It’s sometimes nice to go into details of the gore or action of a scene. But there’s a danger in adding details. Yes, it gives a clear image of what type of situation you want to put down, but at the same time, it has a bigger chance of triggering people.
We understand that adding drama and exploring the possibilities of how to portray for example pain and wounds is fun, however, there are rules that need to be followed.
As many of you know, we have forum rules about what is allowed and what isn’t. If you’re not sure, give it a look. If you’re still not sure, either change it, or ask rp staff for help, that’s what we’re here for after all.
Some tips on how to handle graphic scenes.
1. Not sure, always double check.
Like mentioned a second ago, when in doubt don’t post it, check it with the RP staff, some other users and the guideline. When in doubt it’s often a no.
2. Wording.
Sometimes using a different choice of words can help make a scene less graphic while still keeping the creative aspect of the scene. You don’t need gory details to make a paper cut feel different from a stab wound.
People can often make the connection between cause and result.
Instead of writing the actions of how someone gets harassed, you can briefly mention it without using the actions that might trigger people.
“The unwanted touch” is a good example. Throw that into a sentence and you have given enough information to the other person to know what has happened without using too much graphic.
If you take a little bit of time for it, you’ll see that often, less is always more when it comes to graphic scenes. In the end the action itself is not important but what it does to the character.
3. Different focus.
If you do want to add details, try giving the details of something else. For example, instead of giving intense details of a wound, you can describe what the pain feels like. Show what’s going in inside their head, what emotions they feel, what is their thought proses during the pain?
4. Memories are a no go for the reader and communication.
There are people who have been though something bad. We often don’t know because those are situations people don’t want to talk about, especially to someone they don’t know. But as you’re writing, don’t be afraid to say: “hey, can we maybe not go there?”. As for the partners, don’t ask ‘why’, people don’t like sharing these things, just respect their request and do something else. Communication is often key guys, if something triggers you or you’re not comfortable, you’re the only person that can tell others. Start by telling this person 1 on 1 and if they don’t want to listen or not respect your wishes, reach out to the staff, we all are here to help and want nothing more than for everyone to have a save place to RP or SG.
