I don't have foul language or graphic violence in my novel

horatiodreamt · December 2018

Does modern fiction stand a chance of being read without the graphic stuff, including sex, in it?

Just Kevin · December 2018

of course, even porn, but you cannot publish porn or anything that's sexual and graphic just for the sake of it here.

Ron Miller · December 2018

Kevin is right. There are scores of best-selling novels that have neither graphic sex nor violence.

AuntySocialite · January 15

Great post! There's some cussing in my about-to-be-published 2nd novel, but everything else is suggested. I've always thought a story works more powerfully and haunts when you trust your readers' intelligence and imagination.

Just Kevin · January 15

Indeed. Suggestion is adequate in most cases, but not always. But there's no need to go OTT with descriptions, and not every such instance ends up with the actual sex-act, anyway. There's no real need for it. Some of my books are marked Adult Content mainly due to profanities in the dialogue. Some people do actually talk that way! (And it was my choice to include it to be 'real' and to decide to add the Adult Content flag so as not to offend some people, even though kids talk that way also!) And there's no stronger word to denote extreme surprise or hitting one's thumb with a hammer than f***!

Seamus · January 15

AuntySocialite · January 16

So if we do have swearing in our novel we have to mark it adult content? Doesn't that make it sound like erotica? I would think if it's in the General section & not juvenile then people would expect a book not written for children... (love the HST jpg btw)

Seamus · January 16

This is just my opinion, but if all you have is some curse words I wouldn't bother with the warning. Figure curse words are in PG-13 movies, and the warning is for 18+.
I put the warning on mine mainly for drug references plus the language, ...and I know some one who gave it to their 13 year-old. You might get a broader audience without it.

TheJesusNinja · January 16

Although not a book, the newest version of the movie Ben Hur was excellent. No cursing, graphic violence, or nudity. One of the best movies I've seen. I think it's refreshing to read a book or watch a movie without all the worldly crap in it.

Just Kevin · January 17

So if we do have swearing in our novel we have to mark it adult content?

There's only that one option to click at Lulu and usually books for YA and downwards don't have profanities in them, so one has no choice but to click that one option. (KDP options have 'scales' of options to do with content.)

Doesn't that make it sound like erotica?

It could even make it sound like porn.

I would think if it's in the General section & not juvenile then people would expect a book not written for children...

Is the General section not for all ages? But my stories are SF, so not in the General section. But I agree to a degree, if one clicks on the Children section one would expect them to be just for the under 13s? There's no YA section in the Fiction options though, and there should be. There is a Teen option not under Fiction though, and it only has two works of fiction in it, nothing else. (One listed as 'For all ages' though!)

Just Kevin · January 17

This is just my opinion, but if all you have is some curse words I wouldn't bother with the warning. Figure curse words are in PG-13 movies, and the warning is for 18+.

I agree, but PG means Parental Guidance, so somewhere along the line those who came up with the grading expected parents to know what the contents of everything is, and you don't find sex or profanities, and many other 'bad' things, in YA stories, and definitely not in children's books, which are both under 18. There were complaints about my children's story, 'Spot the F****** Dog.'

I put the warning on mine mainly for drug references plus the language, ...and I know some one who gave it to their 13 year-old. You might get a broader audience without it.

Indeed, from 5 to 18?

Just Kevin · January 17

Although not a book, the newest version of the movie Ben Hur was excellent. No cursing, graphic violence, or nudity.

There were none in the original that I can recall.

One of the best movies I've seen. I think it's refreshing to read a book or watch a movie without all the worldly crap in it.

Keep it unreal? Many writers do leave it out, though, simply so they don't have to class it as Adult. It's the same with films and TV shows.

The games industry is a good example perhaps.
A while back they were forced by 'concerned citizens' to add Parental Controls to them. Turn off the gore and swearing. Apparently it's ok to depict someone getting their head blown off in games that children buy, as long as there's no blood. I don't think any games have those controls in them still.

Seamus · January 17

Kevin, sometimes I just write responses to you and then delete them.

Just Kevin · January 17

Er, why? I was agreeing with you. (Do we not speak the same language?) This forum is strange.

I don't have foul language or graphic violence in my novel

Comments