Weighing in (sort of) on the warnings discussion

[izhilzha]

I haven't followed this closely, because there seems to be lots of fail (and some good points) on both sides, and I don't need fandom stress on top of Real Life at the moment. But I'm not sure I needed to, anyway, given what I'm seeing people post about

Comments

[ficwriter1966]

Someone wants there to be a warning for angst? Seriously?

I'd have to put a big flashing neon sign at the top of my LJ.

[izhilzha]

LOL. No, that wasn't a reference to anything in this particular discussion, I just know that some people warn for angst (some make the warnings into an art form, like kroki_refur's Angst Rating, which really is kind of necessary *g*).

[leelust]

Not angst, rape if i got it right.

My $.02.

[mosinging1986]

(Or $20.00, as the case may be

Re: My $.02.

[izhilzha]

Well, bases on this, maybe you would find the discussion of preferences (which don't necessarily merit warnings, even though I like to label my stories so people can find what they like) vs. actual psychological triggers to be interesting and useful.

I'll warn for this, too (I have not read it in depth myself, but it's supposed to be pretty frank and possibly triggery itself): Sexual Assault, Triggering, and Warnings: An Essay

Re: My $.02.

[mosinging1986]

I started reading but sheesh, it starts with some very detailed descriptions of sexual assault. Why people put such personal things on the internet for complete strangers to see is beyond me! (At least, in such detail. But that's another issue entirely.)

Then she says:

As I have mentioned before, immediately after the final and worst assault, I could read rapefic without a problem.

WHY would she be reading rapefic at all? Glad that it didn't bother her, but given what she's been through, it makes no sense that she'd choose to read it at all! (As to the authors of such stories, unless it's based in something canon, why do people write stuff like that anyway?)

I'll try to read the rest of it, but can't promise I will get through it. I'll just stand by what I said. Such people have way more serious problems than what fic authors can help them with.

And from the other side of the coin, authors need to think about what they write. Some of that stuff is just porn, no redeeming value whatsoever.

Re: My $.02.

[kerravonsen]

Some of that stuff is just porn, no redeeming value whatsoever.
Of course some of that stuff is just porn; and the writers of same know that, and they consider the pornishness of the porn to be the purpose of the story.

[sarcasticval]

There's a discussion? I always miss these things!

On a personal note, I always hated it/never quite understood when fics warned for character death. I felt it pretty much ruined the journey knowing the whole time what was to come.

[feliciakw]

Oh, and see, I don't read death fics, as a general rule. So if I read a fic and was blindsided by the death of my favorite character, that would be, shall we say, bad.

I understand an author not wanting to give away the punch line. I find the best compromise to be a link to the warnings. Like: "For specific warnings for this story, go here." That to me seems to be the best compromise. That way, the reader who wants to go in blind and let the story unfold can do so, and those (like me) who want to know that the author is going to kill off my mostest favorite character in the most horrifically traumatic manner possible can know enough not to read the story.

I felt it pretty much ruined the journey knowing the whole time what was to come.

So how did you feel about the end of SPN S3? Because it was pretty much a given in the last third of the season that they were gonna go there.

[sarcasticval]

Oh, I knew they were going to go there before the season even began. I mean, Kripke's brain isn't always the most complicated puzzle in the box. There was never any other way. But I think there's a big difference between knowing where a story is going to go due to the nature of the tale, and having the ending for something completely new and fresh spoiled. (For example, I would never in a million years want to know that John bites it before seeing "In My Time of Dying".) Or, for that matter, even having an obvious ending publicized. I mean, the CW didn't put out a press release saying "Btw, guys, Dean totally dies at the end, kthxbai!" because that would completely cheapen the moment.

(And you *know* that's how the CW writes their press releases.)

[izhilzha]

I never say *which* character is going to die. *g* That's my compromise--I figure "someone is going to bite it" is enough to let readers like Fee back out quickly, while anyone else won't necessarily be spoiled for the outcome.

Also, Fee and I both came out of The Sentinel fandom, and not warning for character death there was almost a sure way to get ostracized. It was completely SRS BUSINEZ. (Even failing to warn for *faked* death was frowned on. Gosh, I love my old fandom.)