Firstly, what's a trigger? In mental health terms, a trigger is something that affects your emotional state by causing you to feel overwhelmed or distressed.
Secondly, what's a trigger warning? It's a note to readers, either in the blurb or at the beginning of the book, that the story might contain a particular situation that certain readers might find disturbing.
I recently noticed a reviewer who was concerned that I didn't use trigger warnings in a book, and complained that this was “underhanded,” so I thought it might be useful to address this. The definition of “underhanded” is “acting or done in a secret or dishonest way,” so while I'm not being deliberately dishonest with the omission of trigger warnings, I am intentionally keeping the contents of the book a secret. Personally, as an avid reader myself, I hate trigger warnings. I want to be surprised by a plot, to have it unfold as I read and make me gasp, cry, recoil in horror, and melt with happiness at the end. I want to experience the emotions as the characters do. I don't want to be told what happens beforehand, not even a hint – for me, it spoils the adventure.
There's also a difference between discomfort and trauma. True triggers cause trauma, and those triggers could be something as small as a phrase or action that reminds a person of a traumatic event. Sounds and smells can be triggering too. A particular cologne or a specific song, for example. There's no way as an author that I could know and address every trigger with a warning. Personally, I relive past trauma when I see a particular place name – quite a specific circumstance, and not one that an author could possibly second guess.
Other topics cause discomfort, and yes, my books are meant to do this. They're meant to make readers feel uncomfortable with certain parts of the story. There are so many situations that people might find unsettling, and yet they're part of the world we live in. An unpalatable part, but a part nonetheless. To list all of them would make the warnings longer than the blurb itself, as well as giving away chunks of the story, and I'd still miss out those smaller triggers because I just don't know what they might be.
None of my writing is particularly graphic, and I prefer to focus on the characters' emotions rather than physical details, which is another reason I don't use warnings on my retailer blurbs.
I write romantic suspense, and the suspense elements are often gritty and deal with real-world situations. For information, my books might contain references to any of the following:
- Murder
- Rape and other forms of sexual violence
- Animal abuse or death
- Emotional abuse
- Racism
- Political viewpoints
- Sizeism or fat-shaming
- Bad language
- Military conflict
- Child abuse
- Domestic violence
- Homophobia or transphobia
- Climate change
- Suicide
- Religious topics
- Self-harm
- Loss of a loved one
- Eating disorders
- On-the-page sex
- Pregnancy-related issues
- Stalking
- Incest
- Homophobia or transphobia
- Nudity
- Insects
- Blood
- Substance abuse
- Medical issues
- Bodily waste, such as vomit, faeces, or urine
- Pineapple on pizza
- Guns
- Other miscellaneous violence
But I also like to keep my readers happy. I even wrote a version of the Black Trilogy with no swearing after some readers complained about Emmy's potty mouth. Therefore, I'm going to start including broad trigger warnings on each book's page on my website. I'm also happy to address any specific worries a reader might have about their own personal triggers – if you'd like to know ahead of time whether a particular trigger is included in a book, just drop me a message via my contact page, and I'll be super happy to let you know whether a book contains it.
I too am an avid reader and I love your books. I think you should be able to write a book in whatever fashion you please. I don’t need triggers. I love the emotion your books stir in me. You’re one of my favorite authors. I don’t think you need to change a thing. Thank you so much.
I personally wouldn’t or couldn’t even want any form of a trigger. I’m a 007 fan and won’t even look at trailers because I want to be surprised, laugh and amazed. That’s spoilt by both a spoiler / trigger. Take away Emmy’s penchant for foul language or her ease at disposal of certain awful people and her joking slant on many things and you may as well have a dull character and virtually no real story line with its humour and sharp witty remarks and exciting plots. As with television – if you don’t like the film / program then there’s an off button or simply close the book and read a daily paper – there’s loads of real life in there to scare the crap out of you…. Joel
I think society is too full of trigger warnings. I believe that people who want trigger warnings are just “snowflakes”, pure and simple. I know this is not a popular opinion, but I don’t believe in trigger warnings. I grew up without them, and I am ensuring that my children grow up ignoring them. There is a trigger out there for everyone and to address them all is completely unreal. Keep writing what you do, I love them all (without trigger warnings).
I cannot believe how stupid society has become. If a person cannot deal with something that involves violence, death or whatever else then should stick to fiction by the likes of Barbara Cartland. Theses should not be allowed to spoil it for others enjoyment by demanding warnings the rest of us don’t want. If I didn’t enjoy your work I wouldn’t read your books – simples. Keep the the good work
If you need trigger warnings for everything don’t ever open a South African newspaper. I have been reading your books for years now with great enjoyment and I have not found any gratuitous violence or an excess of swearing. You are not writing cosy mysteries. Trauma is real, but if people don’t like what you write close the book and find a different genre. There are way to many warnings already
Write what you want, I’m sorry but if you are triggered that easily, then you probably should stick to children’s books. That may sound unsympathetic, but then I’ve been told I have no heart LOL I also don’t want to know what is going to happen.
Who needs or wants a trigger warning? You can always thumb to the back of the book and read the ending first … but that sort of ruins the excitement of the story. Your books are perfect as they are. Never change the way you write to adapt to those who don’t love your books as we do! Your books are the best!!!
Hey Elise,
Just to add a comment from a trauma survivor or whatever it is at the moment…
If this was going to upset me, I wouldn’t pick up the book!
I don’t find your books upsetting at all- because they reflect my life experience, and I find the “hungry ghost of a child becomes a kick-ass heroine” a fabulous way to enjoy fiction. It’s realistic (ok, not the billionaire bits) but the rest is.
I find the one the page sex really helpful in reframing how sex should be (as per a huge number of your characters).
So rather than “you should have a trigger warning” I would more recommend your books for other “messed up childhood” folks!
Ps. I met you in Bracknell x