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A while back, there were some interesting thoughts about warnings. Here's where things seem to get even more messy. What may pass through one fandom with no one blinking, may raise an eyebrow in another.
Let's look at Power Rangers. Slash is everywhere. (Let's face it, guys running around in spandex, that just screams to be slashed. ;) Since it's so common, a slash warning may or may not be included. And let's go one step further, if you grow accustomed to a particular readership (and they begin to know you) some things can be skipped.
'Skipped' isn't really the word I'm looking for here, but you probably get the idea. If you know the majority of your regular readers won't have a hang up about Bridge trying on Syd's shoes, you probably wouldn't bother to put a warning for that.
But if you find yourself in a fandom where it seems that even slash should be warned for, it gets a little more tricky. I've gotten to a point where half the time, I don't bother to warn for slash, though I do have a tag for it here.
I suppose it's more of being the new hatchling on the block and not knowing where the squicks are for a fandom. Should you start warning for every thing you think might trip someone up?
So what do you all think? Are there fandoms where slash and explicit material seems more common than in others? Do you adjust your warnings to better fit those fandoms?
- I feel:
contemplative
Comments
As for 'regular readership' - same rule applies, I dunno who's read my stuff before and who hasn't and when I might get a new reader. Unless it's locked on my personal LJ it gets full warnings for content.
Edited to add: I do consider listing the pairing(s) a 'warning' if it's slash - if someone can't figure out that the story is about a male/male relationship then they kind of deserve to be offended. xD (This obviously doesn't apply to OCs with androgynous names, but most people should know the names and genders of the main characters in their fandoms..)
Edited at 2008-05-03 03:51 am (UTC)
I don't warn for slash, because usually the only places/fandoms I post in are slash exclusively/dominantly so warning for slash is kind of pointless. That said, I do list pairings which can be taken as a warning, if you like; as
Apologies if that makes no sense, I'm pretty much running on fumes at the moment. -_-
I did just get asked to no longer write my CSI OTP though. *rolls eyes* Just because I don't write the one pairing everyone and their uncle does...
Also, unless the pairing is a surprise, I usually tell people up front. No real politicalness there, just personal preference. I also never actually leave legal disclaimers. Before you could leave them off and in court come off as 'I didn't know this was against copyright'. Now however, the laws have changed so that so much of what we do is copyright infringement in my job alone...I guess I'm just not that concerned about fic at the moment.
In general, I would warn for explicit stuff (NC-17), and I give my fics an overall rating (G/K, R/T etc.), though I usually overestimate it. What I consider R is probably more like PG to most other people anyway. So you could say I worry about giving other people the courtesy of an accurate warning, but to date, I just haven't had much of an issue with it.
As for slash, I feel like the word 'slash' automatically makes people assume certain things about a fic, namely m/m or f/f smut fest, which obviously isn't always the case. I've gotten in the habit of listing which pairings are featured in my stories since so many other writers I know do that, so that takes the place of a slash warning for me.