It would be impossible as there are no "set" triggers. Anything at all could trigger a response in another person. No way of covering all possibilities.Masha du Toit said:Still on the topic of upsetting books
I've just read a book (Robin McKinley's "Deerskin") that contains descriptions of incest and rape and is a pretty upsetting book. It's not gratuitous at all, and while I have problems with the book, it explores a difficult subject, and one that needs to be discussed. But it made me wonder.
Are there topics, for example child abuse, rape, incest and so on, that are likely to be deeply upsetting to those who have experienced these things -- to the point that such books should have "trigger warnings"? Maybe something in the introduction or in the book description?
I'm not talking about the usual sex and violence type warnings -- guidelines to age appropriate reading and so on which I know has been discussed half to death.
For example, I've seen bloggers use the phrase "This post could be triggery" or "This post contains triggers" to give readers a headsup that they might want to avoid reading further.
It would be dreadful if books like Deerskin were banned, or for there be controls in place on how old you have to be to read it (how would that work, anyway?) but I do think that it would be a good idea to put something in the description to let the reader know what they are in for.
Or am I wrong?
Should books have trigger warnings?
Still on the topic of upsetting books 
I've just read a book (Robin McKinley's "Deerskin") that contains descriptions of incest and rape and is a pretty upsetting book. It's not gratuitous at all, and while I have problems with the book, it explores a difficult subject, and one that needs to be discussed. But it made me wonder.
Are there topics, for example child abuse, rape, incest and so on, that are likely to be deeply upsetting to those who have experienced these things -- to the point that such books should have "trigger warnings"? Maybe something in the introduction or in the book description?
I'm not talking about the usual sex and violence type warnings -- guidelines to age appropriate reading and so on which I know has been discussed half to death.
For example, I've seen bloggers use the phrase "This post could be triggery" or "This post contains triggers" to give readers a headsup that they might want to avoid reading further.
It would be dreadful if books like Deerskin were banned, or for there be controls in place on how old you have to be to read it (how would that work, anyway?) but I do think that it would be a good idea to put something in the description to let the reader know what they are in for.
Or am I wrong?
I've just read a book (Robin McKinley's "Deerskin") that contains descriptions of incest and rape and is a pretty upsetting book. It's not gratuitous at all, and while I have problems with the book, it explores a difficult subject, and one that needs to be discussed. But it made me wonder.
Are there topics, for example child abuse, rape, incest and so on, that are likely to be deeply upsetting to those who have experienced these things -- to the point that such books should have "trigger warnings"? Maybe something in the introduction or in the book description?
I'm not talking about the usual sex and violence type warnings -- guidelines to age appropriate reading and so on which I know has been discussed half to death.
For example, I've seen bloggers use the phrase "This post could be triggery" or "This post contains triggers" to give readers a headsup that they might want to avoid reading further.
It would be dreadful if books like Deerskin were banned, or for there be controls in place on how old you have to be to read it (how would that work, anyway?) but I do think that it would be a good idea to put something in the description to let the reader know what they are in for.
Or am I wrong?
1 - 20 of 62 Posts
Damn I meant to post this in the book corner
Yes - I'm not talking about simply upsetting a reader, I mean topics that may trigger a traumatic flashback.
And there are some topics that are much more likely to do that than others.
And there are some topics that are much more likely to do that than others.
My book has pretty traumatic scenes. I'm interested in any conclusion you'll draw on that subject. I was thinking of leaving a message in the description as a warning.
Warning, this book contains sex, scenes of rape, and [many other traumatic events].
They're not obvious from the plot, and are not spoilers. Why not be upfront about it? People that are triggered by that kind of events will probably read the description thouroughly to avoid them, and people who don't care won't be bothered by the warning either.
Warning, this book contains sex, scenes of rape, and [many other traumatic events].
They're not obvious from the plot, and are not spoilers. Why not be upfront about it? People that are triggered by that kind of events will probably read the description thouroughly to avoid them, and people who don't care won't be bothered by the warning either.
The sequel to Kings & Queens l have coming out, Sapphire Reign, has child abuse, violence, a short sex scene and witnessed rape. I was planning on leaving a warning.
I have a warning in my product descriptions A thriller set in the seedy world of London's drug rings, this book contains strong scenes and adult material.. I also have something similar on the preface of the book itself. Plus the blurb itself says quite a lot about the tone of the book.
I do think that if there's anything in the book that may prove deeply upsetting to certain people, it's only fair to leave a warning, probably in the book description. It's a grey area of course - there are no universally-accepted 'triggers' - but I think it's only courteous to allow readers to make an informed choice.
I don't think it's necessary, and it certainly isn't a "[email protected] move" to not put in so-called "trigger warnings".
Like Dark Scribe said, it would be impossible to cover all possibilities.
In one of my books two 16-year-olds kiss. What if someone's first love, their childhood sweetheart, had died and that scene was reminiscent of their first kiss and it made them upset?
What if even mentioning "This book contains rape" in the book description sets someone off. What if someone buys the book without reading the warning? If you're that concerned about it why not just leave the scene out?
Like Dark Scribe said, it would be impossible to cover all possibilities.
In one of my books two 16-year-olds kiss. What if someone's first love, their childhood sweetheart, had died and that scene was reminiscent of their first kiss and it made them upset?
What if even mentioning "This book contains rape" in the book description sets someone off. What if someone buys the book without reading the warning? If you're that concerned about it why not just leave the scene out?
I remember a time when I could read or watch films with children dying. That didn't upset me at all, it was fiction and I was completely detached.NathanWrann said:I don't think it's necessary, and it certainly isn't a "[email protected] move" to not put in so-called "trigger warnings".
Like Dark Scribe said, it would be impossible to cover all possibilities.
In one of my books two 16-year-olds kiss. What if someone's first love, their childhood sweetheart, had died and that scene was reminiscent of their first kiss and it made them upset?
What if even mentioning "This book contains rape" in the book description sets someone off. What if someone buys the book without reading the warning? If you're that concerned about it why not just leave the scene out?
Now that I'm a mother, that upsets me deeply. It hits too close to home.
I'd prefer to know which books or films to avoid.
Does that mean people should stop writing about the death of a child? I don't want that. I just want to be able to avoid them.
I think giving warning is not mandatory, of course, but can be fair. Some topics are easier to guess - rape can be one of them. For the others topics, maybe wait to see if there is a backlash after the publication and give warning accordingly, if many readers mention it?
I think it's a good idea to make it clear either through the blurb or with a trigger warning about any material that may be upsetting. Sometimes it's enough to just read the blurb. For instance, I've had to pass on many books I know are great because they deal with cancer storylines. I lost my mother to cancer, and just can't go there yet. It's still too raw.
But, typically, children dying in a book (or movie) is supposed to upset the reader. It's supposed to hit close to home. Aren't books supposed to evoke an emotional response? Especially of a scene of a child dying? "Pet Sematary" spoiler:Nathalie Hamidi said:I remember a time when I could read or watch films with children dying. That didn't upset me at all, it was fiction and I was completely detached.
Now that I'm a mother, that upsets me deeply. It hits too close to home.
I'd prefer to know which books or films to avoid.
Does that mean people should stop writing about the death of a child? I don't want that. I just want to be able to avoid them.
I think giving warning is not mandatory, of course, but can be fair. Some topics are easier to guess - rape can be one of them. For the others topics, maybe wait to see if there is a backlash after the publication and give warning accordingly, if many readers mention it?
What if on the cover of Stephen King's "Pet Sematary" it said that a child gets killed in it? That's a major spoiler that would "ruin" the book for 99% of the readers. Knowing that happens takes almost all of the emotional impact out of it.
I understand that we may be talking about more than just an emotional response. PTSD was mentioned earlier in the thread, I would think that if someone was that susceptible to PTSD that they would want to stay away from any material that might even potentially cause distress. My nephew is extremely allergic to every food that can cause allergic responses, therefore he only eats food prepared in his kitchen.
I think if many readers mention it, it's likely that there are bigger problems with the scene (or scenes) than it just being a "trigger", like it's out of context, isn't necessary or is overly gratuitous for the style of the rest of the book.
I put warnings on ALL my books after several bad reviews complaining about cuss words and/or non-explicit teen sex.
Interestingly, the low star reviews dried up after, and only came back when my product page had an Amazon glitch that removed the warning!!
So I am all in favor of warnings in the blurb and encourage ALL authors to use them for content that any person might find objectionable. For my genre, that includes: sex, drug use, foul language, and violence.
The goal is to steer readers who will connect with your work to your work, and to steer readers who will be offended by your book away.
Interestingly, the low star reviews dried up after, and only came back when my product page had an Amazon glitch that removed the warning!!
So I am all in favor of warnings in the blurb and encourage ALL authors to use them for content that any person might find objectionable. For my genre, that includes: sex, drug use, foul language, and violence.
The goal is to steer readers who will connect with your work to your work, and to steer readers who will be offended by your book away.
I don't disagree that general warnings should be included (i.e. This book contains graphic sex, violence and foul language) but putting in specific "trigger warnings" that mention specific acts, scenarios, plot points doesn't seem necessary or feasible.ellecasey said:I put warnings on ALL my books after several bad reviews complaining about cuss words and/or non-explicit teen sex.
Interestingly, the low star reviews dried up after, and only came back when my product page had an Amazon glitch that removed the warning!!
So I am all in favor of warnings in the blurb and encourage ALL authors to use them for content that any person might find objectionable. For my genre, that includes: sex, drug use, foul language, and violence.
The goal is to steer readers who will connect with your work to your work, and to steer readers who will be offended by your book away.
I agree!NathanWrann said:I don't disagree that general warnings should be included (i.e. This book contains graphic sex, violence and foul language) but putting in specific "trigger warnings" that mention specific acts, scenarios, plot points doesn't seem necessary or feasible.
I won't read books about animals just in case something bad happens to them. But I was persuaded to read The Cat Who Came in From the Cold after being assured nothing terrible happened to the cat. I then lent it to a friend after having to also assure her that the cat survived. (it's a very funny and charming book)
Actually, I'd think Pet Sematary is about much more than that, and Gage's scene is at the very beginning of the book.NathanWrann said:But, typically, children dying in a book (or movie) is supposed to upset the reader. It's supposed to hit close to home. Aren't books supposed to evoke an emotional response? Especially of a scene of a child dying? "Pet Sematary" spoiler:What if on the cover of Stephen King's "Pet Sematary" it said that a child gets killed in it? That's a major spoiler that would "ruin" the book for 99% of the readers. Knowing that happens takes almost all of the emotional impact out of it.
I understand that we may be talking about more than just an emotional response. PTSD was mentioned earlier in the thread, I would think that if someone was that susceptible to PTSD that they would want to stay away from any material that might even potentially cause distress. My nephew is extremely allergic to every food that can cause allergic responses, therefore he only eats food prepared in his kitchen.
I think if many readers mention it, it's likely that there are bigger problems with the scene (or scenes) than it just being a "trigger", like it's out of context, isn't necessary or is overly gratuitous for the style of the rest of the book.
I think people likely to be triggered are the ones that will look for the warning before buying a book. I usually gloss over warnings because I'm not easily offended.
I can read books with children dying in them. I'm not quite there yet that I can't stand to read a book with that topic in it, if I happen to read it before I get a warning I should steer clear of it.
What about people that have had really critical experiences in life? People raped, tortured, that have lost something to one of those triggers? Sometimes it can be a way to help get past things, but what if they're not there yet what if it is damaging for them?
I don't know. I'd rather err on the safe side.
I'm always a bit torn about this topic. Among fanfiction-writers this has been debated for years without any results because of the complexity of the issue.
Even if one only warned for the big things like rape, violence, or similar it might cover very different versions or definitions of these topics. One book might just allude to a rape that happened in the past or off-screen while another book might describe a rape-scene in graphic detail yet both books warn for rape. Same with say child abuse. If, let's say, Harry Potter had come with the warning of child abuse on it, I doubt many people would have picked it up and let their children read it.
Some writers will over-warn just to be sure that they are covering all their bases and frighten off potential readers with their well-meant attempts, while others might under-warn and annoy readers.
I also see the potential for spoilers which I know some people react very violently too because they don't want to be spoilt at all. And yes, some even consider rather general warning as spoilers.
At the same time I can understand the desire of readers to be prepared for specific topics or to even be warned about potentially triggering situations. I don't trigger easily but I've read books that made me wish someone had warned me about in advance because then I wouldn't have read the books at all. There are some writer's whose books I'll no longer read because of that, no matter how highly recommended they come or how many people rave about their books.
Even if one only warned for the big things like rape, violence, or similar it might cover very different versions or definitions of these topics. One book might just allude to a rape that happened in the past or off-screen while another book might describe a rape-scene in graphic detail yet both books warn for rape. Same with say child abuse. If, let's say, Harry Potter had come with the warning of child abuse on it, I doubt many people would have picked it up and let their children read it.
Some writers will over-warn just to be sure that they are covering all their bases and frighten off potential readers with their well-meant attempts, while others might under-warn and annoy readers.
I also see the potential for spoilers which I know some people react very violently too because they don't want to be spoilt at all. And yes, some even consider rather general warning as spoilers.
At the same time I can understand the desire of readers to be prepared for specific topics or to even be warned about potentially triggering situations. I don't trigger easily but I've read books that made me wish someone had warned me about in advance because then I wouldn't have read the books at all. There are some writer's whose books I'll no longer read because of that, no matter how highly recommended they come or how many people rave about their books.
It's up to the author ultimately. I prefer to be notified of things like this in advance (I've picked up a few "easy bedtime reads" in the past that have kept me up half the night when all of a sudden they verge into unexpectedly harrowing territory), but often particularly shocking events in novels are shocking primarily because you don't expect them. Reviews are handy for this sort of thing though. I always like to read up about my purchases beforehand to make sure I'm getting what I think I'm getting.
Yes, flagging Harry Potter as being triggery for child abuse would be absurd. I'm really talking about graphic, prolonged descriptions.
Deerskin (the book I just read) is actually interesting in this regard as the rape scenes are very graphic, but not in the normal sense of the term. Not much mention of body parts or the mechanics of the act, and yet its one of the most upsetting things I have read. I can only imagine what a rape survivor would make of it. I guess I really asked this because the book description makes it sound like a fairy tale![:-\](/s3/kboards.com/data/smilies/undecided.gif "Undecided :-\")
Deerskin (the book I just read) is actually interesting in this regard as the rape scenes are very graphic, but not in the normal sense of the term. Not much mention of body parts or the mechanics of the act, and yet its one of the most upsetting things I have read. I can only imagine what a rape survivor would make of it. I guess I really asked this because the book description makes it sound like a fairy tale
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