By Narelle Atkins
I recently read a Christian romance book that I couldn’t bring myself to finish. The writing was beautiful and technically I couldn’t fault the story. The book has received great reviews and endorsements by well known Christian romance authors who I admire and respect.
What was the problem? The story hit a hot button. The thought of turning the page and staying immersed in the story world and living in the heroine’s head was too much.
The last twelve months of my life have been challenging. My writing time has been limited by family, work and other responsibilities. I’m in the so-called ‘sandwich generation’ with teenage children and elderly parents with health issues. Last year my husband had a health scare that made me stop and reassess my priorities.
Writers are taught to create lead characters who are forced to face their greatest fears during the story. This particular romance story tapped into one of my greatest fears. I was surprised by the intensity of my emotional response to the events taking place in the story.
I read the reviews for the book to see what other readers had to say. Not long ago I was chatting with a reader friend about whether or not reviewers should mention trigger warnings if they come across content that could create problems for readers who are struggling with a particular issue.
A trigger warning is potentially a plot spoiler. I’m certain the hot button issue that hit me in this book would not have been an issue for the large majority of romance readers. I also don’t know if a trigger warning would have deterred me from reading the story. In this instance a trigger warning would have been a big plot spoiler.
Christian fiction has traditionally been known as a safe genre. This knowledge has provided readers with an assurance that the stories wouldn’t include bad language, gratuitous violence and sexual situations. The more edgy Christian fiction books often have content warnings in the book description or the reviews.
Have you struggled with reading stories containing hot button issues? Do you like knowing about potential issues that may require a trigger warning before reading a book? If you write reviews, do you mention that there’s content in the story that could be an issue for some readers? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, Narelle Atkins was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia and international locations.
Hi Narelle. I do like to know if there are trigger/hot button issues in books and if being warned means some plot spoilers, that is fine. In a review, all the reviewer needs to do is simply write ‘plot spoilers’ in the heading, then I can choose to keep reading or not. Reading for me is an escape, which usually means that I like to know if there are triggers in the story- then I can choose a different time to read that story. In saying that, I appreciate (and think it is necessary for) Christian fiction authors who do not shy away from hard issues- just a little warning please:)
Blessings:)
I imagine one issue with trigger warnings is that the hot button issues will vary so widely – what is a hot button issue for someone may be something the author/publisher hasn’t even thought may be a hot button issue at all! This is where I appreciate reviews that mention the issues that pushed the buttons for them, rather than have them on the book itself. It’s great that Christian fiction isn’t shying away from hard issues.
I have pretty much given up on the romantic suspense genre, for most Christian authors. I don’t like the feeling I get from reading the books. I know…it’s romantic suspense, there has to be a bad guy. But those bad guys just seem to filled with more and more evil and hatred, and that’s not the kind of stuff I want in my head and my heart. I read because it gives me pleasure. I read Christian fiction because I am a child of God and I care about what I am feeding my spirit.
And yes, I have been known to read reviews to see if others point things out that may not make that book a good choice for me.
Hi Narelle! I do like to know if there is a hot button issue in a book that I plan to read. When writing a review, it is a good idea to warn of a potential plot spoiler from the start.
Hi Narelle. My thoughts and prayers are with you. The sandwich years are a challenge, especially on a woman. For 20 years I cared for my parents. My mom passed in 2007 and my dad in 2014. I retired from teaching in 2012. For years I juggled being a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher. Since it was Mother’s Day and my Dad’s birthday, while placing flowers on their grave I have been reminiscing a lot. I do not regret my choices.
During those years, my reading for enjoyment was limited and I would definitely want to know if there were tigger / hot button issues in the books. Even in retirement, with so many new authors and new books, I prefer to read something upbeat. Daily mundane life has enough challenges. I no longer finish reading books I do not enjoy. I agree with Wemble “PLOT Spoiler” give me an option. Looking forward to the comments. Best wishes to you. Enjoy your time with hubby, children, and parents.
Great thoughts and comments, Narelle. This issue is something I’ve never considered before. Can’t think of any “red buttons” I’ve personally come across.in Christian fiction. Sure, I prefer not to read swear words or explicit violence scenes but so far not read any so bad to the extent of tossing the book away or never wanting to read more by that author because of one. However, I do wonder if any “red button” is pressed, perhaps God may want us to go to Him about it to fully deal with whatever it is in our past or current circumstances.
I sure hope there have been no red buttons pressed by readers of any of my books!
Thanks for this posting, Narelle. I write very angsty stories, and that angst usually comes from something painful in the backstory of the characters. I try not to present tough situations or memories graphically. Still, I know there are readers who have faced similar problems. I don’t know the solution–wemble’s may be the best, a “plot spoiler” heading followed by a review that outlines the issues.
I haven’t had a hit button moment with reading I so read the reviews but I don’t particularly like reading spoilers. Spoiler literally makes me loose interest in the book.
Hi Wemble, I like your idea of writing ‘plot spoiler’ at the start of reviews that include trigger warnings. I agree, we want Christian authors to continue to address the hard issues in their stories. Life is messy and realistic Christian fiction can be light or heavy, depending on the characters and the story. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Melissa, Yes, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to identifying hot button issues. Sometimes genre can be helpful in identifying stories that are more likely to be an issue. If a number of reviewers raise the same issue then readers can make their own decision before they start reading. Thanks for stopping by. :)
Hi Rebecca, I understand and you’re wise to know your limits and stick to them. The reviews can be very helpful in pointing out these things. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Jill, I agree, it’s good to be warned in advance about hot buttons. It’s not fun to accidentally read a plot spoiler in a review before you’ve read the book. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Renate, Thank you for your prayers and for sharing your experiences. The juggling act is challenging on so many levels but also rewarding. I appreciate the time I have with my family. I rarely quit reading if I’ve moved past chapter one and been hooked into the story. Usually by chapter two I know whether or not I’m invested in the characters and story. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Mary, You raise an interesting point. Since I wasn’t really aware that this hot button issue was an issue until it happened, it was an opportunity to take it to Him in prayer. I also don’t believe author will intentionally write CF books with hot button issues. It’s more a consequence of writing about flawed characters who make mistakes, just like real people. Thanks for stopping by. :)
Hi Lee, I agree that Wemble’s solution is a good one. Multi-dimensional characters will have suffered in the past and their life experiences will impact on the story. The angst is a positive in the story for most readers as it adds depth to the story. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Colleen, I prefer not to accidentally read spoilers. It’s frustrating when they give away the secrets in the story and effectively discourage readers from reading the book. Blessings to you. :)
Interesting topic – Hot button issues are so personal and there is no way an author can avoid them. There is one topic I don’t write about – other than that I love digging deep into the human psyche. Some of my harder topic I will get letters thanking me for giving them a character that they can understand – that has faces the same issues they have and they won. I will also get letters that it was too painful for them to read. So I keep writing what God puts on my heart and hope it gets to the reader that needs it.
I love a good deep angst read. But there is one thing I don’t want to read and if it is an author I’m not sure I can trust I will read reviews with the heading Spoiler Alert. It works well for me.
I haven’t really hit any hot button issues that I can think of. As long as the book is Christian fiction and sounds interesting, I’ll read it. Some have been more hard hitting than others, but I haven’t found one I couldn’t finish.
Yes, I like to know. It’s been awhile since I picked up a book that made me sick to my stomach because of an issue–I didn’t know it would bother me like it did. Now I avoid reading books that touch that topic/issue.
There’s really no way for authors to realistically put trigger warnings on their books. What might upset one reader wouldn’t even faze another, and there’s simply no way to know what will upset a reader who isn’t even known to the author. I’ve seen some mighty weird things set people off in my day. Our life experiences are so vastly different, and our emotional responses to things vary so dramatically, it’s impossible to know what all in any given book could cause turmoil in every reader.
For myself, I’ve only had a couple of books trip my own personal triggers. I took those as signs from God that it was time for me to deal with the issue behind the problem. Growing and healing experience. He’s seen me through a great deal and continues to do so. Though, I must admit, it’s not always easy to face what He says it’s time to confront. He seems to rely on my tendency to face issues head-on rather than run from them. He knows me far too well. *G* As a result of following His lead, I’ve found what “triggered” me a few years ago no longer has that effect on me now.
I rarely read reviews before I buy and read a book (unless it’s secular and I want to find out what it contains as far as sex, language, and violent content). I don’t like spoilers, so I’d rather deal with the “trigger” possibility than have key elements of the story revealed to me in reviews. The best way I’ve found to avoid that issue is simply not to read reviews before I read a book.
This is so timely for me Narelle, because my next book deals with things that could well be hot button triggers for some readers, and I’m not sure how to warn them of that in the book description without spoilers!
The ending is upbeat and uplifting, but there’s definitely some heartache and messiness in between. Even with the happy ending, it’s clear the couple will face more pain in the future. The difference is that at the start they are facing it alone, and by the end, they’ll face it together, and with God.
After reading the comments here, it’s clear I need to work on the blurb again to try to hint at the issues better.
I find I myself writing about my own hot button topics as a way to let God heal them. For example, A Lesson in Love was written immediately after my last visit home to Australia where I saw how much my parents were affected by their health issues.
I have one very personal hot button topic that I didn’t feel I ever could write about, but turns out it’s going to be an issue for my heroine in my August release. I’ll be interested to discover how God will work with me as I write that one!
This! So totally this! :)
We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and these issues need to be told.
I think that hot topics are different for each person and imagine it would be difficult to give such a warning without spoiling the book and therefore agree with Wemble’s suggestion above. There are some good ideas and discussion in this thread. Thanks for posing the question.
I definitely avoid hot topics and I’m grateful for trigger warning reviews (I really don’t care they are plot spoilers–and usually the reviewer acknowledge them for those who don’t want to read it). I usually dislike when the book blurbs are really vague and go straight into the reviews looking for possible hot topics. (Some authors do include comments at the end of the blurb saying: this book includes ___, which kind of helps without giving too much away.)
I think it was Valerie Comer’s newsletter that reminded us the other day that we always know there will be HEA in the romance stories we read, but it’s the journey that we’re interested in. So if the journey is about one of those hot topics, I just don’t care about such books.
I think others mentioned that they also read mostly to escape and not to face deep issues, which means avoiding hot topics. (Of course one person’s hot topic is not the other person’s so it must be really hard for authors to decide how messy to make their stories.) Not that sometimes we don’t end up reading emotionally deep books and they turn out to be great—Lindi’s post on Saturday reminded us of how sometimes it is good to read those, but those take time to digest and say goodbye to our new “friends”. There’s a fine line between heartache / messiness in a story and having characters face hot topics (I only avoid the later).
I don’t mind reading about most issues as long as there is a happy ending.
Like Merrillee said, I LIKE happy endings!
Blessings on you as you are in the sandwich generation, Narelle.
I also perfer upbeat, comical, adventurous, romantic stories. I like it when there is real life issues involved. As long as its concluded fast. Meaning the character learns from her mistakes or issues forgivness when needed. Or justice prevails. I understand that thats not always real life. But who wants to read something depressing? I think people want to find hope for thier own situations. That even if nothing works out they way you hoped, with God, you can find love, peace, joy. Etc. But yes people do want to read the fairy tale dream of happily ever after.
Good discussions today. It’s hard, as many alluded to above. What some find very traumatic, others will only see as part of a story. That’s not only matters of sin, either, but things like childlessness, suicide, abuse. Sometimes these issues come into a story nearer the climax and it can be a plot spoiler to warn in advance. I truly don’t know the balance. There is no “one size fits all” for either author or reader.
Hi Jolene, I’m glad you’re receiving letters from readers who are touched by your stories. The hot button issues vary and, I agree, it’s impossible for authors to avoid. We can pray that we will reach our target audience of readers. Blessings to you. :)
Yes, the consensus seems to be that reviewers who post spoiler alerts on hot button issues are helping readers discern if the story is right for them.
Hi Andrea, it’s also unusual for me to come across a Christian fiction title that hits a hot button. I love the variety in Christian fiction with stories that range from light and entertaining to the more hard hitting issue-driven stories. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Kimberly, I’m picky about what I read from the general market because I want to avoid that sick to my stomach feeling. I have a higher for violence on the screen that in literature. I can close my eyes and block out the visual pictures on a screen, but it’s much harder to block the visuals in my mind when I’m reading a book. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Dawn, I agree and I think that authors need the freedom to write their stories and explore their creativity without worrying about whether or not the content may hit a hot button. The book marketing stage is when the genre and target audience considerations are critical. We can underestimate the power of story and the healing that can take place as we identify with characters and learn from their experiences. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I’m often inspired to read books after I’ve seen reviews and recommendations that are intriguing and don’t contain spoilers. There’s definitely an art to writing great reviews. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Autumn, I’m glad my post has been helpful. It wasn’t the post I’d planned to write, and I followed an unexpected prod to write about this topic. I have a few personal hot button issues that I haven’t addressed in my stories because the timing hasn’t been right. I’m praying your August release will reach the right readers at the right time. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Linda, Amen. Perfect characters with perfect lives aren’t relatable or a reflection of the messiness of our real lives. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Julieanne, You’re very welcome and I’m glad the discussion has been helpful. Wemble’s suggestion is a good one. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Priscila, I understand and I mostly read light and entertaining HEA romances. A heavier read can require emotional energy and I factor that in when deciding which book to read next. When life is busy and hectic I usually prefer to escape into an upbeat story. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Merrillee, yes, the HEA ending that’s guaranteed in genres like romance can make all the difference. We know the struggles faced by the characters will be worthwhile in the end. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Jackie, I agree! The promise of a happy ending will keep me turning the page. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Ashley, I agree, and I prefer not to read depressing stories that lack hope. Realistic stories can be upbeat and hopeful. Character growth in the story is important and we can see this happening when they struggle with issues. I like to see justice prevail and the promise of a happy ending. Blessings to you. :)
Hi Valerie, I agree, there’s no easy answer. As a reader we put out trust in the author to deliver on their story promise. It’s not possible for authors to anticipate how the story may impact on all of their readers. The line between transparency of story issues and plot spoilers can be hard to define. Blessings to you. :)
Really appreciate this post, Narelle. What an interesting question to raise. I’ve never really thought about it as something to be aware of in my writing, and the complexities around letting people know that a potential hot button might be encountered are problematic, aren’t they? I like your response to such an issue: take it to God in prayer. I guess we write what God calls us to write and trust God that receptive hearts will respond as He sees fit. It’s good to know that He can use all sorts of circumstances to draw us closer to Him.
Hi Carolyn, I agree, and it’s important for authors to write their stories without letting worries or doubts influence their creative process. And to trust God to look after the rest. Blessings to you. :)
I have read a few books I had to stop due to content. One was dealing with a husband who was in treatment and may or may not survive. At the same time we didn’t know if my mother would survive an illness and it was just to close to me. I got over a third of the way in and the book dealt with this issue so it wasn’t a plot spoiler. Another also was dealing with dying and just after mum had passed away so I just couldn’t read it, it did have a warning as such on the blurb but didn’t know it would affect me till I started it. Recently I read a book which had a lot of self harm in it. I was ok with the book but I know a few people who do read my reviews on my blog have an issue and that reading about self harm can actually set them off. One had told me how just reading about another doing what she use to do made her want to self harm and at times she couldn’t stop. I felt I had to put a warning in my review. I didn’t say what sort of self harm, I also told the author I was doing this and she was happy for me to do that.
I like the idea of saying plot spoilers maybe contained in this review.
I go on the theory if its in the first 3 chapters it can be mentioned on the blurb or in a review.
Sorry to hear you’ve had a tough year, Narelle. Hope the rest of the year goes well for you.
When I write reviews, I usually note triggers like swearing, sex scenes etc, or I include info in my plot description that would cue people to certain issues. Though it’s tricky if you can’t mention the issue without giving a spoiler. I guess you could allude to it with something like ‘contains some edgy content that may upset some readers’, though that may put others off who’d be fine with it. I always appreciate it if the book blurb or reviews give an indication of something I don’t want to read. Sometimes there might be absolutely nothing wrong with the book, but it’s just an issue that’s too close to the bone and I don’t want to read it right now. Interesting food for thought. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jenny, Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. It can be hard to know if a book will affect us and timing does matter. In different seasons of life there will be topics that are harder to read. Thanks for stopping by. :)
Hi Nola, I’m hoping this year gets easier, too. Those issues that are close to the bone can alter the way we experience the story. I’ve read reviews for books I’ve enjoyed reading and concluded that the reviewer’s aversion to the story may be a reaction to the story content. Those reviews are valuable as they highlight possible issues that may impact other readers. Thanks for stopping by. :)