A Non Exhaustive List Of Content Warnings And How To Use Them

In today’s reading landscape, content warnings have become an essential tool for both authors and readers. They offer a way to navigate sensitive topics with care, allowing readers to make informed decisions about the content they engage with. Whether you're a writer looking to ensure your work is accessible to a wider audience or a reader seeking to avoid potentially triggering material, understanding the role and importance of content warnings is crucial. In this post, we’ll explore what content warnings are, why they’re used, and how to implement them effectively. Content warnings, also known as trigger warnings, are brief alerts that let readers know about potentially distressing material in a piece of media. These warnings help people to decide if they want to engage with the content, allowing them to avoid topics that might trigger strong emotions or discomfort.

Using content warnings shows care and respect for the audience, making media more inclusive and considerate. They can prevent unexpected distress and give readers a heads-up about what to expect. Whether to use content warnings is up to the author. Some prefer not to use them, considering them spoilers. Others argue that the genre of their book should be a warning in and of itself (for example, horror or thrillers are usually going to contain challenging material). Others will go as far as to say content warnings encourage censorship and hamper learning, by allowing people to shy away from content that would be otherwise valuable to consume.

Ultimately, each creator can choose what best fits their work and audience. Trigger warnings in books is a much talked topic in the bookish world and most often on Twitter. I personally find trigger warnings very important. But many others have already said everything about it that I have wanted to so below I will link you to their posts so you can check those out to make up your own... The Cursed Books / Brittany the Book Guru / Word Wonders / Wonderfully Bookish / If you have written one let me know and I’ll link it here. Something that I hear a lot is that people do want to use trigger warnings but they aren’t sure what are triggers or content warnings they can share.

When I first started using trigger and content warnings I found this hard as well. Looking at reviews of those that use these warnings of books I’d read as well I’ve learned what fits there. However I am always willing to help and so I have made a list of trigger and content warnings that can be used for those that find it tricky. This is by no means THE list or an extensive list. This list is just to help those starting out with the trigger warnings. I can assure you that once you get more comfortable with using them in your reviews that you will not need a list like these to help you out.

IFTAS is a 501 (c) (3) charity, EIN: 93-2011167 ● Community Participation Guidelines ● Terms of Service ● Privacy Policy It’s no secret that I like to write on the darker side, but as a person who has experienced trauma, it’s important to me that art and entertainment be creative outlets and not cause... Since the project I’m currently drafting has several potentially triggering aspects, this subject has been on my mind a lot lately and while it’s not possible to think of everything, I wanted to make... I have been creating a complete list of content warnings to include for any potential critique partners, alpha readers, beta readers, and hopefully, later down the line reviewers and readers. To make sure I was thinking of as much as possible, I had a conversation with Inimitable Books founder, Zara Hoffman, to get a better understanding of what that looks like and get some... Based on that conversation, here is a list of suggestions of things authors can do to find content warnings and make sure they are included appropriately.

Once you’ve compiled your list, be sure to include this in your alpha reader form (or whatever system you use to keep track of things), and make sure all your readers are aware that... In addition to your other feedback requests to your critique partners, alphas, and betas, be sure to ask if they would add anything to your trigger list—they might come up with something you overlooked... I recommend making a large text box in your feedback form so they can share their thoughts with you. A content warning (or trigger warning) is a notice about potentially sensitive content. It gives people with mental health triggers or past trauma a way to either prepare themselves or opt out if the content is too much for them. It’s like in the movie industry when something comes up as “rated R for violence and language”—the warning gives you a sense of what is coming and whether it’s for you.

This is not an all-inclusive list, but typically, you’ll want to include a content warning if your book includes things like: This includes both when you depict those things on page and when they are backstory or character fears (or otherwise internalized). For example, if you have a character who is anxious about dying and thinks about it often, even if there is no death on page, you may want to include something like “death anxiety.” Including a content warning for violence may be helpful. But including a more specific warning like “domestic physical abuse” or “police violence” is often more helpful. Some people can watch Die Hard, no problem, but want to avoid depictions of domestic abuse, child abuse, or police violence because of their individual backgrounds or traumas.

Content warnings give your audience a heads-up about the difficult themes or sensitive issues that might be presented in a piece of content. Use content warnings for: Graphic content or descriptions. Let your audience know that there will be descriptions or details that might be triggering, especially for those with similar lived experiences. Sensitive topics. Give your audience a heads-up when you’ll be discussing sensitive topics like trauma, assault, or abuse.

Explicit language. Let your community know if there will be strong language or mature themes. Disclaimers help your audience understand your relationship to companies you mention or links you share in your content.

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