My novel might be TOO offensive

Jeffrey Pace · Sep 10, 2007

In regards to fiction work:

Do you ever worry that some of your content might be too intense in regards to violence or theme?

I am trying to publish my novel, and although I would classify it as thriller/supsense, there is some serious adult content contained therein.

Could I be putting off agents or limiting my market?

Thanks

Jeff

Maryn · Sep 10, 2007

Jeff, anything's possible.

However, some very violent and/or graphic novels make it to market every year, many quickly devoured by readers who enjoy this sort of fiction. (The reality, not so much, eh?)

The first novel I ever beta read for someone here was pretty violent. I enjoyed it thoroughly, although I did plenty of nit-picking, too.

You do need to confirm the fit of your novel with an agent's sales. If she's selling sweet cozies, your uber-violent novel might indeed be off-putting. So do your homework. Find out what each potential agent has sold in the last few years, and who s/he represents and what sort of novels they write.

Oh, and nice to meet you!

Maryn, vacuuming the welcome mat yet again

Jeffrey Pace · Sep 10, 2007

Maryn,

Thank you so much for your feedback. I have only been querying agents who represent horror/thriller/suspense so hopefully I can find a good fit.

Jeff

nevada · Sep 10, 2007

In Hanibal, lecter opens a guys skull and eats the brains while the guy is still alive. THere is nothing so gross, so offensive, so offputting that good writing wont trump. (not saying hanibal was good writing, mind you.)

Search through the back postings, every so often someone wonders the same thing. Believe me, good writing will take care of anything.

Jeffrey Pace · Sep 10, 2007

Thanks Nevada.

lfraser · Sep 10, 2007

Horror readers have a pretty high tolerance for horror.

Deirdre · Sep 10, 2007

If you have compelling enough characters, books like Hannibal show you that you can get away with nearly everything.

If you don't have compelling enough characters, getting an agent or editor to turn the page will be difficult.

Don't worry about offending people. Even the least offensive piece out there will manage to offend someone.

Worry about writing compelling characters in interesting situations.

What you want is an editor saying what I said earlier today: "I normally don't like this style, but I loved this piece." ETA: Unless, of course, they actually really like that style. Also possible.

joyce · Sep 10, 2007

I finished my first novel several months back and queried agents. I had several requests for partials and fulls. My novel was in another genre than yours, fantasy/paranormal romance. Every response I got from an agent somehow stated that my novel though interesting, was too controversial especially for a first time, unpublished author. It was suggested that I try and find and agent or publisher that was willing to take a chance on a first timer with such controversial material. I knew my manuscript was not the sweetest thing in the world ever written, but I never expected to get responses that it was too controversial. I do believe good writing is the key, as well as finding the correct agent that represents what you are trying to sell. I have since set #1 aside and am working on #2 & #3, which I hate to say, might conform to the rules of a first timer trying to get published, a bit better. Good luck and keep submitting, just try to get it to the right agent. By the way, at first I felt pretty crappy about the rejections due to writing someting "too controversial for an unpublished author" but then I said, what the hey, I wrote something that perhaps made someone think too much and feel uncomfortable. It gave me strength to keep on writing.

Jeffrey Pace · Sep 10, 2007

Thanks for the inspiring words joyce. I don't plan on quitting anytime soon.

Deirdre, your advice cheered me up. The one consistent compliment I keep getting about my book is how well developed the characters are. Of course there are only two major characters to develop so perhaps I had it easy

Jeff

Deirdre · Sep 10, 2007

Jeffrey Pace said:
Deirdre, your advice cheered me up. The one consistent compliment I keep getting about my book is how well developed the characters are. Of course there are only two major characters to develop so perhaps I had it easy

Good job, then.

Stijn Hommes · Sep 11, 2007

You should only worry about that if you are getting rejected.
There's plenty of books with horrific torture, steaming sex and abuse and they still get read. Yes, you will no doubt limit your readership, but you would do the same if you wrote a smutty romance.

IReidandWrite · Sep 11, 2007

You wanna talk to me about controversial topics?

*deep breath* The main character in my novel is the daughter of a teenager who lives with a self-serving but abused woman that uses drugs and her drunk husband and his crazy, selfish, daughter and then the MC gets kidnapped to be a child soldier.

scarletpeaches · Sep 11, 2007

I'm getting the strangest feeling of deja vu...

preyer · Sep 11, 2007

so, should i go ahead and write the one about four children trying to murder their mom, she finds out what's happening and sets out to murder them first? ...or skip that one for later?

Kate Thornton · Sep 11, 2007

Oh, no write that one! It sounds delicious!

PeeDee · Sep 11, 2007

I had an army of babies with sharp teeth consume two men alive, in one of my stories.

It's all a matter of 1) how you show it 2) How the reader takes it.

Give someone who prefers Regency Romance novels a copy of Pet Semetary and you'll send them gibbering away. Then again...they might discover they really dig it.

I was bored and not grossed out or horrified a bit by Thomas Harris's Hannibal books (that may just be me), but then again, I read Steve King's Misery at arm's length, delighted and repulsed at the same time.

Depends on the reader.

Write it well and decently. After that, see what happens...

preyer · Sep 11, 2007

sounds like a sci-fi channel original movie, pd, lol. seriously, make them mutant mummies fifty feet long and you've got a script for 'em.

PeeDee · Sep 11, 2007

It'd have to be called "INFANT KILLER ATTACK BABIES!!!!" and it would have to start actors from bad softcore porn films (and maybe ONE actor who starred in ONE sci-fi film, sometime in the 90's.)

I'm sad that novel got trunked, because I dug that scene. They'll turn up again, somewhere...

MidnightMuse · Sep 11, 2007

I can't wait till Tzinski 2.0 starts teething

PeeDee · Sep 11, 2007

PETE: GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!

WIFE: He is not going to eat you.

PETE: You don't know that! I do! I WROTE ABOUT IT!

WIFE: How much tea did you have today?

PETE: None! I can't turn my back on the CARNIVEROUS BABY!

WIFE: What DID you drink today!?

PETE: VINEGAR! TO SPOIL MY MEAT!

WIFE: ...I'm going back to work....

preyer · Sep 11, 2007

it's sure to offend someone.

here's the thing about being 'offensive': some people looove being offended, it feeds their self-righteousness. and the vast majority of people aren't truly offended, that being such a singular reaction, despite many people claiming to having been 'offended.' most people aren't honestly offended more than shocked at something distasteful. for some folk, being 'offended' is a daily happening *because they search out things to be offended by*! we're all addicted to something, after all, eh?

then there's guys like me who, paraphrazing a line out of 'inherit the wind,' live to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. i cook up the offensive for those to be offended by, and they in turn provide me with my own sense of self-righteousness, so it tends to work out as far as volatile relationships go. i don't recommend it for everyone.

now for my question: should ugly people be allowed to write?

Azraelsbane · Sep 11, 2007

I have a 3-way in the first 5 pages of my novel. I was worried about it at first, but it's mandatory, and the betas I've sent partials to seem to find it "beautiful and innocent"... So I guess I'll be okay. LoL.

As long as you write it well, chances are you'll find someone willing to take a chance on it sooner or later.

Jeffrey Pace · Sep 11, 2007

Ok thanks. I feel better now.

Jeff

CoriSCapnSkip · Sep 15, 2007

You know what? Since my works are historical, they WILL offend somebody, somewhere, and even when it's "who" you would expect, it will surprise as to "how" and "why"--you can never figure it, no matter how carefully you prepare. But, you know, if I don't write these stories, I will be upset, because here they are hanging in my head for years, growing and taking up room, so what can I do but attempt to write them as best as possible?

Andre_Laurent · Sep 15, 2007

I'm agent shopping for an ms that I worry might be a little too violent in places. However, everyone who beta read it, loved it, and volunteered to beta my next ms when it's ready. I have more people willing to read for me than I know what to do with.

Someone will always be offended and someone else will love the same work.

My novel might be TOO offensive

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