|| Writing Advice & Tips ||

Comfort vs Romanticize

!! SENSITIVE TOPIC: SUICIDE MENTION !!

Okay, this topic is about how people seem to use 'suicidal depression' as a topic or a request.

I've personally been to a behavioral center for depression and a therapist tried to put me on medication for it (when it wasn't my brain that was the problem, it was the bullying).

What does depression have to do with anything?

People romanticize that the reader is suicidally depressed then saved by insert character name here. This is kind of appropriation tbh, especially if you never thought of dark thoughts like suicide.

A lot of people will get mad at this because it IS a sensitive topic in general for everyone (especially me). Like people make fun of "oh I'm going to suicide later" or something as a joke, it's not funny. It really isn't something to joke about.

♢ Then how do I write?

Do not write anything about "suicide" or "threatening to kill self". But if it's a character threatening to take their life to like threaten a villain, maybe put a warning or mention about it?

Though, in general, you do not write about suicide.

Now the title says comfort, yes? Comfort is a form to guide someone into feeling better than the state they were in before. You can mention someone is sad or depressed, but saying 'willing to kill themselves' is not okay.

For example, with comfort, Character B comes in to comfort A. B smiles at A and hugs A so tightly in B's arms. B brings A chocolates and a warm blanket to cheer A up.

THIS is a good and effective way to uplift your audience when they need it without triggering them or mentioning sensitive topics.

- ♢ -

This is another form of comfort, I know many people write about "I love you just the way you are" type of scenarios.

Everyone has different body types, wide and large, thin and small. Tall, short. Dark, light.

With how beauty standards run, it's hard to gain confidence in yourself and love your body.

My point?

DO NOT FATSHAME. DO NOT FETISHIZE IT EITHER.

I can't believe I had to say this and point it out, but I read a fanfiction a long time ago that had fetished it. Saying things like "I like you thicker" or something.

♢ But why is that a bad thing? I'm trying to uplift people who are thick! 

Okay... I understand your point, but I have a friend who is fat and they are self-conscious. Please understand from their perspective they want to be loved for who they are and not be some 'weirdo's fat fetish'.

You can use so many other sentences than the one I had just said like "I love you for you, but if you want to change to feel better, I support that too. Because in the end, you are still you. The you I fell in love with."

♢ Fetish vs. Love?

Fetish is when the idea of the concept satisfies one person. Fetish feet for example? (weird) The sight of feet or feeling feet in general pleases you. Race fetish? (which is also gross and culture appropriation) The idea of someone alone being that race pleases you.

Love is when you appreciate someone as a person, a human. They look cute in that dress? Love it. They have that dorky laugh? Love it. Them as a whole person you adore as a whole package.

 ♢♢♢

Use comfort and loving words, not "i like you better when you were lighter" or whatever. You have to think about ALL of your audience before you write anything and how it really effects them or triggers them.

If you don't care then.. Wow. Write what you want, but once people start coming to you about these things, just remember me and my book? lol.