keeping your crap out of a story

[Pocketshaver]

IVe been seeing lately quite a few stories that will suddenly take a sudden turn to start taking pokes at a politician or public figure they don't like. Its really disturbing because some of it is way out in left field.. I mean, they cant see the ball park anymore.

For instance there was one I was reading set in Vietnam, and suddenly the author had the main character blaming the tet offensive on Trump..

 

[KeithD]

If Laurel sees that, she probably would reject the story. The guidance here is to keep such specific politics out of the stories.

 

[Hypoxia]

I set a story just after the Trump War and nobody complained.

 

[KeithD]

I frequently write stories that parallel current political events (for instance, I placed in an April Fools' Day contest here under sr71plt with a version of a controversial explanation for the death of Justice Scalia) but I don't directly finger the actual political partisan players. I work the theme, not the specific people actually involved.

 

[Maeven_quinn]

For instance there was one I was reading set in Vietnam, and suddenly the author had the main character blaming the tet offensive on Trump..

That's Trump level of crazy, ironically.


As far as personal crap, I've bee tempted to write parody of obnoxious, sexually regressive, or sexist figures out there. Someone did that to Kirk Cameron once, and I was delighted. I changed my mind about doing it though. It doesn't feel like the most emotionally or spiritually healthy thing to do.

I don't mind putting political or social themes in my writing, but I'm not going to outright put an actual figure in there. That risks inviting the attention I don't want, and alienating readers, who might want a break from life under the government of the mad cheeto.

 

[Dribble]

If I don't like a story I am reading...I simply stop reading it. Whiners...

 

[Gamine67]

IVe been seeing lately quite a few stories that will suddenly take a sudden turn to start taking pokes at a politician or public figure they don't like. Its really disturbing because some of it is way out in left field.. I mean, they cant see the ball park anymore.

For instance there was one I was reading set in Vietnam, and suddenly the author had the main character blaming the tet offensive on Trump..

Had it not been for those darn old shin splints I’m fairly sure Hồ Chí Minh wouldn’t have dared try the Tet Offensive so yeah, it’s plausible that there is a certain amount of responsibility he needs to shoulder for that.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

And one the stories he is complaining about is one of mine that posted night before last. The problem was mine didn't mention Trump, but did mention a lot of things that both democrats and republicans did do...I was an equal opportunity slayer. And besides the story was set in the distant future and two people from the past were discussing what happened between WWII and 2028. I wrote it back in 2009.

Wait until he reads the one that got posted last night. It too was written back in 2009. He posted the same comment on the story.

Now I haven't written a Vietnam story, ever. A lot of buddies died there. so I will never, ever write about what happened. I will take that to my grave.

 

[Pocketshaver]

And one the stories he is complaining about is one of mine that posted night before last. The problem was mine didn't mention Trump, but did mention a lot of things that both democrats and republicans did do...I was an equal opportunity slayer. And besides the story was set in the distant future and two people from the past were discussing what happened between WWII and 2028. I wrote it back in 2009.

Wait until he reads the one that got posted last night. It too was written back in 2009. He posted the same comment on the story.

Now I haven't written a Vietnam story, ever. A lot of buddies died there. so I will never, ever write about what happened. I will take that to my grave.

read lone star patrol somewhat, a hole in time, looking at homeless and last straw.

issue is, the Vietnam story I read at least 3 weeks ago. SO I doubt it was you. The guy was reminiscing about his military service. cant remember much about the rest of the story except I think it was a three part.

 

[Hypoxia]

Most sex stories of current politicians can't be posted on LIT because underage rule.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

read lone star patrol somewhat, a hole in time, looking at homeless and last straw.

issue is, the Vietnam story I read at least 3 weeks ago. SO I doubt it was you. The guy was reminiscing about his military service. cant remember much about the rest of the story except I think it was a three part.

No, you're right it wasn't you, I went back and checked, it was someone else. I must have struck a nerve with him.

Have fun and thanks.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Most sex stories of current politicians can't be posted on LIT because underage rule.

But she said she was 19... damn how to you delete posts?

 

[Bramblethorn]

IVe been seeing lately quite a few stories that will suddenly take a sudden turn to start taking pokes at a politician or public figure they don't like. Its really disturbing because some of it is way out in left field.. I mean, they cant see the ball park anymore.

For instance there was one I was reading set in Vietnam, and suddenly the author had the main character blaming the tet offensive on Trump..

Huh. I searched for +trump +"tet offensive" and found nothing. Likewise for +trump +vietnam +tet. Are you sure you've remembered it correctly?

I don't mind putting political or social themes in my writing, but I'm not going to outright put an actual figure in there. That risks inviting the attention I don't want, and alienating readers, who might want a break from life under the government of the mad cheeto.

I don't go out of my way to insert politics in my stories, but I find it hard to write honestly without touching on political themes, because many of the people I write about are the ones whose lives have been politicised against their will.

My first story here was a romance between two women in contemporary (2012) Australia. When I wrapped it up, somebody asked me to write their wedding, and I had to tell them: can't happen, Australian law doesn't allow it. Today the law is different, and Phoebe and Yvonne could get married. But the process that got the law changed was a pretty horrible experience for LGBTI people in Australia and it'd feel deeply dishonest to write a happy wedding episode without acknowledging what it cost to get there.

 

[NotWise]

My first story here was a romance between two women in contemporary (2012) Australia. When I wrapped it up, somebody asked me to write their wedding, and I had to tell them: can't happen, Australian law doesn't allow it. Today the law is different, and Phoebe and Yvonne could get married. But the process that got the law changed was a pretty horrible experience for LGBTI people in Australia and it'd feel deeply dishonest to write a happy wedding episode without acknowledging what it cost to get there.

It's hard for me to imagine what happened in Oz. Here -- after decades of political and social activism -- it came down to a vote by the Supreme Court. Our friends (who had already been married in two countries and a couple states) had their earliest marriage validated and gained about $10,000 back from the government in taxes.

My first long story here (since removed) vilified real estate developers -- satanized them in fact. I doubt that's really an issue that will trigger a lot of reader response, but it's totally a political issue, and it was central to the story.

 

[Maeven_quinn]

My first long story here (since removed) vilified real estate developers -- satanized them in fact. I doubt that's really an issue that will trigger a lot of reader response, but it's totally a political issue, and it was central to the story.

There's a long tradition of socialists inserting themes into their stories (I'm not saying you're a socialist, only noting that it could be a similar theme) and it works pretty well in my opinion.

I watched Antz as a kid. Then I watched it as a adult, and noticed some things I'd missed. Apparently Malcom in the Middle was written by a bunch of socialists too. I guess Altered Carbon is at least political in that highlights income inequality.

When politics in fiction is done like that, I think it works out nicely.

 

[NotWise]

There's a long tradition of socialists inserting themes into their stories (I'm not saying you're a socialist, only noting that it could be a similar theme) and it works pretty well in my opinion.

So are you saying that non-socialists don't?

 

[Maeven_quinn]

So are you saying that non-socialists don't?

Socialists were the first that came to my mind. I'm sure you can find anything on the political spectrum.

I mean, Tolkien might as well have be supporting the Divine right of Kings, so it's not like you can't find completely illiberal examples if you wanted to.

 

[SimonDoom]

The premise of this thread puzzles me.

If you're not going to put YOUR crap in your story, then whose crap are you going to put in it?

Isn't the point of a story to put your crap into words?

 

[TxRad]

The premise of this thread puzzles me.

If you're not going to put YOUR crap in your story, then whose crap are you going to put in it?

Isn't the point of a story to put your crap into words?

I was wondering the same thing along with, who decides what is crap and what is not?

 

[NotWise]

I was wondering the same thing along with, who decides what is crap and what is not?

Not to be obvious, but it's the reader who decides.

 

[Pocketshaver]

I guess I could have better said "lets stop derailing stories with nonsensical political diatribes"

Like, when you have a story about some guy driving through texas pulling a horse trailer at night, who stops at an accident where a truck carrying illegals ran off road, and who then finds an illegal woman and little kid hiding in the bushes, and then takes the two to his families ranch and makes her his love slave

actually exists, cant remember the name. read it in the last 8 weeks here.

and then has to take a few paragraphs to have deranged commentary about the current president.

and ive stopped reading a few other stories when they suddenly start tossing deranged commentary against Donald trump.

Its kind of like starting to read someones dissertation on a tale of two cities, and half way in, they start taking about "my little pony"

 

[TxRad]

I guess I could have better said "lets stop derailing stories with nonsensical political diatribes"

Like, when you have a story about some guy driving through texas pulling a horse trailer at night, who stops at an accident where a truck carrying illegals ran off road, and who then finds an illegal woman and little kid hiding in the bushes, and then takes the two to his families ranch and makes her his love slave

actually exists, cant remember the name. read it in the last 8 weeks here.

and then has to take a few paragraphs to have deranged commentary about the current president.

and ive stopped reading a few other stories when they suddenly start tossing deranged commentary against Donald trump.

Its kind of like starting to read someones dissertation on a tale of two cities, and half way in, they start taking about "my little pony"

Sounds like you needed to use the report function on the story. That is what it is there for. Let Laurel make the decision. We here on the boards can't do anything about it.

NW, one persons crap is another persons perfume as we all know.

 

[NotWise]

I guess I could have better said "lets stop derailing stories with nonsensical political diatribes"

If you don't like it, then don't read it. Respond with your votes and your comments.

 

[SimonDoom]

"lets stop "

My own personal aesthetic/artistic/erotic/philosophical perspective is not to say this to other writers, ever. Others have different points of view, and I acknowledge and respect that, but my own view is not ever to say this to people who create things -- stories, whatever.

Follow your muse, I say. If it involves a gang bang with Richard Nixon or whomever, go for it. Trump and the Tet offensive -- it's not my idea of satisfying erotica, but if it's someone else's, let them have at it.

 

[Hypoxia]

@Pocketshaver: Have you addressed comments to the guilty author(s) or only to we, the innocent?