But for those who have an intensely negative, visceral response to deathfic, it may not be enough if the wham warning does not mention that there is a death of one of the major characters.
Well... I understand and sympathise with those readers. Really. I'm a squeamish reader myself, always have been. And my step-dad and grandmother both died within the last year.
But.
At some point, those readers have to take responsibility for their own choices. Deathfic *is* a possibility around here. (I don't think it's wildly popular, but then I don't usually read it so I'm probably not up on the trends.) The reader has to recognize that risk, going in.
Authors aren't required to reveal all their plot twists up front, so we have to rely on clues. Maybe the author posts a note assuring us that the toys go back in the box in good shape. Or maybe it's an author who's known to abhor deathfics. Peek into the comments folders. Bail out if the plot seems to be going in a direction you can't stand. Or there's the option to write to the author privately -- when I first started posting Tryst, someone contacted me for reassurance. I told her it would all come out okay, but she still chose to not read it in installments, and maybe not at all. Perfectly fine by me. I've skipped out on reading some Yvonne fics 'cause I knew they'd get too intense for me. Sometimes I've read something I'd rather not have read, but... that's the risk I take.
We can't all demand that the rest of the world coddle our sensitive feelings. What if I decided that I am intensely offended by any hint of extra-marital, um, relations? Even when referenced in vague terms and euphemisms (or even those smutty asterisks), I can tell it's there, and I am outraged! Authors who are going to go that filthy route should post a warning. It's only fair.
I know that sounds harsh, and I apologise. But there's something to be said for the "if you don't want to watch, change the channel" school of thought. You can't expect to impose your requirements on everyone else.
PJ
