I've been thinking lately about all the things writers are told they shouldn't write about. For example, don't kill children or animals and don't portray an actual rape scene. The list of taboos is so long, that I'm surprised that any crime fiction gets written at all.
Think about it. We can kill off twenty people in a room, but don't set the story on a classroom. We're told that killing a child won't sell a book. Odd thing is that the six o'clock news has no trouble generating ad revenues selling that type of story. As a matter of fact, children in jeopardy are always the lead news story. So why can't writers explore this aspect of crime?
We're told to write realistically, but not about the heinous things that slap us in the face while we're eating our supper or drinking our morning coffee. Life is not pretty and trying to portray murder or rape or incest in an entertaining, non-threatening way is doing a disservice to those who have lived in the center of this type of crime.
I can understand people not wanting to read about these things, but don't demand realism in your mysteries then get upset because the writer actually portrays the ugliness of crime. Criminals don't tie their crimes up in a pretty red bow, they cause damage and spill blood.
Yes, there are some writers who tend to go way over the top, but I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the writers who portray the truth without having to spill blood and guts and semen all over the page. Writers who seek the truth in the world and force us to open our eyes to that truth, perhaps persuading us to do something about it. Their books and stories deserve to be read even if you don't care for the subject matter.
What about you? Any taboos in your reading or writing habits. What do you avoid?
Today's quote is from Anne Lamott:
"For me and most of the other writers I know, writing is not rapturous. In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts."
3 comments:
I wrote one story with harm coming to children. It appeared in Murdaland. I've always regretted it and if I have children in harm's way again, it won't be that explicit or scary.
Yes, I too, have trouble with very explicit acts, but I try not to shy away from the topic. It's a very fine line to walk. What bothers me most is the people who refuse to read a book because of a topic like child abuse. When it's handled well, it's an excellent way to start a discussion, or to show people what to look for or how to help a child that is afraid to ask.
I have a short section in one of my manuscripts of harm coming to children, but it is shown in an abstract way where you don't see it occur. I've been wondering if I should just scrap that part, perhaps have another character mention their deaths in passing and go on.
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