Warning the audience

[Ban]

Whether or not you have experience with writing these, imagine you had a story involving a subject that can be painful to parts of your potential audience. Be it torture, slavery, violence, prejudice or more. Imagine in this scenario that you realize the issue beforehand and want to warn your readers. How would you go about it?

1. Where do you warn the audience? In the introduction? The text on the backside of your book? Include elements of the subject matter in the cover? Apply a warning label?

2. How detailed would you be? Do you explain the specific issue, or mention something general such as "Violent Content", " Sexual content" or " Unsuited for X"?




(This is not a thread for discussing whether or not you would warn an audience at all, nor is it a thread to discuss whether or not you would write about potentially hurtful subject matter to begin with.)

 

[Svrtnsse]

If I were in a position where I wanted to alert my readers to some part of the content, I would try and make it clear in the description on the back of the book, and with the imagery on the cover.

A good cover can go a long way towards describing what a book is about and what a reader might expect from it. If it's well done, people who wouldn't appreciate the content wouldn't even bother picking it up. For those who do pick it up, the text on the back of the cover would be the next opportunity to put in an alert.

I'm unlikely to put in a direct warning about potentially objectionable content.

 

[skip.knox]

I agree with Svrtnsse. The place to warn the reader is anywhere prior to purchase. Cover. Back copy. Amazon description (be sure it appears early in the description). A review that provides the warning.

However you construct the warning, however explicit you make it, it must come prior to purchase, to play fair with the reader.

 

[FifthView]

In addition to these suggestions, I might put the warning in a short forward, particularly if the potentially triggering aspect is a key element in the story. In that case, I'd use the forward not only to warn but also to explain why I felt the element was worthy of being included—albeit, without spoiling the plot/story in the forward, at least trying not to do this. Samuel R. Delaney used a "Disclaimer" before his novel The Mad Man, a book I've never read more than once and am somewhat surprised I completed at all. (Massive warning from me to anyone reading this!) The Kindle version on Amazon includes this description: "The Mad Man, which the author dubbed a 'pornotopic fantasy,' is more than a powerful work of philosophical erotica...." The hardcover and softcover versions on Amazon at least describe what to expect. The hardcover image includes a front cover with a snippet from the protagonist that gives a very clear idea of what a reader will find between the covers. The editorial review included on the Amazon page explicitly gives what to expect.

I had read Delaney's Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand, loved it, so I checked out this novel. But The Mad Man is something quite different. This was before the days of Amazon. I really had a shock when I began reading and sometimes felt myself forcing myself to continue. It was like he threw down the gauntlet and I was too stubborn to back down.

 

[Ned Marcus]

If I were to do this, it'd be in the book description. Fairly early in so it was above the fold. I agree with the suggestions about the cover, too. Wherever you put it, it's unlikely to please everyone because not everyone pays attention to these details, but I think those would be the best places to try.

 

[oenanthe]

If I were to go deep into troubling content, I would want a content warning at the start of the book to give people a heads-up.

I will point out that one of the lauded books of the year, The Poppy War, includes some extremely violent content, and that hasn't stopped it from doing very well in the market, even with the author warning people that there's some very heavy stuff inside.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Physical Book: I’d do back cover and right before the opening chapter.

Digital: Right up front on the sample pages, and maybe at the end of the book description.

Unless of course you consider the warning titillating... then you REALLY put it up front, heh heh. That way all the teenagers want it... This book rated too old for you!

 

[Devor]

I personally feel that content warnings are very important for two topics: Suicide, and sexual assault. The first because there is a well-researched and documented copycat effect. In fact a recent report suggests that several hundred people have been lost because of Netflix's 13 Reasons Why. The second, sexual assault, because of the sheer number of people with personal traumas connected to the subject matter, as well as the ease to which it's often inserted into a story without warning.

Other than those two, I don't know. Books don't have a ratings system the way movies, tv and video games do. I could see trying to find some way to indicate whether a book is more "PG-13" or "Mature," but I don't know if books always line up on those lines.

Regardless, it's important to try and give a clear picture of what your book is on the cover, whatever the book is about.

 

[The Dark One]

All my novels are pretty out there when it comes to adult themes (swearing, sex, general evil) and I always write the blurbs. If anyone reads my blurbs and doesn't realise what they're in for...I have no sympathy.

The only book I took steps to be careful was a commissioned biography about a local sports hero who had a very naughty tale - but innocent folk or even kids may have wanted to read so I ensured there was a rating similar to a film rating on the cover. If they were still shocked...on reflection, I don't really care.

 

[Insolent Lad]

Maybe someday I'll write a book where this is necessary. But I would certainly put any needed warning in the blurb, on the back cover and at the point of sale.

 

[Chessie2]

This sort of warning belongs in the blurb accompanied by the title and cover. Those three should already tell the reader there might/will be sensitive content in the book.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I have considered adding a graphic violence note to the blurb of Eve of Snows, as I did have one review which noted the book was very good but too violent for them to continue in the series. No idea whether I’ll do that, however.

 

[Chessie2]

I have considered adding a graphic violence note to the blurb of Eve of Snows, as I did have one review which noted the book was very good but too violent for them to continue in the series. No idea whether I’ll do that, however.

I didn't think it was any more violent than the average fantasy novel. People are always going to complain about something.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I didn't think it was any more violent than the average fantasy novel. People are always going to complain about something.

True, LOL.

 

[Heliotrope]

I have considered adding a graphic violence note to the blurb of Eve of Snows, as I did have one review which noted the book was very good but too violent for them to continue in the series. No idea whether I’ll do that, however.

I think that is just the nature of reader preference, and not really your problem. You can't please everyone, or alert them to every single "trigger" that might arise. Fantasy is filled with triggers, usually. GRRM doesn't have to put "contains graphic violence and rape scenes" on all of his books.... I sort of think you hint, in the blurb, at what the book is about, the scope and tone and theme, and if, after reading, a reader doesn't want to continue the series, that is up to them.... I'm talking in circles, lol. Am I making any sense?

Like, your book also had depictions of fantasy religions... which might be offensive to some people... so maybe some highly religious people would read it and think, "Oh, I don't like reading books about magic based religions. I find it very blasphemous. I'm not going to continue to read this."

So you do also have to put "contains depictions of fantasy religion" also on the cover?
Also contains gambling, drinking, actions agains the church..... etc, etc, etc.

*Edit... but now I'm wondering... why is there no rating for fiction like there is for movies? Is the genre the rating? Like, Chessie sells "sweet romance" and people know that means no sex, etc.. and someone might sell "epic fantasy" and people know that means there is likely going to be some graphic battle violence?

 

[Heliotrope]

Another thought, I read a blog post once by a woman who wouldn't let her kids watch Moana because it glorified tattoo culture and demigods and disobedient children...

So when is it up to the writer to alert people, and when is it just up to people to do their own research and make up their own minds?

 

[Miles Lacey]

So when is it up to the writer to alert people, and when is it just up to people to do their own research and make up their own minds?

The only times I would consider it appropriate to put such warnings on anything is when: (a) the publisher recommends it, (b) I am ordered by the censors here in New Zealand to do so [note they almost never do] or (c) I'm intending to market what I write to countries where failure to do so could result in bans, fines or law suits.

I should add as an aside that most books written in New Zealand that are intended for adult and young adult readers will usually contain themes about death, drug use, alcohol use, suicide, sex and serious crimes such as rape or murder so warnings generally aren't needed. Besides, readers get a pretty good idea what subjects are likely to be mentioned by blurbs that read something like: "Jane is a teenage girl from an abusive home who hangs out on Auckland's K Road....".

 

[The StoryWeaver]

We can never know what will trigger someone eg one of my triggers is the word donkey used in a particular way (and it's a long story). Obviously that's a pretty specific trigger and I don't expect to be warned of that when picking up a book. A lot of my writing deals with abuse in various forms, and suicidality, etc. So for the big issues I plan to put warnings where-ever I can; description, forward, maybe the cover if it works. To stories were published in anthologies without warnings which was the call of the editor. If I publish them elsewhere they will come with warnings. WE can't protect everyone, but it doesn't hurt to let them know as much as possible before they make the purchase.

 

[The Dark One]

I suspect I'm in the minority here, but I'm not going to apologise for my art and I'm wary of warning people overmuch - for numerous reasons - but isn't a warning off a form of censorship? I want all people to be exposed to as many ideas as possible because limiting your exposure limits the ideas (and empathy) you are capable of having. Freedom of speech makes for a freer world, and society has already made its calls through the various criminal codes as to what is going too far.

From all of the above, it's probably easy to guess that I'm a liberal lawyer who writes VERY out there stories.

 

[The StoryWeaver]

Freedom of speech is not free from consequence. I don't write tame stories but as someone that has experienced a lifetime of trauma, ois prone to flashback episodes etc, and is very empathetic I would find it remiss of me to not give my readers some warning so they can make a choice as to whether they engage or not. It's not censorship. It's giving people a choice. I have no plans to water down my work either - and because i write for young kids and not only adults, some of my heavier stuff is under different pen names to avoid confusing kids.