Young Writers Society

I've seen a lot of people around here saying that they either wouldn't let their parents read their work, or they have to change what they've written in order for their parents to read it.

My advice on that...

Don't change your writing for anybody. I mean, yes, some things are inacceptable, but other things such as cussing or even (undetailed) sex scenes are neccesary for the development of the story.

My experience with writing is that my parents won't let me submit to publishers unless they've read the story, and I'm sure it's like that with a lot of people. So if you plan on getting published, make sure you and your parents understand your motives for including everything in your story.

-JC

*laughs*

This would be impossible for me. Lucky enough, my dad doesn't go through my computer and I don't see publication happening for some time.

I don't think he would like what he found....His dear little girl writing about such "taboo" topics. Just wouldn't do.

I don't censor myself for anyone, though, and if he did find my writing, I'm not sure how I would explain it, but I wouldn't make excuses. Censor is like death to any art.

I've been debating with myself about this a lot lately.

I like having my parents read some of the larger things I write just to have a first reader, and sometimes they will actually give suggestions. Of course, I don't trust them to completely honest, but they did bring up some good points about the timing and such of Flames.

However, while planning Tears, I have realized it will be, well, less 'clean' than Flames. The new antagonist is much cruder and extremely twisted in my second book, and I am debating whether to try and lighten some of my plans up or not. I know I shouldn't be, but, frankly, I'm afraid of what they will think.

WD: Don't lighten it for your parents. Even if they won't like it; just hide it. But don't lighten your own ideas for parental guidance xD

I have a simple solution:

I never let my parents read anything I write. Simple. Unless I think they'd approve, at least... But most of my stuff is about war, so it's less than parent-friendly.

Still, I can't censor myself. My Creative Writing teacher taught us to never censor ourselves in our work unless absolutely necessary, and he didn't mind us swearing like sailors or being explicit, unless we were workshopping the piece -- then he requested that it be toned down. Still, he encouraged free speech, and that's what I live by. I am physically incapable of censoring my writing. Either they see it or they don't, but I don't change it.

And I'm 18, so if I want to take my writing to the publishers, it's pretty much my decision.

My writing only got good when I turned 18, because then I didn't have to worry about the parents. Even though they really didn't care about me writing... it was just something that I did. *shrugs*

I don't write explicit stuff, such as graphic sex or very strong language, but I will put some suggestive tones for some scenes, because I feel they're needed. I used to write more explicit stuff, but I stopped because it was just a weird phase I had o_O

My parents have never read the stories with some of the language or suggestive tones, but they have read my more violent stories and they are OK with that. Nevertheless, I will feel more independent when I go to college this fall.

MY problem is not so much my parents, it's just that sometimes (far too often) I'm sort of hyper-sensitive to what I think others want to read. o_0 *spaz* It makes it really hard for me to just let go and write.

My parents actually don't read a lot of my stuff, not because I don't want them to, but because neither is really interested in the genres I write in (namely, fantasy and sci-fi). But both are uber-supportive and my mom especially is always pushing me to get Gypsie Eyes or Born of the Stars finished so I can send off query letters. In that way, I consider my parents one of my best writing resources. They even listen to me rant about story problems without any idea what I'm talking about!

Ack, I can't let anyone in my family read anything. If I leave thing on the computer, my sisters come a long and mess around with them, deleting paragraphs or saving over them (there have been times they've deleted whole files because I'd annoyed then O_o) So I save everything onto my USB stick if I type it up. I have everything sved on the college computers, incase it goes bang.

Tis another reason why I always write things by hand first.

And when I'm writing somewhere that's not my room, my Papy always comes in and asks why I'm 'writing silly stories and not revising'. He often takes the mick. Hence he doesn't know that I've sent stuff off before.

He's sooo supportive [/sarcasm]

I never write anything "bad" as a matter of principle. My parents haven't read much of my stuff anyway, but they're still supportive.

My guidline in writing stuff is never to write anything I wouldn't want my parents to see. They understand about me feeling embarressed about showing my stuff to them, but I wouldn't write anything they wouldn't want me to, and I don't think my writing has suffered at all. Still, that's me being biased.

But look at Tolkein. In LOTR there's no bad language, nothing that would cause a high rating, and it takes nothing away from the finished result. It adds to it, in fact.

I keep my writing clean, and everyone's happy.

-Twit

My mom doesn't even know i'm writing a story at the moment My mom doesn't really mind what i write, because, well, lets say are house is like the Osbournes XD Not in terms of being wealthy or anything, but in the way we express ourselves =X

But yea, i don't change my writing for anyone and even if my mom did read what i wrote i wouldn't be that bothered

my family dont even know that i write...i dont write anything embarasing but ica nt show them theyd laugh at me

I don't really show my work to people I know. Heck, I haven't even shown my parents the stories I've had published, even though they keep on asking about it. XD

The main reason is cos shortly after I've written something, I no longer like it. I see the mistakes I've made, and move on. If I ever write a piece that I still like a while after I've written it, then I'll show it.

My parents are prefectly aware of what I write, but there's just one rule--they're NEVER allowed to read anything that's a work in progress. I only show them final drafts, in which case if anything *cough*bad*cough* comes up, I tell them to just read the rest of it, and it makes sense in the end. I never put anything in my stories without a reason, and once my parents see the end result, they understand where I was going.

Gosh, I hate my parents reading my stuff. My mom's a writer...she's never offered to help out or anything. We don't really talk about that stuff.
Unfortunately, if I win a contest or get something published, they always end up seeing it and getting their hands on it. I dunno, it's just really personal. I don't mind my friends or complete strangers reading my work, but I hate it when my family does it.
It's sort of like...you don't want your parents seeing you making out with your significant other, because it's so awkward, but you'd snog all you want in front of other people, either because they don't mind or you just like showing off.

Colleen