De gustibus non disputandem est. I guess this site has several purposes. For many who visit here, the purpose is solely for entertainment purposes. For others, this site not only offers entertainment, it gives budding authors a chance to develop their skills. The value is that we are able to receive feedback, some subjective, some critical and objective. Unfortunately, critical comments are in the significant minority.

I think to categorically reject a story because of a subject category (maybe one of a dozen or so listed) is doing the author and the reader a disservice. Sometimes, it is very easy after just a few paragraphs, to tell that the story is not one that is worth reading. Murder is a terrible thing, as are other types of violence and abuse. If one includes such things in a story, does that mean that the author advocates such activities? Hopefully not; however, we all know (or most of us, anyway) that some subject material is a turn on, a vicarious experience. I feel that the serious authors who contribute to this site are honestly interested in the human experience: the sturm und drang of life. Yes, the writing deals with transgender themes; however, it is the human experience that is important. I recently posted a story/novel that was pretty much real life. I put the various subject categories in the header. One of those subjects was incest. As abhorrent as that might be to some people, it does happen. In this case the incest was not forced, nor did it dominate the story. The story dealt with the main character overcoming her weaknesses. The readers were warned. Yet one reader expressed in rather strong words that he/she would not read the rest of the story because of something she was warned about. The reader missed the point. It wasn’t to expound on the prurient, it was to talk about recovery. The readers comment really didn’t really have any value. It was an opinion, an opinion that didn’t really serve any purpose toward improving the story.

I found the story that generated this blog to be very interesting, and yet very disturbing. It was quite well done. The story generated considerable comment, some of the best I’ve seen in many months on this site. Most of those who commented found what was done to the main character very disturbing. Many did not accept the author’s premise or conclusions; however, that did not prevent them from reading the story and commenting. They knew what the subject matter was; however, they did not summarily reject the story.

A series of stories I posted here do deal with magic; however, magic was not the major point. The characters experience very human problems, and have to deal with them just like any other person does. To reject the story because magic might have been mentioned seems to me to be cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. I do think that if there were a number of subjects mentioned that I found to be disturbing, I might skip the story due to the preponderance of subject matter I don’t like. What I am trying to say is give the author a chance. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Portia

Writing is a solitary vice that leaves stains on paper. Or nowadays on the computer screen.

Sitting alone with a keyboard, the writer creates a world for the reader to enter. Whether that world includes fantastic elements that could not take place in the real world or not, that world does not exist until the writer brings it into Being. Shakespeare, Dickens and Twain sometimes found it useful to include fantastic elements in their stories, the better to illuminate aspects of the humanity of their characters. Kurt Vonnegut used such elements in almost all of his fiction writing.

The current popularity of fantastic elements in film is a consequence of the fascination with the technology now available to make such things seem real. Many more movies are made that do not include such elements as ones that do. It's expensive to make an alien world come alive and not that many people have stories to tell that demand it.

But every piece of fiction is world creation. None of them are real, otherwise it is autobiography and not fiction. Whether it is a world where going to the local Safeway can involve one in a life and death drama with a nation watching, or one in which you can set your foot in the snowlike dust of another planet, fiction is not reality.

The reader explores the reality the writer has created. The abilities of a Sherlock Holmes or a Mary Poppins are not part of our everyday world, they don't have to be. Writers make them real, doing the job for which people heap them with accolades and approbation. Or not.

There is no sharper instrument than a keyboard with a mind behind it, slicing and carving worlds out of nothing. This is possible, this is not: Fiat Lux. Yes, gods and writers both get to feel that particular thrill. Hence the stains left behind.

My advice to writers is to write what you will, for your will is the most powerful force in your Creation.

You may write an intense personal, psychological exploration of what it means to choose one life over another; meticulously researched for adherence to looking like the real world. I guarantee that if you do, much of the criticism, and even compliments, you get will be aimed at pointing out just those places where, in the never-so-humble opinion of the commenter -- you got it wrong.

You may write of an incredible world where colors are gender and no one who is born green would ever dare to wear purple without being considered a pervert. Someone will criticize your fashion sense. You may stretch your imagination to create walking, talking humanoid insects with five genders and someone will mention the square-cube law in a comment.

Reality always tries to intrude on fiction. Keeping them separate is no one's job.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.