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So… I have a question about pain and bad things and what I should or should not include when writing. Please be cautious in reading this if you are part of a younger and/or more easily triggered audience. If there’s anyone younger, it may be safe to ask your parents to read it first. (:

 

An idea for a story came to me after watching a show I like (“Bull,” by the way—a pretty darn good show 😀 but watch with discretion because there’s some hard topics in it—hence why it made me think of this story). In the show, there was this woman who’s eleven year old daughter was… raped and murdered. Really, the whole episode made me sick to my stomach. It made me think about how incredibly painful such an experience must be if it could make me feel so horrible just from watching, knowing that they are all actors and none of the people in the show were even real. I guess part of the heartache came from knowing things like that have actually happened before, and there are human beings out there who have really suffered like that. In horrible, excruciating ways. It’s enough to make me almost shake just sitting here and writing about it to some people I’ve never met before online, you know? And it’s just like… if it’s effecting me that badly, how could I possibly even imagine what people who have actually been through that are feeling?

But anyway… to say all that, things like that really do happen in the world. It’s horrible, but they exist. So, what do I do about it as a writer?

My story idea, that came from this episode, is about a mom who lost her daughter due to rape and murder—but the killer gets off clean somehow. But, instead killing the man (like the woman in the show did), she instead trains in law, criminology and psychology to figure out how to retry the case and bring her child’s murderer to justice. But, the real issue is, should I write it? Does the world need another story with darkness and death and horrible things? It seems like there’s enough of that in the world as it is.

So, with that being said, I have an argument for why I shouldn’t even start at all.

Observe:

1. This is based off C. S. Lewis’ quote: “Since it is so likely that [children] will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.”

Even though he’s referring to children, I feel like there is too much dark and yuck in the world for all of us. In fact, I’ve really kind of realized that when I read children’s books, life seems so much better in every way. 😂 But yeah, you know, they give me hope! Because people are braver and kinder and smarter than they are in most TV shows and movies and whatnot. It inspires me, rather than dejects me. So, maybe I should try to pursue something with a little less… trauma. It could arguably make more of an impact in the world?

 

And then, there’s the issue of, if I do decide to give it a go, what do I do with it? I can’t write about darkness just to write about it, can I? I need to offer a solution.

Also, should it be as traumatic? Instead of her young daughter being raped and murdered, maybe it could be an older (potentially adult) son involved in a hit-and-run car accident.

Should it be a Christian novel, or do I need to offer hope and redemption in more subtle ways? I’ve always had a difficult time writing about God directly in fiction, but I do feel like I can elude to God’s presence without forcing it down the readers throats. I feel like I’m like, betraying God when I do that though??? Is that just a feeling, or is there actually some ground for that claim?

Should I write about forgiveness? Redemption?

What do you all think? Any insight would be helpful and appreciated.

 

Also, take this all with a grain of salt. I have no idea if I’m actually going to write anything like this, but I did think it might be good for discussion.