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Digital_Hell
Member

since 2006-06-05

Posts 202
Amidst black roses

0 posted 2006-06-27 03:21 PM

Hi! im just curious as to what you all think should be the limit on dark poetry? In other words what would be pushing it to far so that it isnt acceptable? Or are we allowed a more or less free reign as long as we do not directly strike out against anyone or any group of people or set of beliefs?

How far can i go before it is innapropriate?

hells gate reads Abandon hope all ye that enter here
shall we go?
the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Will you walk with me?

skyshine

Member Elite

since 2002-02-07

Posts 3058
Beneath the northern stars

1 posted 2006-06-27 05:45 PM

You can always check out the guidelines. If you need any further clarification, just ask!

sky

I hope someday you get the chance to live like you were dying....
~Tim McGraw

Alicat
Member Elite

since 1999-05-23

Posts 4094
Coastal Texas

2 posted 2006-06-27 10:10 PM

Harm to self or others. Attacking another member. Glorification of suicide or drug usage, legal or not. That's not to say suicide cannot be written in a non-glorifying way, but that method is extremely difficult to pull off. Most who attempt never illustrate the ramifications or personal responsibilities. If in doubt about content, never hesitate to contact the Dark mods or any of the Admins. Trust me, it saves time and frustration in the long run.

Essorant
Member Elite

since 2002-08-10

Posts 4769
Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada

3 posted 2006-07-01 01:37 PM

Remember childeren and teenagers go into the Dark Poetry forum as well.

Digital_Hell
Member

since 2006-06-05

Posts 202
Amidst black roses

4 posted 2006-07-01 05:43 PM

yes lets not scar the children... although at my age i would say that im hardly out of that catagory... points taken, So how far are we allowed to go in views of religion and faith? And expressing our disdain of it?

hells gate reads Abandon hope all ye that enter here
shall we go?
the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Will you walk with me?

Essorant
Member Elite

since 2002-08-10

Posts 4769
Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada

5 posted 2006-07-02 12:45 PM

It is the same distance for religion and faith as anything else. Everything the guidelines say, but applied to whatever thing you express about a religious view.

Ron

Administrator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-05-19

Posts 8669
Michigan, US

6 posted 2006-07-02 12:52 PM

quote:
Remember childeren (sic) and teenagers go into the Dark Poetry forum as well.

The age of the reader has little to do with responsible writing. Gratuitous violence is still gratuitous, whether the reader is seven or seventy, and glorification of immorality is as demeaning to adults as to children. Our mission has never been to protect children. That's the job of the parent, after all. Our mission, rather, is to provide a venue for writers with something meaningful and interesting to say. We eschew sensationalism because, frankly, we don't want to read it.

quote:
So how far are we allowed to go in views of religion and faith? And expressing our disdain of it?

Why would you presume anyone would be interested in your disdain of religion and faith?

I happen to like spinach and broccoli. I hate okra. Those minutia are important to me, but I'm not sure I could write a poem to make them important to many others. Personal details become significant only to the extent they affect my life and provide a mirror into my humanity. I can make the reader care about my disdain for okra only if I can make the writer care about me. You are going to face the same hurdles, but you are certainly free to vault them if you can.

Of course, I'm assuming you asked the question you wanted to ask?

There is a significant difference between expressing my disdain for okra and trying to convince the reader to share my disdain. If you are interested in the former, as your question suggests, any failure to evoke a reaction will be a personal failure. No harm, no foul. If you were interested in the latter, however, a failure is much less likely to be acceptable in the forums.

"I hate okra," is fine. It's boring, but presents no problems of acceptability.

"I hate okra because it's not fit for human consumption," is no less an opinion, but it carries the implication that anyone who does like okra is less than human, or at least less than the speaker. That IS a potential problem.

Religion, faith, and a taste for okra are preferences, with no right or wrong assigned to them. A good writer -- a responsible writer -- is going to recognize that simple fact and proceed accordingly. Most attacks against a personal preference are probably going to interpreted as trolling. We expect writers to evoke emotion through good writing, not through simple sensationalism or controversy.

When push comes to shove, I don't believe there is ANY theme that, by itself, is automatically unacceptable in the forums. There are, however, themes that are more dangerous because they require considerably more skill and insight to explore responsibly.

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