Story Content Rules: murder, super creepy characters

[Smokeandmirrors]

I looked at the pinned topics but I didn’t find one about content rules for stories.

I’ve started a new story that is loosely based on the style and plot of the short story The Tell-Tale Heart. Hopefully this will be a novel take on writing an ab/dl themed story.

I was thinking of posting here for some feedback, but I don’t want to get banned on my first post. Anyone familiar with The Tell-Tale Heart would know it centres around the unprovoked murder of a man by a super creepy person.

I searched the forum for murder and I found lots of examples that referenced it or mentioned it in past-tense but I didn’t come across any stories in which there was a scene where the main character actually murders someone in cold blood.

I wouldn’t be writing anything gratuitous or terribly graphic but I feel the story will likely end up there as I write it. Perhaps one of the moderators could give the Tell-Tale Heart a quick read (it’s only about 2 pages) and tell me what you think.

[Penguin]

Before I address the post, let me address your “name”. It’s not cute and it’s not funny. If you’re going to put something in that field, at least don’t be an idiot about it.

@Smokeandmirrors

I searched the forum for murder and I found lots of examples that referenced it or mentioned it in past-tense but I didn’t come across any stories in which there was a scene where the main character actually murders someone in cold blood.

I wouldn’t be writing anything gratuitous or terribly graphic but I feel the story will likely end up there as I write it. Perhaps one of the moderators could give the Tell-Tale Heart a quick read (it’s only about 2 pages) and tell me what you think.

Just make sure you put a warning at the top about the content and it should be fine.

I can’t speak for the other two mods, but seeing as how Poe was required reading in high school for me, I have more familiarity with The Tell-Tale Heart than I’d like and I won’t be rereading it.

[WBDaddy]

Literally, I posted a story here that depicted a savage, premeditated murder. I think you’re good.

[Gummybear]

While I’m not a moderator, I am a teacher who has The Tell-tale Heart on my reading list. I disagree a little with your description of the story being a murder story. While it may seen to be a story about a murder at first glance, I would have to argue that story is more a story about insanity. The whole act of the murder is covered in three or four sentences. It’s all about the buildup to the murder; the protagonist justifying the murder and telling the reader how supremely clever he was in his preparations.

The main character is clearly not mentally well to begin with, and murdering the old man only makes it worse. This may have been used as a horror element on its own when we consider the stigma attached to mental ilness in the mid-1800s,

I don’t know if you intend to focus on the murder or the delusions of the protagonist, but either way, it could be an interesting read.

[Smokeandmirrors]

@Penguin

Before I address the post, let me address your “name”. It’s not cute and it’s not funny. If you’re going to put something in that field, at least don’t be an idiot about it.

This forum works quite differently than others I have used in the past. I didn’t realize the “full name” field would be visible on posts, I thought just the username would visible. I will be changing that now that I am aware.

@Gummybear

I disagree a little with your description of the story being a murder story. While it may seen to be a story about a murder at first glance, I would have to argue that story is more a story about insanity. The whole act of the murder is covered in three or four sentences. It’s all about the buildup to the murder; the protagonist justifying the murder and telling the reader how supremely clever he was in his preparations.

I absolutely agree. The unusual style of the buildup and the arrogance/delusions of the protagonist is what I am interested in writing. It’s just that it sort of led to a murder so I wanted to clear that with a mod here first.

[Penguin]

@Smokeandmirrors

This forum works quite differently than others I have used in the past. I didn’t realize the “full name” field would be visible on posts, I thought just the username would visible. I will be changing that now that I am aware.

It’s the default for Discourse. Normally I would have turned it off, but when we migrated a LOT of users had usernames that weren’t Discourse compatible so they were modified to be compatible and the “Name” field was then set to what their username was originally.

I kind of cheated with mine and deliberately made them very different so it would show how 3 different features interact with each other. Angry Bird is my “Name”, Penguin is my actual username, and the rest of what you see (it changes for a few hours each day randomly ) is my custom title, but if you don’t have one (very few people do), that’s where any title you select from one of your earned badges that grants one would appear.