Problematic topics?

[Hex]

Hmm. I've just written a story and - seen from certain political positions - it comes across as rabidly pro-life. I didn't mean it to. I'm not.

Do you think there's a problem with writing this sort of thing? Or, maybe more importantly, trying to publish it?
(a) will anyone touch it?
(b) is it my responsibility if other people misunderstand what I've written and take a political message from it that I didn't really intend?? (although which is, as I say, there if you're looking from a particular angle).

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Hi Hex.

I think you have more chance with a pro-life aspect than the other option. It seems to me that Pro-lifers to me tend to be more vocal, dare I say militant, in their opposition to the topic. So a publisher will have fewer worries about the reaction if s/he takes it on.

I don't think you can be held responsible for the thoughts of others.
Using that argument, all the religious texts that dominate the world, would be banned.

Even if someone does shout 'FIRE', in a crowded theatre, it's still up the individual as to whether s/he crushes, maims and kills others to get out, or takes the more orderly approach.


However, I'm saddened to discover you are not pro-life. (I'm quite fond of it myself)

No need to worry though, you may as well hang around till the end: the problem will be resolved soon for us all.

 

[Sir Vivor]

As a European, I'd say that you should maybe aim for a more global readership. Maybe I'm commercially naive though.. if current American societal divisions need to be taken into account when writing fiction, then that's really, really sad.

 

[Steve Harrison]

a) I don't know. Is it a good story?
b) No. But are you sure you didn't intend to provoke the reaction you say you didn't intend? I don't think it matters, as provoking a reaction is good. However, if you think people might misinterpret your intentions and it concerns you, why don't you rewrite it so that they don't?

 

[AnyaKimlin]

I honestly don't know. I have gone out of my way to change things.

Black's Nest with the fairies wings has clear circumcision parallels I didn't intend and it has become a bigger political football than it was when I started writing.

 

[Cathbad]

My characters are in charge. I just go the direction they lead me.

 

[Toby Frost]

First up, and I can't overstate how fundamental I think this is, You have a right to write about anything you please. This right has to be defended from crackpots at both ends of the spectrum, who view all writing as propaganda for or against their cause. You just have to make a good job of it.

Secondly, that said, how bothered are you by the flak you may or may not get? People like reading things into stories: there seems to be an entire school of criticism about deciding what the author "really" meant. Some SF concepts are inherently open to this: robots can be the minority group of your choice (and, actually, don't fit any very well). For me, the question would be whether this story is obviously about abortion. Is it reasonably possible to read the story without making the parallel? If you have to approach it from a certain angle, then that's something you're bringing to the story as a reader, and I don't think that's the author's problem.

There are a couple of publishers which have an overt political slant, but you may or may not want to be associated with them. On the other hand, it does seem that a lot of people don't evaluate fiction in the way that I do, and will award points to a story if it contains people like them, regardless of quality. Overall, it's very hard to say without having seen the story.

Finally, I'd just like to restate my loathing of the word "problematic".

 

[The Judge]

Two things from me with my moderator's hat on:

• Hex asked this question approaching 7 years ago, so I rather imagine she's sorted this particular story out now. We don't object to thread necromancy, and by all means discuss the matter in a general fashion, but specific advice for her on this specific issue is probably unnecessary.
  
• if you want to talk in general about the issue, please all remember we do not discuss political matters here on Chrons, and we never, under any circumstances, discuss abortion.

 

[Brian G Turner]

In fact, I'll close this thread as I'm not sure Hex would want a writing issue raised from so long ago!