Writer's Block Daily

I also think that aside from the problems of specific trigger warnings and obligation and such, they can mess with authorial intent if you print on the front of the book "SOMEONE IS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THIS BOOK ON PAGE 194".

@Hermie: My apologies—I didn't actually see what you wrote, and wasn't sure of whether you intended to post again on the subject. I simply noted that the response that you had gotten had been phrased in such a way that it could easily be taken that Election was a standard element of Christianity, and wanted to correct for that description. My response wasn't directed at you alone, but at anyone who might read the thread and get a mistaken impression.

I didn't mean to upset you, and apologise again if I did. :/

My Games & Writing

I think this whole discussion has been an excellent demonstration of why I think the responsibility for avoiding triggering material pretty much has to be on the reader.

I still say catch all

"This whatever contains sensitive and possibly disturbing material, viewer discretion is advised."

is the best way to go about it.

Oh really when?

Maybe the only way.

I think there’s a global conspiracy to see who can get the most clicks on the worst lies

I think in addition sites like Does The Dog Die for triggering material would help.

Content warning: This book contains content. You have been warned.

That's probably the most plausible solution, but I do notice some of the ratings on that site are amusing. A pet dies in All Dogs Go To Heaven? I'd never have guessed!

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Language warning: This book contains language. You have been warned.

And then a book is written with this very warning and the "language" in question is conversational English spoken as dialogue.

edited 22nd Apr '14 7:48:22 PM by MajorTom

Movies and video games have ratings, why not books? I'd see it as a benefit.

Read my stories!

Ratings systems are not a model that I'd want to emulate. They're very loaded with value judgments.

Triggered by sexual violence? Go to the "does this story have sexual violence in it" website. Triggered by gore? Go to the "how gory is this story" website. You now know if the story contains any of your triggers and nobody is spoiled — the person who is triggered by sexual violence is not even spoiled about gore and the person who is triggered by gore is not even spoiled about sexual violence. It'd be very convenient for all parties, really. Someone could even make a mobile app so people could research various artworks for their triggers on the go.

Uhhhhhhhh... I would not see that as beneficial in any way. Ratings institutions tend to be shallow, misguided, informationally useless, and at the very worst corrupt.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

And now I'm trying to figure out how this stupid magic system works.

Hey, so would a gothy girl make sense as the human cannonball in a circus?

Ben, you can write whatever you want and nobody will stop you.

I'm wondering if it would make sense.

I'm wondering what you think might cause it to not make sense.

The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable

Maybe it's because it doesn't seem all that fitting for a goth.

Just because someone is part of a subculture doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to follow stereotypes of that subculture.

Note to self: Pick less edgy username next time.

I always felt circus people and gothy stuff went together like jelly and a lady. In other words, great.

Of course, don't you know anything about ALCHEMY?!- Twin clones of Ivan the Great

Things that always make sense also make for boring stories. Take some chances.

I think there’s a global conspiracy to see who can get the most clicks on the worst lies

I don't find it ill-fitting for a goth.

edited 23rd Apr '14 6:30:14 PM by DrStarky

Put me in motion, drink the potion, use the lotion, drain the ocean, cause commotion, fake devotion, entertain a notion, be Nova Scotian

Why would you consider it ill-fitting for a goth anyways? I don't see a basic contradiction.

Nous restons ici.

Because they didn't have cannons in Gothic times. A good 500 years too early

Oh really when?

Listen, Ben, you're a writer. Just think- with nothing more than words on a page, it's possible to make the most disparate things make so much sense together readers will wonder how they could have ever pictured them alone. You have so many quirky ideas bouncing in that head of yours I'm sure you could make a goth human cannonball make the most sense in the world.

"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."