Content warnings

Nobody likes being traumatized.

It’s a terrible feeling—one that makes you think you can’t breathe or be safe in your own body—and the impact of trauma can last far longer than the traumatizing event itself.

As an editorial sensitivity reader, I am often charged with the task of flagging offensive content in literature so that it does not intentionally or unintentionally offend others. It allows me to ensure that characters and stories are represented with dignity and respect, and it hopefully encourages the writer to be respectful and mindful when researching.

Content warnings serve as similar purpose. They let readers know about potentially upsetting topics that a work of literature explores, and they empower readers to practice self-care while still enjoying stories from their favorite creators. To that end, I’ve created this page with a list of content warnings for each of my works that I’ll try to update periodically.

Such lists are not a justification for censorship, book banning, or other means of silencing authors, yet many people mistake them to be. Providing a list of content warnings takes away nothing from those who don’t need them and skip over them, and they mean a whole lot more to the ones that do need them. If it only costs me a few moments of my time to save someone from a huge amount of suffering, you bet I’d take those moments to spare them from that.

After all, I’m a Secular Buddhist, too. I must practice being compassionate to all beings, and if I happen to write a piece of fiction that’s potentially offensive, I’m happy to let others know.