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Violence and Brutality in Fiction: The Ink Well's Stance
Source: agatamucha on Pixabay
Why The Ink Well Does Not Support Violence in Fiction
In the real world, there is violence. People are beaten and murdered — violently bludgeoned, stabbed, shot with guns, tortured and strangled. Women are raped and slain. Children are molested. Animals are abused by their owners and trainers.
So… why not write about these topics in fiction?
Our simple answer is this: Why do you need to write about them?
(And if you do feel compelled to write about violence and brutality, go ahead. Just don't publish that content in The Ink Well.)
But there's more to say about our aversion to violence.
Stories featuring these topics appear in The Ink Well community regularly. The admins have to read them. The stories tend to be brutal, disheartening, and often lacking in artfulness to make up for the anguish readers have to endure in reading them.
We no longer have a hard and fast rule that violence is completely forbidden, but we ask that you avoid it in your stories — especially graphic violence.
Why, you ask? Why shouldn’t you give a voice to the tormented in your stories? Why shouldn’t you create awareness about the abuses of children, and bring to light the fact that there are murderers and rapists out there stalking women?
The answers are fairly simple. Read on.
The Ink Well’s Stance on Violence and Brutality
To make this as absolutely crystal clear as possible, we’ll sum up why we warn writers to veer away from themes of violence, and why we immediately mute stories that actually describe acts of brutality or include gore and blood.
- Stories about brutality can cause harm. We want The Ink Well to be a safe place to read quality short stories — even for people who have suffered abuse. No one should come to our community and accidentally stumble upon a story about rape, incest or shootings and experience post-traumatic stress. And our community is open to anyone, including children. Remember this.
- Violence and cruelty is not art. Stories featuring brutality are typically about creating impact, not about any sort of literary finesse. There are millions of other possibilities in the vast and wonderful spectrum of great storytelling, so it shouldn't be hard to avoid themes about violence. In fact, we have provided three lists of 50 prompts each to help steer our writers toward creative story ideas that are not about death and violence. See "Our Gift to You: Inspiration, Prompts and Resources" below.
- Our community focus is quality storytelling, not disturbing content. In the world of literature, every publication chooses its focus, and what it does not publish or allow. There are publications for true crime, fantasy, science fiction, romance, and more. Here in The Ink Well, we have a very broad focus. We accept all genres. We provide resources and encouragement to help writers produce great stories. But we have chosen not to allow violent content or sex. The rules are very simple: avoid violence, brutality and NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content. This includes images.
- We don’t want to read about it. It’s already in the news, in movies and in crime shows. These things are plentiful and are often disturbing, and we simply decline to accept them as part of our community identity.
On this last point, we appeal to your compassion with a note: The Ink Well admins are volunteers who love literature. We are not here to read stories about murder, rape and child abuse.
Imagine if you had a volunteer job that involved watching someone be tortured or killed. Imagine if you explained that this is not what you signed up for and pleaded for it to stop, and the next day you had to watch more abuse and brutality. And it happened the next day too. And the next. This is what we are dealing with.
We hope this helps you to understand why our tolerance level for these stories is very low.
Important note: Stories are allowed if they have very minimal mention of violence — such as a street fight or guns on the battlefield — and the violent acts are not actually portrayed in the story. (Think of a movie, where anything violent is only hinted at, and it happens off camera.) Just don’t include content about acts of brutality against women, children or animals. Ever.
Our Gift to You: Inspiration, Prompts and Resources
Our aim is to support our community, and help our writers continually build their skills. We want you to tap into your inner creative genius, bring great stories to life, and shed insights on the human condition that resonate with other readers.
This is why we provide the many resources offered in The Ink Well. Here they are. Please make use of them!
We have developed 150 prompts and short story ideas to fuel your creativity, and we include this list for reference in all of our weekly story prompts:
We also have a rich collection of tips to help writers learn the craft of fiction writing and improve the quality of what they produce. See our catalog of fiction writing tips, which includes articles on character development, world building, the importance of dialog and action, tips for proofreading, and more. It is also pinned to our community home page for quick reference.
A Final Word: Write Stories! Expand Your Creativity!
Tell us about adventures. About startling moments that remind us of how incredible it is to live this human existence. Give us drama, conflict, and resolution. A mother discovers her child is a genius, but she has him enrolled in a school for the academically challenged. Two women realize they had the same boyfriend in high school. A sleepwalker heads toward a busy road.
Just don't include graphic violence if you're posting in The Ink Well. It's not necessary to tell a great story.
We would like to invite lovers of creative writing to visit The Ink Well, a Hive community started by @raj808 and @stormlight24 and run by @jayna, @agmoore, @gracielaacevedo and @wrestlingdesires.
We also invite you to follow The Ink Well curation trail on the Hive blockchain, at https://hive.vote/. Simply navigate to the curation trail section and search for theinkwell (all one word with no @ symbol) and our trail will pop up as an option.
Similarly delegations are possible on Hive using the fantastic https://peakd.com/ Hive Blockchain front end. If you wish to delegate to @theinkwell, you can do this from the wallet section of https://peakd.com/
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Comments
48 commentsI want to reinforce, personally, the message in this blog. Our patience has been tested and exhausted. We will deal firmly with writers who violate our rules on graphic and violent content.
Very often when I read a story, I will stop at the point where the writer has transgressed. Not every curator will do this, but I do. That story will not receive an audience because I will not read it and it will be muted.
So, if you are inclined to write material that is prohibited, don't waste your time. Nobody will read your story in the Ink Well community, not if I get to it first.
Meanwhile, I would like to thank all those wonderful writers who provide delightful reading for me, and for other members of our curating team. We exist for you. We, the curators, volunteer so that you will have a place to present your writing and perhaps to develop your skills. It is a pleasure to do this.
I wish everyone a productive, creative day. Keep writing!
You guys are getting crazy literature postings?
And hate to say it the real world and alot of great literature has controversial content.
However maybe you need to institute trigger warnings as headers on people taking artistic license with their writing.
Might be a balance between the crazy writings and the ability to publish original content...
I believe that all books and literature not be censored. And maybe an adult classification for things a bit more extreme.
Just thoughts. Might be worth making authors comply or the community votes might be skipped....
May people publish the full unedited versions of their works.
Hello @ganjafarmer,
Every community has a culture. This community exists only because some people decided to volunteer and curate stories. There is no benefit to being a curator. It is a service. So, if curators do not want to read stories that feature graphic brutality or sex, it is within their right to set those standards.
Hive is a diverse, open community. It offers almost infinite possibilities for expression. If the community doesn't exist that serves someone's appetites, then that someone may begin their own community. No judgement there. No limitation.
We don't want to read stories featuring graphic violence or sex. We are just people, trying to help out writers. There is no reason that helping writers should become an unpleasant chore.
I really appreciate your feedback. It's good to air these issues so we all understand our respective positions.
Have a lovely, creative day.
Ok then.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, @ganjafarmer. The point of our article is that there are places for everything. You wouldn't walk into a classroom of third grade children and read them Lolita. Right? That's not censorship. It's about what's widely believed to be appropriate for the context. That's just one example.
The Atlantic and The New Yorker do not publish stories about violent rapes, brutal stabbings, beheadings and point-blank shootings where blood gushes from the wound. It's not censorship. They just choose what they publish.
True crime stories and R rated movies tell it all. You want violence? You want rape? You want to read about children being beaten and bashed by their parents? You want women being thrown against walls, bludgeoned, bloodied and murdered? Go find it. It's there for the viewing.
We have made a choice, and have defined what our community is about, with clear boundaries. We are a short story community, and we want great stories that don't feature disturbing scenes of violence. Just like we don't accept poems, essays, introduction posts, novels, articles about how to grow and harvest a great crop of weed, or content on gaming, we also don't accept stories here about brutality and violence. It's not that those things can't exist. They're fine... elsewhere.
We have had people leave our community and our admin team because of the prevalence of these kinds of stories, and how they appear almost daily in spite of our clear boundaries. We are merely trying to help people understand where the lines are drawn.
Does that help?
I think the suggestions you make are very good, since the stories published in Theinkwell should be of reflection to relaxation and comfort.
I like that sentiment, @rammargarita! Our point really is that the possibilities for what to write about, and what mood to create with a piece of fiction are truly limitless.
We are not asking for happy stories or happy endings. We want richly-told stories that give us something to think about, and that help us experience the world and the human existence through a character's eyes. The various ways in which human beings experience pain and loss, for example, often appear in The Ink Well. And that is fine.
We accept all such stories, and the vast range of genres and themes. We don't restrict any of it... except for violence, brutality and NSFW. :-)
This is a necessary publication. It deserves to be reblogged many times.
I personally refrain from reading publications that recreate brutality against people and animals, and by the way, also that of messages with war and segregationist content, not only in The ink well but throughout the platform.
We live immersed in a world of painful facts. I believe that art in general and writing in particular can be a balm to heal that great wound with which we struggle. I hope so.
@theinkwell In my short stay on this site even I have committed this mistake once, only two days ago. I had no intention of glorifying evil but developing a character that was willing to amend his ways. He was a born demon but he wanted to come back into the mainstream. However, a few lines in my story marred my aim and my story was muted. I have no regrets though because I consider the rules of the community as supreme. Let the rules play their role. Thank you once again. I respect the rules of the community.
That is beautifully said, @rayt2. And you turned right around and wrote a beautiful story and shared it in The Ink Well. We truly appreciate your understanding.
I believe that most stories featuring violence do not aim to glorify it. Unfortunately, that doesn't make it any easier to read. :-)
Very true :)
I agree with the position of @theinkwell.
The world has enough violence in it, at least for me.
Writing allows me to build a better world. A world where we can reflect on our ephemeral existence and what to do with it.
Greetings.
Yes, so true, @marcybetancourt. There is no shortage of violence in this world.
I like the way you said that:
I fully support The Ink Well's rights as a curator and publisher to have strictly enforced rules about what they will publish. I also agree that the world has enough violence in it.
I do not agree with your implication, though, that violence in literature cannot help build a better world. Some of the most important works of literature in building a better world use graphic scenes (The Grapes of Wrath, A Good Man is Hard to Find, Beloved, Roots, etc).
They are done artistically, and the works would be much worse if censored or left out.
Sometimes it takes building up to a moment of difficult reading that gives the rest of a work the emotional resonance it needs to really have an impact on people.
There are literary works that are extremely violent and that leads us to reflect.
However, I have read texts that describe violence and wallow in violence without leading us to any reflection.
What is the purpose of these texts?
I live in a country where there is violence every day. There are writers who describe the brutality of my country in order to leave a testimony of what happens here. They do not necessarily mutilate or rape in their texts.
Good literature is more effective if you know how to use it.
You have given a clear message of your views that in this community, writings covered in blood, crushed innocence, rape, and bloodshed will not be given a place. It is commendable. At present, the market is full of such books and movies all over the world. If these hate-filled episodes were suppressed in the original writing, perhaps a tremendous change would have come in the ideology of the writers as well. Anyone who crushes a rose flower with their shoes can be perverted. Congratulations again.
We do hope it's clear now, @fantom22. We just want to make sure people know it's really with the best of intentions — to bring out the best work in our writers and ensure that the content in The Ink Well is palatable to all.
I'll hazard a guess that people who insist on posting stories of violence haven't bothered to read the rules. I admire you guys for your diplomacy and patience, and it pains me that you have to struggle because of some people's laziness in not reading to understand what's simple and so avoid unnecessary arguments.
There are risky positions in the philosophy of art. It is a wide world, with room for everyone. Everyone must find their place and enjoy their freedom to create. There is a place for every creative soul.
Ps. As an anecdote, yesterday one of my sisters was asking me for recommendations about series to watch on Netflix. She asked me about some series related to the world of drug traffickers which were recommended to her. The series she named had good reviews; however, I decided not to watch them at the time, as they leave me with a bitter taste, a bad night's sleep and days of recalling unpleasant images. I recommended her to watch another type of series (if she was looking to relax and have fun). However, it is her decision. But one thing I know, whoever comes to watch series with me in my house will not watch series that tell stories about drug trafficking; they should look for another place. My house, my rules. It's as simple as that.
May I say a few words here? I consider myself as one that goes by the rules but in some cases there is a very thin line that one overlooks and crosses that line and of course he regrets what he did. I did that only a couple of days back and paid the price,
I think it can happen to all of us, that in spite of being respectful of the rules, we break them sometime to our regret--it has happened to me, @rayt2. I speak of those who "insist" on disrespecting the rules.I read your comment about it and regretted the bad time you had to go through.
I'm glad it's all cleared up for you :)
There are many reasons why it happens. People forget. Or they don't understand exactly what we mean in our rules. They might not know where the line drawn in terms of an acceptable amount of violence, etc.
That's why we wrote this post — to help everyone fully understand. And also so we have an article to point to, and we don't have to keep explaining it. You're forgiven! Now don't worry about it for another minute. You have excellent writing skills and we are happy to have you in the community.
You would be right, @marlyncabrera. Most of the stories have been by those who were very new, and there is so much to learn on Hive that they have to be instructed along the way. Communities often have rules and guidelines, and it's important to observe them before posting.
But there are other scenarios too. Sometimes writers are aware of the rules, but they don't see what they write as overly violent. It's a matter of perspective. And in other cases, the portrayal of violence is done with good intent — for example, to share stories for awareness of the harsh realities some people endure.
And that is the reason for this post. We wanted to provide very clear guidelines, and help people to understand that regardless of the reasons, we want people to find a different home for their work if it features violence or abuse.
I get it. It's a complicated issue. I myself had spent many hours rewriting my stories, so that I could publish them with you. As @rayt2 puts it, the line is thin. I think you're doing a great job in educating users in this regard. Unfortunately, we know that as great as it is, it's a job that goes on and on.
Thank you so much, I am feeling much better now! @marlyncabrera
I've done it before (most likely not once, but it was instantly silenced, and I didn't notice) and the community administrators gave me a warning (very smooth pitched, but actually loud). I'm embarrassed and I have to ask myself and start asking, is my imagination too narrow to be filled with descriptions of violence? No, no!
I really like war-themed stories because I was born in a part of the earth where war/ is raging (Aceh, Indonesia). And war is a sorrow that has filled my soul. But then I realized, with the description of violence, readers who have become survivors will remember the dark times they have experienced.
Indirectly, she/he experienced a second violence, and I was the culprit. That can't happen! War stories don't have to be about gunshots, but there are always small pieces to tell apart from the violent ones.
So true. This is a great statement. This sentence should be able to make us realize that imagination is not that narrow, right?
Very well said, @mosin-nagant. For those who have experienced violence, or live in a part of the world where it is prevalent — now, or historically — the desire to write about it is undoubtedly strong.
You have a clear perspective on this, and it's great that you understand the impact words can have. We can easily re-create horrors for people that they are working hard to forget.
And yes, the possibilities for storytelling are truly endless. We open our arms and our hearts to all of them... except violence, brutality and NSFW.
Thanks @jayna. This community has a very humanist perspective, many lessons are taken from it. I was the one who studied here, even though I'm still often out of the community's code of ethics, however, I'm glad there's always someone to remind me.
I am guilty of this infraction a million times. My issue is possibly how much I try to go into details sometimes. I think @agmoore and @jayna have been patient with me so far. I will do better. Inkwell rocks always.
Definitely not a million, @warpedpoetic. Everyone slips up sometimes. We appreciate you and love your work!
I'm so glad I've never come across any of those. On platforms where i read novels i deliberately avoid any book that gives the slightest tinge of abuse or violence. I get triggered by anything rape or assault (suicide included) and literally get depressed. Which is why i focus on reading the stories from the prompt, the last thing i want is to avoid Theinkwell.
Thank you for that testimonial, @deraaa. That is exactly why we have set a standard for stories in The Ink Well. Those stories can trigger many people. I'm not at all sure why there is such a fascination with writing about abuse. I find it depressing too.
Writing about Abuse is something I've tried and nearly died of fear. I'm someone who emerses herself into her book. I tried writing in that line to see what the buzz is all about. Apart from giving a potential write-mare and an aching heart, it's absolutely nothing special. Just that you tend to feel it more than when you're writing normal plots.
I can't even do it. It has no appeal for me as a writer. I am too much of a news junkie and I know how much of this stuff goes on in real life. I want escapism in literature. I want to peer inside a human's soul and find out what makes them tick. I want to make words sing, and for readers to feel as though they took a small trip somewhere after reading one of my stories... not make them cringe, squirm, feel nauseous, and wish they had not read my story.
That said... I do enjoy the occasional crime show!
I had not heard the term write-mare! I like that.
I made up the term...😂. Sorry. I seemed to have given one with the recent prompt.
I agree with this rule. Indeed, whatever we write, whether it be short stories, poems, poetry or novels, should be useful in growing the quality of human life and fostering the values of compassion and humanity.
I like the way you think, @wahyunugraha!
Although I write a lot of action stories, I do try to remove describing fight scenes in detail that might be offensive to the community. That said, just tell me if I cross the line. I won't be offended and will be happy to edit out the parts that do not meet the community criteria. Love and peace! 😊
Thank you, @juanvegetarian!
Welcome! 😊
I was guilty of this once. I hope never to write about it again.
Thank you very much for reading and understanding our guidelines, @kingobonnaya!
Is it possible to include the case of people dying without including murder? Maybe death by sending them to bring something, or just natural death instead of violence. Maybe Mr A is helping Mr B to bring something important and death took him away...or more like this. Can this be allowed?
Hell @cool08,
Thank you for your question. It is not always easy to know when the line on violence is crossed. Certainly people can die in a story. What we don't want is killing, murder, mayhem. We don't want graphic descriptions of violence. We don't want assault against women and children especially. One rule to help decide whether the line is crossed might be this: Would you tell that story to your grandmother? Would you be comfortable describing that scene to your grandmother? We are a family-friendly community. If a story is not suitable to read in a family situation, then it is not suitable to publish here.
We hope this helps. It's great that you want definition. That's why we published this blog, so there would be no misunderstandings.
Looking forward to reading more of your stories.
Thanks for the answer you have given. Now, I have known where to go and where not to write on....
It is a great thing and good for always reminding us about violence most especially abuse of children.
I just hope most of us here adhere to the rules.
I commend you all on this decision. I have survived some pretty nasty stuff in my life and reading things like that whether fiction or not are extremely triggering to someone with PTSD/CPTSD. I think it's a good decision and I am sure that you will retain the right people by sticking to it.
This is duly noted.
Thank you for all you do @theinkwell
I don't know that violence isn't allowed, I forgot to read the rules before writing my post to the community, and I am asking for an apology for that. Is horror still acceptable but no violence?