G rated stories?

[TheokinsJ]

It seems simple enough, yet many people believe that it can't be done. I find myself trying to think about what audience I am targeting with my fantasy series, and at the end I always come to the conclusion that the series is aimed at everyone of any age group. In today's books violence and sex seem to be common and graphic in detail, not that I don't mind books with these in it, but I find that some readers may find it overly graphic or overly violent, and therefor restrict the audience to people of a certain age. Some classic examples of series that are in my mind, G rated, would be the Lord of the Rings, and Narnia. Tolkien wrote the Hobbit for children, and the Lord of the Rings was intended for adults, but there was certainly no age barrier due to the fact there was no explicit violence/adult themes. I mean sure, it's not a children's book, but there is nothing to stop a ten or eleven year old from reading them.
In my story there is war, people die, the main character's friends are killed on the adventure and many other characters meet their grim fate. Yet I don't see any reason why it should not be appropriate for all audiences.
I mean wouldn't market it as a book for anyone under the age of twelve (probably more because their understanding of the themes in the book wouldn't be sufficient, and it isn't written for children. However there is nothing in it that is not appropriate for that age group, should they choose to read it), but I could see myself writing it in a Tolkien-styled way where the romance is fairly innocent and the fight scenes don't have guts spilling everywhere. I'm not deliberately avoiding extreme violence and adult themes, it's just I don't see them as a vital part to my story, which is about a young boy on a quest for adventure and survival in a world filled with perils and danger.

Anyway, just wondering what people think about if it is possible and if any of you have tried it before or what your thoughts are on the way books are written in terms of violence and themes ect.

 

[brokethepoint]

There is absolutely no reason why it is not possible.

If you really look at it some of the best sellers of all time they are / would be considered G rated. I believe that Harry Potter would be a current example.

 

[Feo Takahari]

Avoiding onscreen blood and guts is easy enough, but a G rating can be a bit of a stretch. If I may speak personally, one of the antagonists in one of my stories used to be an orphanage director. At one point, she makes a point to the protagonists by graphically describing the effects of radiation poisoning on children. I'm aware that this scene is, to put it mildly, completely messed up, but I think toning it down would lose a lot of the effect.

 

[Nihal]

I mean wouldn't market it as a book for anyone under the age of twelve (probably more because their understanding of the themes in the book wouldn't be sufficient, and it isn't written for children. However there is nothing in it that is not appropriate for that age group, should they choose to read it), but I could see myself writing it in a Tolkien-styled way where the romance is fairly innocent and the fight scenes don't have guts spilling everywhere. .

Although The Lord of the Rings isn't targeted for children it's not that hard to understand. I was eleven when I did read it without problems and I was just a common child with an unusual taste. I also tried to read Sofies Verden (I don't know the English title) after playing a game based on it, but this one I couldn't - I found it too tiring.

I was never too intimidated by blood, although I ended avoiding bloodbath and heavier themes by default: I tried to watch Akira and Berserk when 13~14 years old and just couldn't. Both have some violence and gore in them.

(My) Bottomline: It's not only about avoiding those adult themes, the way you write is also important. You don't underestimate your reader. Children can be slow or quite brilliant, exactly as adults are, and they'll read things aimed for them... and things that aren't. I think I would worry more about not boring them to death than having them to understand the story.

 

[SeverinR]

I think PG, or even PG13 is easily written, I think G is hard to reach in traditional fantasy.
Harry POtter-PG-PG13
Shriek-PG
HTTYD-PG
In todays rating system, I'm thinking even traditional nursery rhymes would be PG or higher. Once you focus on the scary or violent parts, it quickly leaves "G".
A list of quality G-rated movies for your family and kids.
Alladin, Hercules, Swan Princess, sword in the stone.

I think life is PG, so filtering the P out is tough.

 

[Ayaka Di'rutia]

Like some of the others said above, making a story "G" rating can be hard, especially if you're shooting for a fantasy novel. The lowest rating I've ever gotten in my novel-writing is PG; most of my stories would be considered PG-13. I believe the rating entirely revolves around the kind of content and its amount. For example, my PG book does not have a lot of romance, and that romance is not the MC. It has intense moments with mild violence, as well as implied violence. But it doesn't have sex, swearing, a lot of violence, or heavy story themes in it besides friendship (which it revolves around). Most of it is light-hearted situations and witty dialogue.

 

[SeverinR]

That is an interesting thought, Would a story with cursing in fictional language get a higher rating?
I have a dragon curse, and I think an elf curses, both in their native language. Niether specifies what the curse means, one used in the context someone use to curse words would assume it means fecal material.
I believe the other was used in generic form, so its true meaning would not be revealed.

 

[brokethepoint]

I guess I was thinking about books. Which brings about the question, is a book rating different then a movie rating?

Looking at a fairly basic example of say The Hobbit(PG13) or The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe(PG).

Would the books be considered PG / PG13.

The Hobbit is a little harder to compare with all the extra content that was not in the book.

 

[Penpilot]

Of course it's possible. If it's been done before, why can't it be done again? I'm pretty sure if you look hard enough, you'll find a G-rated book written recently. Just because there a popular style of story in fantasy right now doesn't mean it's the only style.

I'm curious who are these people who say it can't be done?

 

[Mindfire]

Lord of the Rings? G-Rated? I don't think so. The books may not have graphic violence, but they definitely have a few dark moments. The Hobbit and Narnia I'll buy though. Why someone would say G-rated fantasy is impossible, I have no clue. The worst thing that can be said about G-rated fantasy in my opinion is that it may not sell well.

 

[TheokinsJ]

I think PG, or even PG13 is easily written, I think G is hard to reach in traditional fantasy.
Harry POtter-PG-PG13
Shriek-PG
HTTYD-PG
In todays rating system, I'm thinking even traditional nursery rhymes would be PG or higher. Once you focus on the scary or violent parts, it quickly leaves "G".
A list of quality G-rated movies for your family and kids.
Alladin, Hercules, Swan Princess, sword in the stone.

I think life is PG, so filtering the P out is tough.

When I say 'G' I guess I am exaggerating, I know that no story could every be G, even the Lord of the Rings. But you get what I meant, a story that is suitable for young teenagers and adults ect.

 

[Steerpike]

There's a wide range of thought on what is suitable for teens. Go into the teen section at the book store and check out some of the material on the shelves. They cover all kinds of subject matter some might consider suitable only for adults, and some of the novels are fairly explicit about it. I don't think teen novels are limited to what they were a couple of decades ago.

 

[Ayaka Di'rutia]

That is an interesting thought, Would a story with cursing in fictional language get a higher rating?
I have a dragon curse, and I think an elf curses, both in their native language. Niether specifies what the curse means, one used in the context someone use to curse words would assume it means fecal material.

When it comes to language in the fantasy world's context, it doesn't bother me. For example, Robert Jordan uses the curses "burn" (as in "burn me"), or "Light" (like "by the Light!") in the Wheel of Time series. I'm also not bothered when people put "he swore" or "he cursed", and I'm glad they're not being explicit about it; it shows to me that the character isn't perfect. I use phrases like that to help show the imperfection of some of my characters, as I find being able to control foul language a virtue.

It's real world swearing in fantasy books that bothers me personally, and I believe books with such language should have a higher rating.

 

[Saigonnus]

Sir Nobonk and the terrible... dragon is a rated G fantasy book (not novel) that I read as a child and got into fantasy because of it. For "novels" though I don't know that they would work so well due to the fact that death, sex and violence often plays part in the books and without them the world wouldn't be realistic. Many of Piers Anthony's Xanth books tend to not include much of any of the stuff I mentioned and I love them, so it IS possible.