarding the sensitivity of the community toward religion; I write about a deity coming to earth (this is the only fantasy element to be honest), and at one point I play on a principal catholic prayer.

I appreciate you have rules for a reason, and I will respect your indications.

Thank you,

David Williams

 

[Reaver]

Greetings David,

Thank you for joining our community, taking a look at our Forum Rules and especially for having the foresight to recognize the potential for your story to violate our guidelines. Here's what the Forum Rules have to say regarding your inquiry:
(Rules specific to your story have been highlighted in bold.)

Thank you for being part of the Mythic Scribes community.

Prohibited Behaviors

In order to ensure the best possible experience for our members, the following behaviors are prohibited:

• Spamming
• Using sexually explicit language
• Racism
• Flaming
• Swearing
• Shameless promotion
• Making degrading, snide or derisive comments
• Argumentative or hostile behavior
• Posting or linking to pornographic material
• Posting affiliate links
• Constant negativity
• Bizarre or nonsensical behavior

Mythic Scribes is a Family Friendly Community

What a Family Friendly Fantasy Writing Community Is:

1. A place where people accept, learn from, and teach each other.
2. A place where discussions are in the context of fantasy writing or related topics (games, movies, art, etc.)
3. A place where members can feel comfortable regardless of their age, gender, race, or background.

What a Family Friendly Writing Community Is Not:

1. A place to discuss depictions of extreme, violent, and/or graphic sexual situations, gore, or torture.
2. A place where any form of hostility towards members and moderators is tolerated.
3. A place where getting the last word is more important than fostering community.

Sensitive Topics

When discussing sensitive issues, all members participating in such a discussion (post originator and respondents) are required to take extra care and treat the topic with the appropriate gravity, making certain they exhibit open-mindedness, understanding, respect, & empathy for their fellow scribes.

Sensitive issues include, but are not limited to:

1. Sexual assault (rape, molestation, incest, etc.)
2. Gender-based discussions
3. Racial relations
4. Sexual orientation and self-identity
5. Religion-based discussions
6. Physical abuse (child abuse, torture, domestic violence, etc.)

We understand these topics have a place in literature. However, as a family friendly site, and with a diverse membership base, involved parties must exercise caution. As a participant in such a discussion, it is your responsibility to avoid framing questions and answers in an offensive manner. During presentation or debate, ensure your intention is to enlighten, educate, persuade, or learn.


Politics and Religion

Contemporary political discussion inevitably leads to mistrust and division. Asking questions about politics as it directly relates to writing is fine, as is discussing historical political developments for the purpose of research. But all contemporary politics, including hot-button issues, are unwelcome distractions that must be avoided.

When discussing religion, special care must be taken. Such discussions must be conducted in a spirit of mutual respect and genuine inquiry. For this reason special guidelines have been enacted for threads on religion.


These rules may be updated in the future.

With these rules in mind, I agree with you that this particular story may be better suited for another site. However, I sincerely hope that our Forum Rules don't dissuade you from posting any of your other works in the future.

I hope this answers your question. If you have any other questions, please feel free to PM me any time.

 

[David Williams]

Thanks, appreciate the confirmation. I´ll post a more appropriate story when it's ready!