I have some questions about warnings. I read a post where somebody argued that when you post a pairing it is redundant to also classify the story as het or slash
( Read more... )
How do you feel about that here? Is it necessary to warn or is the intention obvious anyway?
I'm all for putting in the warning. It's very easy to forget that Michael/Sucre is slash and there are readers who would have no clue that's what it means if they are new to reading fan fic.
Personally I always think it is better to 'over-warn' rather than run the risk of someone stumbling into something they're not expecting due to a lack of a warning (particularly in the current LJ climate *sigh*). A warning may not be strictly necessary to those in the 'know', but really, does an additional warning really matter?
As to the order in which names are listed, I never pay attention to that either. I would not consider something slash or incest if there's no direct sexual contact or intention, but then again, maybe better to be safe rather than sorry and always err on the side of caution re. the most sensitive readers. I don't think it can be assumed that anybody willing to read a threesome won't mind slash or incest; some people have very specific squicks for those things (particularly incest).
If I wrote a threesome if there's no real sexual contact, I would put it up without incest warning. If there was contact, I would put it up with a warning.
I read a post where somebody argued that when you post a pairing it is redundant to also classify the story as het or slash. I don't think that's true since some people new to fan fic may be unaware of what the / means. And I've read in different places where people would put a / between names but they weren't talking about the characters in a het or slash relationship. Sometimes it's good to be redundant.
Is it still considered slash or incest if there is no direct sexual contact or intention between the two relevant parties? I don't think so.
Does anybody even pay attention to the order in which the names are listed? Nope.
Is it just assumed that anybody willing to read a threesome also won't mind some slash (or incest)? Before I started reading slash and incest stories, I would've been upset had there been no warning. Some people don't want to read any of those kinds of stories or may be into slash but not incest.
How often to do you list pairings that happen in the background?I usually all the characters and pairings in
( ... )
I guess my worry with listing every character and pairing is that it might make the header too long. Or that people who like a minor character like Sucre or T-Bag would be disappointed if they click on the link and then find out that they have only a tiny cameo.
I often throw in references to minor relationships, like a shoutout to Lincoln/Veronica or Lincoln or Michael and a random childhood girlfriend. I might not warn for that.
Or that people who like a minor character like Sucre or T-Bag would be disappointed if they click on the link and then find out that they have only a tiny cameo. I've had that happen. I'd start a fic and find out 1/2 way through there isn't nearly enough of the character or pairing I want to read about. Most times though I don't care though b/c most of the time I want to wanted to read the story anyway. I've found that more often the not, I can usually tell from the summary and or notes if certain characters or pairings are going are to be minor or not in the fic.
No matter how clear you are there always seems to be someone who didn't bother to read them or missed them throwing a hissy fit because they got slashed or shipped accidentily.
I say load up on clear warnings just to cover your ass when and if the * I didn't know * bitching starts in
This isn't exactly related to your question, but I'm going to go the other way and say that I'm troubled by the overabundance of warnings and find them to be more of a hindrance than a help, particularly as a writer. Often, I don't particularly want to warn for something like the death of a character, for example; that's giving away a major plot point and sacrificing some of the emotional reaction I'm going for when a character dies suddenly. I feel like if I've given the reader the knowledge that this is a story that deals with serious issues (either through the rating, the summary or both) it shouldn't be incumbent on me to line out exactly what's going to happen that someone may find troubling. I feel the same way as a reader; too many warnings just feel like spoilers to me for what I'm about to read
( ... )
I usually don't have the problem because my stories often don't have much plot. I have considered putting "sad ending" or "happy ending" labels on it (I write a lot of unhappy endings). Then I quickly feel stupid for doing it.
You can also never know just what will upset somebody. Some people might be really sensitive to animals getting hurt. I read there was a fandom where one character had long hair and people demanded warnings for fic where he cut his hair because it traumatized them so much. There might me things that set somebody off that you never would have considered and you can't really think of everything.
Maybe there should be a label like 'dark' or 'gritty' that signals that character death can happen, but maybe not.
You can also never know just what will upset somebody.That's true, but I don't really think it should be the responsibility of the writer to ensure that readers don't unknowingly run across anything they might potentially find offensive. That way lies madness, and I think some authors (all present company excepted) overabundant use of warnings already borders on it. The most comprehensive ratings system I've ever seen in mass media is the one that movies and premium channels use. They give a rating with a explanation of how that rating came about, such as MA/R for sexual content and violence. Most fan fiction headers have this level of information without having to resort to numerous specific warnings, and I think that's a perfectly adequate amount of information to supply to an audience for them to be able to make an informed decision about whether to watch/read or not
( ... )
I think what you're saying is absolutely valid. But the sad thing is that when it comes to fanfic, people don't seem to be able to approach it as they would a book they pulled off a shelf from the library. Readers want to know exactly what they're getting: pairing, exact rating of language, any hint of taboo topics like domestic abuse, child endangerment, rape, death. All things an editor of a novel would never give away on the inside of the jacket cover
( ... )
Comments 25
I'm all for putting in the warning. It's very easy to forget that Michael/Sucre is slash and there are readers who would have no clue that's what it means if they are new to reading fan fic.
Reply
That's what I thought as well.
Reply
As to the order in which names are listed, I never pay attention to that either. I would not consider something slash or incest if there's no direct sexual contact or intention, but then again, maybe better to be safe rather than sorry and always err on the side of caution re. the most sensitive readers. I don't think it can be assumed that anybody willing to read a threesome won't mind slash or incest; some people have very specific squicks for those things (particularly incest).
Reply
If I wrote a threesome if there's no real sexual contact, I would put it up without incest warning. If there was contact, I would put it up with a warning.
Reply
I don't think that's true since some people new to fan fic may be unaware of what the / means. And I've read in different places where people would put a / between names but they weren't talking about the characters in a het or slash relationship. Sometimes it's good to be redundant.
Is it still considered slash or incest if there is no direct sexual contact or intention between the two relevant parties?
I don't think so.
Does anybody even pay attention to the order in which the names are listed?
Nope.
Is it just assumed that anybody willing to read a threesome also won't mind some slash (or incest)?
Before I started reading slash and incest stories, I would've been upset had there been no warning. Some people don't want to read any of those kinds of stories or may be into slash but not incest.
How often to do you list pairings that happen in the background?I usually all the characters and pairings in ( ... )
Reply
I often throw in references to minor relationships, like a shoutout to Lincoln/Veronica or Lincoln or Michael and a random childhood girlfriend. I might not warn for that.
Reply
I've had that happen. I'd start a fic and find out 1/2 way through there isn't nearly enough of the character or pairing I want to read about. Most times though I don't care though b/c most of the time I want to wanted to read the story anyway. I've found that more often the not, I can usually tell from the summary and or notes if certain characters or pairings are going are to be minor or not in the fic.
Reply
No matter how clear you are there always seems to be someone who didn't bother to read them or missed them throwing a hissy fit because they got slashed or shipped accidentily.
I say load up on clear warnings just to cover your ass when and if the * I didn't know * bitching starts in
Reply
Reply
Reply
I usually don't have the problem because my stories often don't have much plot. I have considered putting "sad ending" or "happy ending" labels on it (I write a lot of unhappy endings). Then I quickly feel stupid for doing it.
You can also never know just what will upset somebody. Some people might be really sensitive to animals getting hurt. I read there was a fandom where one character had long hair and people demanded warnings for fic where he cut his hair because it traumatized them so much. There might me things that set somebody off that you never would have considered and you can't really think of everything.
Maybe there should be a label like 'dark' or 'gritty' that signals that character death can happen, but maybe not.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment