Everyone has that certain line when writing uncomfortable scenes stop at a certain point. Mine is r*pe of anyone younger than high school age if I write a scene like that. I have a rule to not write anything that leads to that type of scene in my stories because I don’t want to give credit to that type of writing. I’m not going to romanticize something so atrocious. I won’t write scenes that involve the brutal killing of children but I do write children death scenes. You have to be careful when it comes to writing scenes with kids dying in it. Don’t romanticize brutal attacks on children.
What about you? When does “Gone too Far” morals kick in for you? Is there a reason?
I don’t think I have any specific example. Actually, I tend to like controversial novels a lot, though I would agree with you on not romanticising something atrocious -unless it has to do with the narrator (for example, if the narrator is insane). Writings that I really appreciate and actually like to write as well are those that may eventually depict something atrocious as it is, while still entering the psychology of the character committing these things. So to answer the question, I think “Gone too Far” morals don’t really kick in for me in reading, nor do they in writing. Specifically, it’s because I believe that sometimes, what makes a story interesting can be how different the narrator’s psychology is. Then again, the narrator is not the writer.
I agree with everything you said. I will still write the scenes but to a certain degree though. I agree about it being from the narrators point of view because it can set the mood of the whole story if written correctly. Some writers don’t have that moral which I give props to those writers. It takes a strong mind to write those type of scenes.
In my case, it’s about intent rather than content. I get mad when an author uses disturbing content purely to shock or impress me. I can understand extreme content when it’s used for a good narrative purpose, but trying to manipulate my feelings will switch my anger button on. Even if it’s relatively moderate stuff.
This is my personal line when writing: I stop if my writing turns manipulative. That said, extremely graphic, disturbing scenes rarely make narrative sense in what I write. Most of the time it’s better to just skim over them.
When all you write is about intense romance and has no meaning. And i agree with what you said, that’s all I can think about now. I wouldn’t want to read a book that has a child getting raped or killed that’s just too much
“Gone Too Far” morals usually don’t kick in with me especially when it comes to fiction. I mean, why should I? It’s fiction after all.
Though I do care about other people who have gone through such things and can be triggered by them so I put up a warning at the start.
As someone who has watched (and read) shows like Game Of Thrones, the story line is very brutal and atrocious. The authors of such stories don’t necessarily romanticize brutal things and barbaric acts to humanity but they appear so anyway.
As for me, it’s okay to write scenes depicting issues (and I say issues because it’s not something to be proud of) like r*pe, assault, abuse, violence etc because it kind of generates an awareness among people and addresses it as an issue that needs to be removed from the society for its betterment.
I guess… I feel that I’ve gone too far when I depict scenes with acts of excessive torture and mutilation on humans, animals etc (for example, the depiction of intense pain when the prisoner’s fingers are slowly cut off or something that happened to Theon Greyjoy while he was in captivity of Ramsay Bolton spoiler oop –).
Then there’s the case of suicide too. I tried to write one myself to see how I’d fare in that department but… felt too triggered from inside while writing it. I re-read the whole thing two to three times and felt really sick and uncomfortable at all the gory details the MC was going through so I removed the scene altogether. I guess authors should address the suicide issue but don’t glorify it much in a detailed way.
Self-harm is also not okay. The way how the MC or any other character harms themselves and puts out their emotions in such a raw and dangerous way… it’s too much.
Yeah, I don’t like that type of writing unless it’s about older people. Though that doesn’t mean I won’t get descriptive when it comes to brutal fight scenes though.
Actually, I like what you written here. You do have your own “gone to far” morals that fits your style of writing. Each level of “gone too far” morals is much different. I can see where this would workout very well though.
I think my biggest issue with “gone too far” isn’t even about descriptions for the most part, it’s about glamorizing something really bad. I also hate writing and reading stories that go super deeply into terrible mental states, since that’s not something I will ever be comfortable reading myself.
Game of Thrones is actually really… Moderate, compared to stuff that the ‘hardcore’ European fantasy writers can pull out of their backsides. ‘It’s historically accurate, torture was an expected norm in the middle ages!’ is a favourite excuse of grand many insensitive types =.=;
From personal experience, writing terrible mental states is a rabbit hole, too. It can be cathartic if you need to get some stuff out, but in the long run, it just makes you feel more and more depressed
But now that you mention it, I have another huge ‘Gone too far’ moral: Spreading toxic personal world-views. So many writers display jaded, cynical, nihilistic attitudes… And seem to have a ‘mission’ to convert others. “The world is a depressing place, life has no meaning, people are all misanthropes and hope is for fools” kind of stuff, if you know what I mean.
It that’s what you believe in, you’ve got a problem. Deal with it yourself instead of trying to bring everyone else down to your level
I still have a hard time writing certain scenes because it goes against my own moral code. Like for instance, it’s easier to think about the scene than it is to actually write it down. I just hit this block when it comes to writing those scenes for some reason. Most of the scenes I’m referring to are like brutal deaths caused by a werewolf and such. I’m always playing my main story through my head on a daily basis. I even do it for my episode stories.
So, are there any scenes that pushed your morals over the line you created for yourself?
I don’t know if there’s really any time where that kicks in for me. I’m willing to write about anything as long as it serves a purpose. If there’s no valid reason as to why something is necessary, why should I write it? Especially if it could be something the reader may see as too far.
I try to abide by my moral code, but at the same time, it is writing, so I get to play around with my mind. But there are scenes that I will not write for any reason. If I won’t like it, then why would my readers like it, either?
For episode yeah I have a moral code because I want to make sure stuff I make is not against the guidelines or too hard for people to read.
Otherwise I try not to romanticize or glamorize stuff but other than that no. I don’t think I can write graphic things, but I do write weird stuff and it all has to do with me and my mind, it’s not really about other people so I portray it how I want to portray it because it’s my perspective. Like my last story was really dark but that’s because it was kinda about my anxiety and how trapped I felt myself.
I don’t write about other peoples experiences tho. I think there is a lot you can do within your own perspective and I try not to go past that.
Yk what I mean? Like I’m not writing an autobiography but all my stuff is inspired by my own perspective and struggles. I don’t wanna write about other peoples struggles. Even if I’m doing a parody, that parody reflects my view of cliche stories—I wouldn’t try to write a perspective other than my own.
