My Publisher Said My Work Could Be Interpreted as “Fat-Shaming.” But I Disagree.
Is being “hypersensitive” to society’s collective ills another form of censorship?
“Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.” — Lauri Anderson
When does being sensitive to the ever-changing standards of polite society cross the line into censorship?
As writers, that question is becoming more relevant — and dangerous
Back in 2012, I submitted a fictional satire to my publisher as part of a collection of short stories and novellas. Titled, The Cruise, the piece was a 35,000-word parody of love on the high seas — an adult-oriented tale of a cruise ship romance.
“This won’t work,” the publisher’s rep told me. “It will offend too many readers.”
At first, I thought he was kidding
My work has always been edgy. My readers not only know it, they expect it. I believe in writing vivid and, if necessary, graphic descriptions of a setting and situation — especially when it helps the reader fully engage with the character’s experience. I also know it’s a fine line, and I’m equally adamant about avoiding the hack writer’s practice of overwhelming the reader with gratuitous and over-explicit passages for mere sensationalism or shock value.
Knowing where that line is — and making sure I stay on the correct side — has been critical to my success as a writer
After thinking about the publisher’s request, I decided to shelve the project. I wasn’t going to re-write a story based on trying to second guess the sensitivities of those who saw themselves as targeted recipients of every disadvantaged stereotype. I quickly forgot about The Cruise and moved on to other work.
Recently, I received an email from the publisher
He’d been reviewing my back-list and came across the original submission from nine years ago.
“Do you have any interest in resurrecting this?” he asked.
