Should writers be more vocal on social issues? Or keep their opinion to themselves? I asked that question because many of us lives in cities that are presently or was on fire. The fabric of society seriously needs mending.
Every author has heard the advice of staying away from controversial topics like religion, personal thoughts, social issues or these subjects may hurt your books’ selling power. Snuff out your brand.
I do not feel this passé advice is still good writing career advice. I feel it belongs in the days derby and parasols. Before the days of Kindle and self-publishing because some authors like Margaret Atwood and many others write nothing but controversial works.
Some of the most memorable books are highly controversial.
No other profession is asked to do this. Basically, becomes an human autobahn who emotionless shells out entertainment but have no input in what’s going on around them. I feels that’s a little unrealistic to ask of anyone. Authors are as much an artist as a musician or painter. Their creativity thrives best with responsible freedom.
It’s not robot writing these books. It’s real live people who have lived a life are who writing books. Live people who often drawn stories from their society or create one of their own.
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About unholypursuit
A. White, an award winning former librarian, who is also a long time member of Romantic Time and Publisher's Weekly. A. White has been writing for over fifteen years. She took classes in creative writing in college, specializing in ancient myths and legends. and later at a local community center while living in Chicago. In college she won the national contest to verbally list every country in the world, it's capital and ingenious language. Her works are mainly horror, fantasy, extreme, and sci-fi as well as, as some may says, "the truly strange predicament and puzzling." Books that I've written are "Clash with the Immortals, and eleven others which are part of the "Unholy Pursuit saga,". She has been working on the Chronicles since 2007. She wished to complete them all before introducing them to public so the readers wouldn't have to for the continuation to be written.
The ideas of the book come from classic literature such as whose work greatly influence the world world such as Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus, Euripides, Socrates, Hippocrates, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle and many more. The "Book of Enoch" influenced the usage of Azazael as a main character and love interest. I created the primary main character from the Chronicle of Saints. I wanted to show them as real flesh and blood with thoughts, desires and yearning as any human. Not as they are so often depicted. So I created one of my own to show her as a real human that everyone can relate to.
unholypursuit
The Novel: UnHoly Pursuit: Devil on my Trail 
They should be more vocal all factors considered. As long as what they are vocal about brings or adds value to the intended audience, is beneficial, of service and does not breed any vices.
You’ve said it well here “Their creativity thrives best with responsible freedom.”
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I agree with you. Authors’ work could be written if it support the good of the world or call to light social injustices, or the suffering of others.
However, in the volatile, hypersensitive climate of today it is a tricky agenda to navigate. There’s a delicate balance being out-spoken and maintaining your writing career. Maneuvering a social issue today is tough, especially if one is a new author and writing about social injustices. It’s very hard to get your name and work out there unless you worded the topic in a fictional manner.
I started the post because new authors are often advised to avoid controversial topics because one lone subject giving rise or likely to give rise to a large enough public disagreement can destroy one’s writing career before it blossom.
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True, it’s dangerous and tricky to cover the social issues. I think that’s why the separation between just a writer and an activist comes in. Because once a writer becomes very vocal on such issues, they fall into serious trouble with the authorities or organizations responsible for the exposed injustice, meaning arrests, and being discredited sometimes labelled as attention graber. I guess it boils down to where ones heart really is. But you can write about them in a smart way without creating attention to yourself but at the same time communicating to the intended audience.
Its just like the old days, the reason the bible is in parables especially the new testament is because the true teachings were forbidden at the time and they had to be conveyed indirectly to the people through parables mostly to avoid troubles with authorities.
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” they fall into serious trouble with the authorities or organizations responsible for the exposed injustice, meaning arrests, and being discredited sometimes labelled as attention grabber. I guess it boils down to where ones heart really is. But you can write about them in a smart way without creating attention to yourself but at the same time communicating to the intended audience.”
Oh well, I was labelled those things long before the first book was published. Anyone who has ever stood up for themselves run the risk of falling into serious trouble with the authorities or organizations responsible for the exposed injustice. Rather the injustice is committed against you or someone else.
One would think mankind would be further along the road to free speech and equality after 2,000 years.
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We are far from that freedom. All because of the need and drive for control by a small rebel percentage of the total population. But we can still attain and live in peace in the midst of the chaos, perspectives.
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Yes, indeed we’re far from the kind of freedom envisioned with the Magna Carta, The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Right.
I’m happy some do live in peace among chaos.
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Hi,
I personally think that we need to express our thoughts, but the manner of the presentation should be watched out for! You need to pinpoint the problems of an issue or situation and cure people’s minds to act sane in life. Being a news writer, a foodie freak (https://urdailyhacks.blogspot.com/2020/08/two-ingredient-mango-fruit-jam-recipe.html), I think of useful ways to help people around me.
It is okay if everyone does not like your idea, but somewhere it would strike a thought for them That is half the work done!
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Hi Pickled,
I agree with you. No, not everyone’s going to like your idea or point of view.
Authors are often advised to avoid controversial topics unless you are already a million dollar author like Stephen King. Speaking out doesn’t hurt your brand.
Otherwise, one lone subject giving rise or likely to give rise to public disagreement can destroy one’s writing career. And in the days of instant news it can spread over the web in a matter of hours.
Therefore each author must decided will they take a stand or remain silent.
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I liked the fact your work call the public’s attention the gang stalking epidemic! It’s like the laws of the Middle Ages or Nazi Germany gone high tech!
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Thank you Ptolemaic.
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It is appropriate time to discuss any social issue. Some times are not the right time.
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Jason, the urgency of many situations and social issues can not wait until people are comfortable talking about it.
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Anytime there’s a need to be addressed in the right time to discuss it.
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I think it depends on what you write about, though when you think of it, whether everyone is aware or not, social and political problems are centred around everyone’s life.
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” whether everyone is aware or not, social and political problems are centered around everyone’s life.”
That’s true in a any society we are all connected. Therefore depriving other may maintain things for a selective or privileged group for a while but it always eventually crumble. That has happened time and time again throughout history. So, it’s in everyone’s best interest to be concern with whatever social or political issue of their era.
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Who else will speak for those who can not speak for themselves?
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No one.
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Writing could always be a exciting, if you be familiar with what you wish to write about writing is fun. It can be difficult to write if you don’t know the subject matter.
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Writing about a subject one isn’t familiar with can be done you simply need to study the topic and learn more about it.
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