Disclaimers on your stories?

[Kantarii]

Do you find them useful? Or, do you avoid using them.

I've ran across a few stories posted on the site that had some super long "disclaimers". To me, I found them distracting as Hell and it deturs me from reading some stories. What do you all think about "disclaimers"? Kant

 

[Handley_Page]

I prefer a disclaimer.
Some can be amusing ("No authors were harmed in the creation of this story") other are more serious. See Ogg on the subject of copyright, for example.
And one cannot assume that the reader will grasp the implications of an erotic story, so "this story features adult material of an explicit nature. If this is against your personal code, you are advised to find another story to read." .

And so on.

 

[oggbashan]

This is my standard disclaimer:

Copyright Oggbashan (date as month/year)

The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

This is a work of fiction. The events described here are imaginary; the settings and characters are fictitious and are not intended to represent specific places or living persons.


After comments that 'This story is impossible' and 'He/She wouldn't/couldn't do that' and 'He should have called the cops' - I have considered adding more for example "This is a fantasy".

When anon complains about a Genie story that it is unrealistic? WTF can I add?

 

[Kantarii]

This is my standard disclaimer:

Copyright Oggbashan (date as month/year)

The author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

This is a work of fiction. The events described here are imaginary; the settings and characters are fictitious and are not intended to represent specific places or living persons.


After comments that 'This story is impossible' and 'He/She wouldn't/couldn't do that' and 'He should have called the cops' - I have considered adding more for example "This is a fantasy".

When anon complains about a Genie story that it is unrealistic? WTF can I add?

I suppose I can always post a definition of what constitutes as fiction at the beginning of my stories, but I thought it was universally understood. Who knew?Kant

 

[CyranoJ]

I use a fairly detailed disclaimer that can run from 100 - 150 words. Basically it's a backup to the job already supposedly being done by tags and categories -- because non-trivial numbers of Lit readers seem not to notice or understand those -- with added notes about any non-erotic material or themes that might be controversial.

I'm not sure whether it heads off grief, but it gives me peace of mind that I'm not blind-siding anyone. If there are readers who can't make it through that much disclaimer, well, I guess that's up to them.

 

[sr71plt]

The only disclaimer I routinely use is for a chaptered story, assuring the reader that the story is completely written and giving a time frame on when posting will be completed. Nearly every other disclaimer I see is defensive and gives reasons why a reader might not want to read the story or that the story may be weak in some way. I don't babysit for the readers.

 

[Hypoxia]

My standard disclaimer might run, "Author's note: The following tale is mostly fiction. All sex involves live humans aged 18+. The story contains multiracial and bisexual elements, as well as the expected incest; if you object, stop reading. For readers' convenience, most non-Anglish-language communications are presented in loose Anglish translation. Views expressed may not be the author's. Information may not be totally accurate. It's just a story, folks." And at the end, another plea: Author's note: This story by Hypoxia, who is not fluent in Azteco-Ute languages, is copyright (c) 2015. Your constructive comments are welcome. If you like this, join the 1%ers and VOTE! But I rarely use more words.

 

[SikFuk]

My LIT disclaimer usually warns the reader that it's not a stroke story featuring perfect people having perfect sex. Sometimes I add that it's a fictional account of real-life events, even if it's not. This approach - believability over idealized sex - is very helpful in keeping those unsightly and distracting red H's off of my story list.

 

[StrangeLife]

Nope! Nyet! Nada! Never use disclaimers. I blankly refuse to apologize for my story in advance, and I expect the reader to venture forth on his or her own risk. I'm not gonna warn them about that fact either - they should know.


Secondarily disclaimers are also mostly a total waste of space. Examples of such redundancy..:

"All characters in this story are 18 years of age or older"
Well, of course they are. Literotica has an 18+ rule, so it wouldn't be here otherwise, right?

"This story is the copyright of Joe Hachikuchi van Niedermowser 2016"
Yes it is - whether he writes it in the disclaimer or not.

"Any similarities with existing persons living or dead are coincidental"
Writing this will not protect you from a lawsuit if you publish your ex wifes diary. So dream on.

"No animal was harmed in the production of this story"
The reader doesn't care about you spanking your monkey during the creation process.

"This story is not a BTB story, but deals with reconciliation after infidelity. If this is not your thing, please move on to another one."
Writing this will not stop the 1-bombers from punishing you for Aggravated Cucking in the First Degree. In fact, it makes it easier for them, since they only have to read the disclaimer before grading your story into the ground.

"I wrote this story in order to deal with a deep emotional crisis after my aunt Prudence's chinchilla died in a terrible boating accident on Lake Michigan last fall. Following my therapy I went through a phase of darkness and depression when a helicopter crashed into my house and the radiator in the living room sprung a leak and soaked my collection of vintage Garfield cartoons.... blah... blah... blah..."
Your personal situation is irrelevant to the story. The reader doesn't care.

"This is my first story...."
Don't tell 'em! You will make them approach your story with confirmation bias that way.

"Welcome to the twenty-third installment in my Princess N'Thulia and The Horny Werevolf Clan saga...."
Redundant - it's in the title.

"This story contains explicit erotic passages and is intended for adults only".
Redundant - this goes for the entire site.



See what I mean?

 

[rjordan]

Nope! Nyet! Nada! Never use disclaimers. I blankly refuse to apologize for my story in advance, and I expect the reader to venture forth on his or her own risk. I'm not gonna warn them about that fact either - they should know.

Great list. You forgot:

"If you're not at least 18 years of age, do not read this story."
Yeah, right. I'm sure that works well.

I don't like disclaimers, but I often enjoy author's notes at the end which make the experience a little more personal. I can be in a receptive mood at the end of a good story. Also, if it's at the end and the story sucks, I'll never get that far and wouldn't give a shit what the author had to say about it.

rj

 

[TxRad]

Nope, never use them. I was on my own writing this and you're on your own reading it. good luck.

 

[J_R_Ashunwhy]

I was on my own writing this and you're on your own reading it. good luck.

Haha, that sounds like a disclaimer that would make me want to read a story more.

 

[OliviaM]

I include short notes. I really appreciate it when authors include something about kinks or other things people may want to know about before they get halfway through a story. Categories only go so far in telling you about content. I'd like it if tags were visible near the top of the first page, next to the title, maybe on a popup or under some kind of spoiler blackout, for people who don't want to see them. In fact, I'd love it if that feature were available right from the story listings.

 

[Areala-chan]

Laurel rejected one of my stories for not explicitly stating those involved were over 18, so I figure it can't hurt to put it right up there at the beginning as a bit of CYA. I added an additional disclaimer to "Crash Into Me" because one of the tags I used was 'amputee'. I wanted to make it clear to anyone who found it by searching that particular tag that while it was a feature of the story, it was not the main focus nor was it fetishized. Also, while it's not graphically depicted, the procedure is explained by a doctor. I figured warning readers about a character losing a limb would allow them to better decide if they wanted to read it.

 

[Kantarii]

Great list. You forgot:

"If you're not at least 18 years of age, do not read this story."
Yeah, right. I'm sure that works well.

I don't like disclaimers, but I often enjoy author's notes at the end which make the experience a little more personal. I can be in a receptive mood at the end of a good story. Also, if it's at the end and the story sucks, I'll never get that far and wouldn't give a shit what the author had to say about it.

rj

Funny thing you mentioned author's notes at the end of a story making it a little more personalized. I did something to that effect at the end of chapter 6 of "My Brother's Ghost". It kinda gave the story behind what motivated me to write the story series and how I relate to it being a transvestite. Kant
Kudos on bringing that tidbit up

 

[Paul_Chance]

Never used them.

(Though as a poster said above I always enjoy an author's note that gives a little insight into how or why a story was written.)

 

[Kantarii]

Nope, never use them. I was on my own writing this and you're on your own reading it. good luck.

I'm going to make a mental note to myself that the next storyline I start is going to be fucked up from the git go. So I am forewarned and forearmed to proceed with caution. But the reader, well, let's just hope they are brave enough to finish whatever it is I decide to start with my imagination in overdrive.... HahaKant

 

[sr71plt]

Laurel rejected one of my stories for not explicitly stating those involved were over 18, so I figure it can't hurt to put it right up there at the beginning as a bit of CYA.

I don't think she rejects for that reason. She rejects for the context not supporting that the character is over 18, which you can do without explicitly stating it. I rarely am explicit about "on-the-edge" age in a story. When I think she might get that impression, I include the disclaimer in the notes section of the submission. I don't put it at the top of the story. That's meaningless. Anyone can put that there no matter what they put in the story. It's the context of the story that matters. It doesn't CYA at all.

 

[oggbashan]

...

"Any similarities with existing persons living or dead are coincidental"
Writing this will not protect you from a lawsuit if you publish your ex wifes diary. So dream on.

...

No, it won't.

If you use the names or recognisable characteristics of people you know, you are asking for trouble and no disclaimer would protect you.

But it could protect you from a lawsuit from a stranger whose name matches a character in the story. If you get such a complaint all you would have to do is to use Find/Replace and change the name.

My disclaimer is common on printed fiction published in the UK. It has passed several legal challenges.

 

[CyranoJ]

Secondarily disclaimers are also mostly a total waste of space. Examples of such redundancy

"Redundancy" can be a feature, not a defect, as several people have pointed out. (I can see the logic of your point about 1-bombers and disclaimers, but I care more about the people who find the information useful than I do about the people who'd misuse it or go off half-cocked.)

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

I added one to my Halloween story, but it wasn't included so I figure I must have put it in the wrong place(I put it in the notes) or for some reason I shouldn't have included a note/disclaimer.

 

[oggbashan]

I added one to my Halloween story, but it wasn't included so I figure I must have put it in the wrong place(I put it in the notes) or for some reason I shouldn't have included a note/disclaimer.

Anything you put in the NOTES box is for Laurel only. It won't appear in the published text.

 

[sr71plt]

But it could protect you from a lawsuit from a stranger whose name matches a character in the story. If you get such a complaint all you would have to do is to use Find/Replace and change the name.

Nothing can protect you from someone opening whatever lawsuit they want to. And names in a fictional piece aren't something you'd win a lawsuit over short of trademark considerations, which wouldn't arise unless there were demonstrable loss of business issues.

 

[TxRad]

Anything you put in the NOTES box is for Laurel only. It won't appear in the published text.

You have to add the disclaimer your own self.

 

[sr71plt]

My disclaimer is common on printed fiction published in the UK. It has passed several legal challenges.

It would mean nothing in the United States, and you'd get an admonition from the court for using a copyright symbol if it wasn't backed up with a formal copyright registration. In the United States.