Discussion carried over...

[ostarella]

Leia posted this over on the list

http://www.trickster.org/symposium/symp130.html

I just read it and thought it was great - especially the last paragraph :D  But it did get me thinking, once more, about story summaries. Mine suck and I definitely need to learn how to write them - does anyone know of a site that helps one craft such a masterpiece?

Comments

[beckyblack]

I can never decide on this subject. On the one hand, I don't want to spoiler the story, on the other hand I don't want to upset anyone. For myself, I'm not easily shockable and more and I'll read almost anything and if I run across something that "squicks" me, I just back out. I don't feel the need to flame tha author for not including a warning. (There's bigger things to worry about in this life.) Also if the rating is NC-17 I tend to think that means potentially anything goes.

I don't know, warnings are safe, I suppose that's why people go on using them. It's also a defence if someone flames you with the usal "OMG!!! They're not GAY! You're going to hell!!!!" etc, since you can say "It had a warning for slash on it and the pairing, not my fault if you read it anyway."

[ostarella.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think for things like slash there should be a warning, just because of the nature of the beast. But that goes along with AU for me, because then people are warned that something is not going to be canon-bound. But I'm getting a little hinky about calling something AU, as well. I mean - Covenant, for instance. Is that AU or just taking canon a step further?

But I guess, if it came to a spoiler versus a flame, I'd take the flame. Frankly, I'd take the flame regardless - one can always delete those, but chasing away readers with needless warnings is almost irreparable. Which is again why I think summaries are more important than warnings.

[billy-shriner.livejournal.com]

I don't know, warnings are safe, I suppose that's why people go on using them. It's also a defence if someone flames you with the usal "OMG!!! They're not GAY! You're going to hell!!!!" etc, since you can say "It had a warning for slash on it and the pairing, not my fault if you read it anyway."

See I don't see Slash as a warning, it kinda should be a category...like the article says, walking into a book shop. If you want comedy you go to comedy section, Crime, etc. etc. I think a story should be labelled Slash, they can even put the pairing, just so the reader can chose to read that story or not. I don't think that is giving much away to the story...well, I suppose it depends on the story.

There should definitely be a warning for Nipple Rings lol! I was horrified! lol!