Moral Inhibitions

[FrancesScott]

It’s a very questionable thesis to suggest that improvement in writing is only achievable via compromising on the author’s morals. This sounds awfully like, “I want to write something I know is probably unpleasant, but want to rely on some plausible-sounding psychobabble as cover for this.”

 

[SimonDoom]

It’s a very questionable thesis to suggest that improvement in writing is only achievable via compromising on the author’s morals. This sounds awfully like, “I want to write something I know is probably unpleasant, but want to rely on some plausible-sounding psychobabble as cover for this.”

Has anyone advocated that? I don't read any of the contributions in this thread that way.

I'm one of those authors who likes to push the envelope. I take an extremely permissive view of what's OK in the field of fiction. But that's me. I don't advise other authors to do things my way. I think that in general it's good to be open minded and to push one's own boundaries somewhat, but we all have to decide what that means for ourselves and our stories. I wouldn't tell an author, "You should write a story that conflicts with your morals." I don't interpret anyone else contributing to this thread as advocating that.

 

[TheLobster]

I’ve heard arguments that such prose can be an outlet, to let people healthily deal with their transgressive imaginings. OK? But then the same people have to then also support kiddie porn for the exactly the same reasons.

That’s complete and total nonsense, and for a very obvious reason.

 

[SamanthaBehgs]

Because it is a "moral" matter.


If the writer who can not only capture the bright and sunny sides of life but also its vile and loathsome underbelly in her writing is "better" than the one comparatively restricted, and if such writing will—more or less inevitably (see @TarnishedPenny's post above)—result in preventable harm of others (preventable by refraining from becoming the "better" writer), then, yes, you may very well be justified in believing that to be a better writer, you have to become a worse human being.

I get the sense from your replies that one of two things are likely true.

1) You asked this question already having decided that it was okay to write about something that you had scruples writing about, and the second part of your question (asking if folks would just stop writing or redirect to avoid violating those scruples) was more rhetorical or maybe out of curiosity about those who would take a different path than your own.

Or

2) You asked the entire question without an answer in mind to any part of the question and have formed one based on the discussion that has occurred on this thread, at least to that second part. Your responses seem to be defending the idea of writing to overcome your scruples rather than stopping or making it more of a moral fit.

Either way - it seems from the outside looking in that you as the OP have an answer for yourself (it's clear that this answer is different for each author here) that you've somewhat settled on regarding whether you would stop writing entirely or re-write the story to avoid violating your scruples.

If so, I still feel like part of your question isn't answered, the *how.* I'm seeing arguments that talk about *why* you might do it but did I miss the answer to how? How are you as the OP feeling regarding how well your complete question has been answered?

If someone feels they answered the how (or if you, the OP, have taken away a *how* from the discussion), I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to summarize it because I've failed at wrapping my head around it. I understand that's a me problem, so I won't hold it against anyone who doesn't want to. Just figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

[Erozetta]

I get the sense from your replies that one of two things are likely true.

1) You asked this question already having decided that it was okay to write about something that you had scruples writing about, and the second part of your question (asking if folks would just stop writing or redirect to avoid violating those scruples) was more rhetorical or maybe out of curiosity about those who would take a different path than your own.

Or

2) You asked the entire question without an answer in mind to any part of the question and have formed one based on the discussion that has occurred on this thread, at least to that second part. Your responses seem to be defending the idea of writing to overcome your scruples rather than stopping or making it more of a moral fit.

Either way - it seems from the outside looking in that you as the OP have an answer for yourself (it's clear that this answer is different for each author here) that you've somewhat settled on regarding whether you would stop writing entirely or re-write the story to avoid violating your scruples.

If so, I still feel like part of your question isn't answered, the *how.* I'm seeing arguments that talk about *why* you might do it but did I miss the answer to how? How are you as the OP feeling regarding how well your complete question has been answered?

If someone feels they answered the how (or if you, the OP, have taken away a *how* from the discussion), I'm wondering if anyone would be willing to summarize it because I've failed at wrapping my head around it. I understand that's a me problem, so I won't hold it against anyone who doesn't want to. Just figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

My how was just accepting that the story was unfolding how it naturally flowed because of taking action that made sense for each character, for better or worse.

How I got there was reading the story again and deciding the characters were good, the story was good, even if dark, and the uncomfortable action wasn't just for shock value, there were reasons it went the way it did. Once I understood that, it became easier to finish on the path that was uncomfortable for me but stayed true to the characters journey.

 

[Levorotatory]

I’ve heard arguments that such prose can be an outlet, to let people healthily deal with their transgressive imaginings. OK? But then the same people have to then also support kiddie porn for the exactly the same reasons. You have to be consistent in the application of such arguments.

That’s complete and total nonsense, and for a very obvious reason.

It is obviously nonsense to compare a story of a fictional character being sexually assaulted to a recording of a real person being sexually assaulted, but I interpret "kiddie porn" in this context as meaning fictional, written content. With that assumption, EmilyMiller makes a good point.

 

[TheRedLantern]

Have you ever had scruples about writing a story? If so, what did you do to overcome them—or did your bad conscience win?

Ugh, yes. From an artistic perspective, I am constantly paralyzed by this dilemma.

I'm American and I write almost entirely about race & culture. If you've been alive on Earth any time in the last 200 years, you've probably watched the US struggle with this some form or another. This is not an issue on which we have come to ANY consensus and it does not look like we're on the cusp of figuring it out.

Even here on AH, where kink shaming is heavily frowned upon, I get kink shamed for bringing up race and sex at the same time.

How do I overcome it? I suppose I don't, and if I did I probably wouldn't feel the need to write about it. I deal with it in two ways, first by obsessing over every mention of race by myself and with one or two other writing partners who also feel the need to understand these parts of themselves, and the second is by working REALLY REALLY hard to make my writing so good that, even if the content makes a reader uncomfortable, they can't look away. My hope is that my writing can be compelling enough to give my perspective a chance to be seen.

 

[sirhugs]

Have you ever had scruples about writing a story? If so, what did you do to overcome them—or did your bad conscience win?

And, in general, what is the right thing to do in such a situation? Stop the writing? Rewrite the story to make it a better moral fit?

every time I write incest. The legality is at best questionable, but I have a hard time fighting the compulsion. Fighting it is part of the reason that I try to spread out my incest tales spaced by stories in safer categories.