Getting Triggered

I don’t know why, but lately I’ve seen more than a few people across the Internet making arguments against posting Trigger Warnings in their books. If you follow me on social media at all, you probably already know how I feel about it, but since I tend to express myself in memes there, perhaps it’s time I went into a bit more detail. 

What’s A Trigger Warning, Anyway?

First, let’s cover the basics. Merriam-Webster defines a Trigger Warning as “a statement cautioning that content (such as text, video, or class) may be disturbing or upsetting.” It grew from the concept of ‘triggers’ in people with post traumatic stress disorder, i.e. something that could potentially induce a state of panic or distress in a person based on their previous trauma.

For example, someone who survived a terrible car accident might hear tires squealing and experience a panic attack. 

The Trigger Warning is the means by which the author or creator of a work lets the reader know something unpleasant is coming. Media often reflects the real world, and sadly, it’s far from a perfect place. Bad things happen, and some artists feel the need to address either their own experiences, or their perceptions of the experiences of others in their works. I’ve written PTSD into my books, for example. Without spoilers, there is a torture scene in The Case of The Cheap Suit Plot, and the character who experiences it is not okay afterwards.

Do I Need Trigger Warnings In My Book? I Don’t Want To Spoil Anything!

If you need to ask, the answer is probably yes. First of all, if your Trigger Warnings are spoiling anything, you’re probably doing them wrong. A Trigger Warning doesn’t need to say, “Jocko the Beefcake gets splattered by a minivan on page nine.” It doesn’t even need to say “minivan-related death.” Simply saying, “Death/Violence/Gore” would suffice. 

Secondly, if you wrote something shocking, like a death or a sexual assault, just to shock the reader, that’s a problem in and of itself. (Similarly, using mental illness as a plot twist is occasionally done and always harmful.) Character deaths/trauma should have meaning and emotion behind them, or at the very least they should drive the plot forward. If the character’s arc goes “Exists —> Dies/Gets Traumatized,” the reader hasn’t ivested any time in the character, and thus the death/trauma is just as impactful as if they had been “Innocent Bystander #3” rather than a named character. 

It’s safe to say that if any Trigger Warning spoils your book, you’re either being too specific, or you need to go back and reevaluate how you’ve written your story. You may need to make revisions.

Why Should I Care If Someone Gets Upset By My Book?

I’ve heard that argument, too. “It’s not supposed to be a comfortable story. It’s supposed to be disturbing and upsetting.” 

Okay, I get that, absolutely. Can’t make an omelet without breaking a few heads. But there’s a big difference between writing a scene that makes your readers uncomfortable, and writing a scene that makes them relive the worst moments of their lives. “But people need to get exposed to things that scare them so they can get over it!” Yes, if they consent to, on their terms. It’s not your job to decide that today’s the day they confront something that’s triggering.

If you’re a survivor of an assault, or have lost a loved one to addiction, or struggle with mental illness yourself, would you want that to be thrown in your face while you were trying to relax with a book? The same goes for things like swearing, spicy scenes, or racism – things that people can be uncomfortable with. Readers appreciate it when you prepare them for the harder moments, as well as just things they find a turn-off in their entertainment. Movies and TV shows have had rating systems for decades, so why shouldn’t books be allowed to let readers know what to expect? 

“Well, I have trauma but I never have a problem reading about it.” That’s great, Sparky. Bully for you, but you’re not everyone else in the world. What’s okay for you may not work for others.

And please don’t even get me started on the “My book is for strong folks, not weaklings,” crap. If you actually believe that, be sure to write that in place of a trigger warning, so you can make sure no “weaklings” read your book. Stars above, I know I certainly wouldn’t want to pick it up by mistake.

At the very least, look at things from a monetary perspective. Would you rather a reader have an inkling that a character will be brutally assaulted and murdered, or would you rather someone who didn’t want to read that throw the book away and never purchase your work again because it set them back years of therapy? Lack of Trigger Warnings can lead to returns and one-star reviews.

How Do I Make Trigger Warnings? Where Do They Go?

Your Trigger Warnings should be as general as possible, just to let people know what is coming, but be aware that there are differences between things like “Assault,” “Dubious Consent,” and “Rape.” “Torture”, “Violence,” and “Gore” should be listed seperately as well. You can also specify if something is only mentioned, and not shown on page, as some people are fine with reading about sensitive subjects as long as it’s not going to be depicted. If you’re not sure what Trigger Warnings you need, I recommend hiring a sensitivity reader. Their entire job is to help you make your work palatable for as many readers as possible, while maintaining the integrity of your story. They can help you with things that you may not even be aware you’re struggling with. Pay attention to what they tell you – it could have major impact on your writing career.

Your Trigger Warnings page can go at the beginning of your book, and you may also put content warnings on the back cover, under your blurb. Some authors also put them in the book’s online description, and others put a link in the book to a list of Trigger Warnings on their website. There’s no need to put Trigger Warnings at the beginning of every chapter. Also, there’s no way to know what might trigger every single person who picks up your book. Just stick to the big general sensitive topics. We’ve mentioned a lot already, but common ones include strong language, violence, death, mental illnesses, sexual situations, animal cruelty, racism, and addiction.

Trigger Warnings are a bridge between you and potential readers. It’s they way you let the reader considering your work on the bookstore shelf know that you care about the experience they have while reading your book. And that can make all the difference between having someone pass you by, or making them a loyal reader that always comes back to see what you do next. 

R.I.P. Jocko the Beefcake.