I'm still very interested in the idea that you can write and publish the story, though. Publication seems to be similar in weight. I'm not going to lie--I pity the person who stumbles into untagged deep waters
I'm not gonna lie: warning culture has had a serious chilling effect on me.
I can write damn near anything about adults. Writing's not the issue. Publishing wasn't the issue before. Other people putting the onus on me for their mental health and a culture of expectations around that which feels amorphous and that I cannot reasonable meet? That's the issue.
And, you know, maybe I'm one of the broken eggs for their omelet, but doesn't mean I have to like it.
Whether you like it or not (you clearly don't) unless you tag with "I'm not tagging shit--enter at own risk", people are still putting the onus on you for their mental health, and the culture of expectation still applies.
They just think they're wandering into a land of no triggers, because we've created (for good or ill) a safe space expectation.
But that is assuming you can't put details like "child rape by protagonist" in your summary--is that also problematic and disturbing for you?
Whether you like it or not (you clearly don't) unless you tag with "I'm not tagging shit--enter at own risk", people are still putting the onus on you for their mental health, and the culture of expectation still applies.
That's, in theory, what Choose Not to Warn means on AO3.
I just don't trust that people understand that choice, nor do I trust that they respect it.
That's how I take it.
Seconded. Also, doesn't AO3 default to chooses not to warn if you don't pick something else?
From time not to time, I've seen "chooses not to warn" AND "graphic violence" used on a fic. How do you all interpret that? My first assumption would be that it's shorthand for "this story is dark, dark, dark, and things like death are definitely on the table but you'll have to read to find out for sure."
Seconded. Also, doesn't AO3 default to chooses not to warn if you don't pick something else?
Yes. It's checked by default
From time not to time, I've seen "chooses not to warn" AND "graphic violence" used on a fic. How do you all interpret that? My first assumption would be that it's shorthand for "this story is dark, dark, dark, and things like death are definitely on the table but you'll have to read to find out for sure."
I tend to read it as "I forgot to uncheck the first box when I checked the second"
I'd go with "someone you like is going to die, but I don't want to put in Major Character Death." Or they're going to bring the torture porn. I might read, but I'd be cautious.
I tend to read it as "I forgot to uncheck the first box when I checked the second"
That has happened to a few of my stories. I go back later to edit that one typo that I just found, and end up having to fix that as well.
The first time I chose not to warn, I had nothing to warn about. So that's what I assumed it meant for a very long time.
