I received an email from author Bess McBride asking me to remove her spotlight due to this disclaimer: Please note - I have not read any of Bess's books, but based on the lines she writes for they may not be suitable for conservative/young readers.
She feels that having this warning associated with her work may be harmful to her career since she writes sweet (no explicit love scenes).
As I told Bess in my return email, the warning was NEVER intended to harm or upset anyone!
If you read My Dilemma on Jan 13 th you'll note it was due to an email from an erotic author wondering if I would deny her a spotlight based on what she wrote that I decided to use the warning when unsure whether or not the spotlighted author wrote overtly sexual or explicit content.
To be honest, up until that email, I'd never considered who I spotlighted or what they wrote. I just wanted to help my fellow authors with a little free promotion.
However, as an author, my first obligation is to my readers.
The fact that the disclaimer has indeed upset one of my fellow authors not only distresses me, it leads me ponder what I should do. Should I......
Delete the warning altogether
Ask the author to rate their books for me (G, PG, PG13, PG17, R, X)
Reword the warning
OR
Discontinue the Saturday Spotlight completely?
Others have complimented me on the standard I portray with my blog.
I'm not sure yet what my decision will be....I'll let you know when I figure it out.
Until then ..... post a comment and tell me what YOU think!
Be Blessed!
PamT
8 comments:
Most review sites rate the sensuality of their books. It is your right to spotlight books that you do or do not feel comfortable with--the constitution protects everyone, even those who do not read or write graphic novels. Spotlights help both readers and authors get to know each other. I think they are important--perhaps you could use a rating system and ask those who are spotlighted to censor their blurbs or details in the spotlight so as not to offend your younger viewers.
Hey Pam, I think Bess was upset because her love scenes are fade-to-black. There's no explicit material in her work. My suggestion would be to privately ask each author you spotlight if their book has any explicit material (sex, violence, language, etc.) and if their answer is "yes", inform them that you will have to post this disclaimer in their spotlight. Or, since you spotlight mostly TWRP authors, visit their buy page and check out their heat rating for the featured title. There's nothing wrong with disclaimers as long as they are justified. In Bess's case, it wasn't neccessary.
I don't think you should close the Saturday Spotlight. You do have a fun, clean blog and I love how you incorporate all TWRP authors, no matter the sub-genre. I think that kind of support is what makes TWRP so special. A bit of research never hurts though for disclaimers :)
Hope this helps!
Hi Pam. This is your blog and you have the right to show a rating for the books you spotlight. But, I can understand Bess being concerned. Her love scenes are not explicit at all. Mine, in Heart of Stone, are not either, but TWRP rated my book "spicy." Another review site advised me to rate it PG/R. These kinds of things can be very subjective.
Don't close the Saturday Spotlight. It's a great way for readers, and other authors, to get to know about new work.
Since my spotlight is coming up, please let me know whether or not you'd prefer not to proceed with it. No problems, I understand completely.
Take care.
Hey Pam, I knew the genre you wrote for when I was spotlighted and figured you had a cross genre readers at your site. I do write spicy to hot and usually only put up excerpts that are pg when I blog anywhere. But it wouldn't offend me as an author if you labeled my writing R or let your readers know this.
I agree with Amber. If you feel the need to make a disclaimer you should check out the rating on the WRP site.
I personally do a little spicy in my book, but it can be by no means considered erotica. I have never seen a rating though except for erotica excerpts, which ask you whether you are over eighteen.
I don't think you should stop. Just ask the author first. Good luck and don't let small bumps stop you. Invite Bess again and in her case drop the disclaimer? Bess is a real sweetheart and you should be able to work it out her.
Since this is not a review site, ask the author to rate their books and to add a line about who this work is geared toward. No author wants to offend readers--nor does an author wish to be judged by "association" by someone who has not read their work. If you leave it up to the author it is then between the author and the reader and you are left out of it.
I like Anne Carrole's idea. Ask the authors to rate their books and tell what audience the book is geared to. You could also let everyone understand that you want only PG excerpts. I enjoy the Saturday Spotlight. Hope you won't discontinue it.
Hi Pamela,
IMO, you're doing a great service to authors by spotlighting them and their work so I don't see it as censorship when you post a disclaimer about the excerpt or work. In fact, all you're doing with the disclaimer is letting the reader know the work may or may not be suitable to them. It's no different than someone having a disclaimer on their website asking if the viewer is over 18.
I think the disclaimer you posted is fine as is and those who wish to take you up on your generous offer to spotlight them shouldn't have a problem with it. If they do, then it's their problem.
I also agree with what the others said about having the author give their work a rating (although you'll have to come up with a rating system for us to use) and asking that we post a less explicit scene.
JMO
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