Trigger Warning!

Tigger warnings. In the realm of literature, there’s an ongoing conversation surrounding their use and necessity. Supporters argue that trigger warnings help protect vulnerable readers and create a more inclusive reading environment. Others hold opposing viewpoints, believing that trigger warnings undermine the power of art and the importance of personal responsibility in engaging with potentially distressing content. I fall in the latter of these. Perhaps it’s a generational thing.

My opinions are just that – mine, so I asked writers in various author forums their thoughts on the topic and the answers were as varied as the people giving them. One consensus I drew is that the attitude does seem very much generational. On average, late-twenties and younger seem to depend on a gentle heads up before dipping a toe from their safe-spaces. I don’t fault them for this, it’s the world in which they were raised.

Personally - if you need a warning, then you need a warning and it matters not to me. But I as an author won’t use them, and it’s rare or at all if I read anything that has one. I want an authentic experience when reading someone’s story, not a filtered one. Let me read the gore/sex/language/whatever is the story as the tale unfolds; the way the author envisioned it.

My ‘Death by’ series is filled with white-collar cybercrime, serial murder and vigilante violence, all of which I make clear in my books' blurbs.

“You can read the blurb, read a sample, and choose for yourself,” one author stated, echoed by another, “I go off the book blurb on whether I decide to read it or not.” So the question begs to be asked, is it the author’s responsibility to add a trigger warning, or to write a blurb that clearly shows the reader what they’re in for, without the risk of spoilers?

A popular opinion among the authors I engaged with is that trigger warnings are a result of “the new touchy-feely society” we’ve become. Another said she could do without a trigger warning, but her daughter gets upset when she encounters something that makes her think about unpleasant things. Another stated they were generally disdainful of trigger warnings, but supportive of describing content accurately to empower a reader to make their own choices.

Do trigger warnings foster a culture of oversensitivity by creating the expectation that all potentially distressing content should be avoided? When individuals are constantly shielded from challenging or upsetting content, they become less resilient and less able to cope with the inevitable difficulties of life.

One author said her book has a trigger warning that simply reads, “Don’t be a little bitch!” and that made me chuckle.

Literature has a unique ability to immerse us in unfamiliar perspectives and experiences. When we as readers encounter characters whose lives and struggles differ vastly from our own, we might find discomfort in the strange – but isn’t that the human condition? We might find their choices frustrating, their suffering disturbing, their worldviews alien, but there’s opportunity for growth in that discomfort.

I understand trigger warnings are well-intentioned efforts to protect people from potentially upsetting content. But I raise the valid concern that their overuse or misapplication might lead to a frightening effect on creative expression. At their core, trigger warnings are a form of content labeling. When certain topics or themes are consistently flagged as disturbing, it can create a climate where those subjects become stigmatized or even implicitly discouraged. Authors may begin feeling societal pressure to censor their writing out of fear of backlash, cancellation, or accusations of insensitivity.

Creativity inherently involves risk-taking and transgressing boundaries. The most groundbreaking and impactful works of literature are often those that shock, unsettle, and provoke. But if authors must constantly self-censor to avoid triggering hypothetical sensitivities, the result will be a body of work that feels sanitized, timid, and inauthentic.

“Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov, is one of the most controversial yet acclaimed works in literary history. It’s the story of Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged literature professor, and his obsession with a 12-year-old girl whom he nicknames Lolita. This book is a provocative work that challenges readers to think deeply about love, obsession, and morality. Its exploration of illicit desire and moral ambiguity shocked readers and critics alike when it was published in 1955.

Books like “Lolita” show the value of literature that provokes discomfort to prompt deeper reflection. While content warnings for especially graphic material may sometimes be warranted, overusing them risks diminishing the impact of challenging works. There’s a common middle ground I think we can all stand on. “In some cases,” one author says, “I do think trigger warnings for suicide or graphic or nonconsensual sex are a good idea, but it’s always a judgement call for the writer and depends on what effect they are trying to have. But I also feel they [trigger warnings] can be a bit spoilerish.”

That said, I’m not wholly onboard that the onus should be on authors to provide explicit trigger warnings. Instead, I believe it’s the author’s responsibility to craft a well-written blurb that effectively sets the stage for the reader’s experience. A good blurb should give readers a sense of the book’s genre, themes, and tone without venturing into spoiler territory.

Ultimately, if a reader feels they need specific content warnings, that’s a reflection of where they are in their personal journey and sensitivities. As an author, my goal is to create authentic reading experiences true to my artistic vision. I’m reminded of George Orwell’s groundbreaking novel “1984”, which delves into a dystopian future of totalitarianism thought control and censorship. Orwell boldly challenged societal norms and provoked discomfort in readers, creating a hugely impactful work that remains chillingly relevant as a warning against oppressive regimes crushing individual expression and reshaping reality to their dictates. While “1984” would likely warrant content warnings if published today for its disturbing themes, the visceral reaction it elicits is central to its power and message. And serves as a playbook for today's society.

Trigger warnings may have a place for some, but they mustn’t come at the expense of unfettered artistic expression and the ability of literature to challenge, provoke, and change us.

~Dani

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