➡️ Content warnings on fiction are a courtesy.
➡️ Not every medium of fiction and storytelling has or is expected to have content warnings or extensive tagging.
➡️ Print novels do not traditionally warn for content in any way.
➡️ Until AO3 came along, fanfiction did not traditionally warn for content in any significant way.
➡️ An author is only obligated to warn for content to the degree mandated by the format they publish their fiction on.
➡️ Content warnings beyond the minimum are a courtesy, not an obligation.
➡️ 'Creator chose not to warn' is a valid tag that authors are allowed to use on AO3. It means there could be anything in there and you have accepted the risk. 'May contain peanuts!'
➡️ Writers are allowed to use 'Creator chose not to warn' for any reason, including to maintain surprise and avoid spoilers.
➡️ 'Creator chose not to warn' is not the same thing as 'no archive warnings apply'.
➡️ It is your responsibility to protect yourself and close a book, or hit the back button if you find something in fiction that you're reading that upsets you.
➡️ You are responsible for protecting yourself from fiction that causes you discomfort.
Saying “this niche, properly tagged, warned, and rated piece of fiction could theoretically hurt someone” is not a good argument. This properly labeled cookie with the allergen information at the bottom that contains gluten could theoretically harm me very badly, but only if I consume it. Tags are like nutrition labels, and warnings are like allergy information. If you know you have an allergy to something, the logic is to stay away from it. It is the same with fiction. I’m not running through stores yelling at people to take all the products with gluten off the shelves just because it could hurt me. Instead I ignore it and go to the gluten free section and find cookies that are right for me. And if running through a grocery store yelling sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. Stop doing the same with fiction.
Six: *demonic laugh in the background*
RK: I would never hit a girl.
Two: Why? Assuming we’re weak?
RK: No, because they can kill me in an instant.
the origins of the “what are you two FUCKING talking about??” meme is almost funnier then the meme itself
I wanted to draw these cuties so badly.
You don't have to apologize, or perform authorial disgust, for dark, violent, sexual, cruel or problematic topics in the fiction you create.
Fiction does not exist to teach an audience a moral lesson. You as an author are not required to be your audience's moral teacher.
You can have bad things happen-- you can have a protagonist who is bad-- without having to explain to your audience that they are bad.
Petting a mighty fine duck
I forgot to post this here. This is a half done piece of a project I'm working on.
(via)