Are There Any Lines You Won't Cross?

[Jonathan Francesco]

The topic about the killing kids in crime fiction got me thinking: As writers, are there any lines we won't cross? Is there a personal taboo that you just won't write about? (Not because you just aren't interested, but because it would be some sort of violation of what you believe is acceptable? Or you just don't have the mental guts to go there in your writing?) Some people won't write violence in their works at all, for example. (Which I suppose is unlikely to find in crime fiction. But it's an example.) The other thread brought up the popular taboo against killing kids in fiction, or killing animals. Are there other taboos you won't touch? Are the ones already mentioned among them? Why are these such taboos for you?

[Stacy]

No I don't think there's nothing I wouldn't cross. I'm a writer. I'm creative. If something gets in my head and I wanna write that story, I'll write it. It has nothing to do with my personal feelings or my beliefs.

I think if we restrict ourselves to what's not taboo then we are stifling our creativity. Some of the best books in the world crossed lines that people felt were taboo or shouldn't have been crossed but the fact is that we're writers. We write stories. I don't feel like in fiction, there should be something we feel we shouldn't write.

Perfect example, Lolita.

That's just my opinion. I respect if others have lines personally but if I wanna write something, I'll write it.

It doesn't matter what you write these days. Someone will always have something to say or find something offensive about it.

I'd rather a writer write from the heart and cross lines if that's the best for the story then to stifle themselves.

I have the guts to stand behind anything I write. I think if anyone is published or plans to be they need to have a thick skin and not worry about if someone will find the book offensive or not. If a reader can't realize that novelists write and make up stuff even if it's offensive then that's their problem.

If I get to where I gotta worry about what I write then I will stop writing. I will never ditch my creativity or ideas just because it might not be comfortable for someone to read. They don't have to read anything if they don't want to.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net