Triggers

So, while I'm working on some of my stories, specifically Necromancy and R&A, I wanted to talk about something that anyone who has been reading, writing, or leafing through fanfiction over the course of the last thirteen years or so has seen.

And that's WARNING: TRIGGERS

So, if you do not know what that means, here's the very brief overview. A trigger is something that cause a negative reaction for readers, such as major tears, panic attacks, epic break downs, or even a depressive episode.

Often times, people mark triggers for things that include, but are not limited to, suicide, abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction, rape, molestation, murder, etc. But triggers come in and all shapes and sizes. So I thought I'd talk about mine.

A) Illness/Death of children. This is a huge one for me. Those who know me well, know why, but for those that don't lets just say it hits really close to home. I've tried to work through this trigger several times, using it as something in several of my stories, but for those who aren't aware, I bawled the entire time I was writing the one-shot Any Given Day, almost didn't write Serial Black Widow, and have had several major break downs over the course of writing Roller Coaster. It's not something I handle well, though most don't realize it.

B) Cancer. This is another giant one for me, even if the story is one where the person recovers from it, is already in remission, or at least survives through the end of the story, I find it almost impossible to read about it, and even harder to write about. Though, once again it is something I'm trying to work through and have used in the past in my stories.

and finally

C) The words whore, slut, cunt, or bitch when used in a sexual connotation. Now, in a normal conversation, when someone is spewing insults or playing the name calling game, I'm fine with them. I'm also fine with them if their used for what they're meant to be (a dog, a prostitute, and a vagina). But, if someone puts them into a sexual scene, especially one that is meant to kinky, but not abusive/not rape, I can't handle it. It's an immediate shut down for me. I lose it and usually completely stop reading. And unlike the other two, this is something I don't see myself as ever even trying to work through.