: Re: How do writers differentiate personal beliefs from the messages of their writing in public discourse? Hypothetically speaking, of course... Let's say I write a work of fiction. It could be construed

@Cugini967

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@Lostinfrance 's answer above was good, so I'm just going to add a few more things to consider.

The nature of the offense. Some offensive material is less sensitive in nature than others. Erotica and pornography aren't as alienating as racism or totalitarianism. If an author cares about this, the author should be prepared.
The motives behind the offending material. Stand-up comedians deal with this all the time, and it's not getting any easier (search YouTube for any number of Sarah Silverman interviews where she defends her jokes). She focuses on two things: her motives (which some claim are just excuses) and the medium in which she works. Unfortunately, motives can only be explained once someone has asked for them, and an author may not get the chance to explain herself.
The art itself. Excellence forgives a multitude of sins. To take some examples: Nabokov was very hesitant to publish Lolita (to the point where he threw away the manuscript, only to have his wife rescue it), but never apologized for its content after it was published. Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is what it is, and still comes under scrutiny today. What you are describing is a societal roulette wheel: something that is acceptable now may be unacceptable in the future. Sensitivities increase or decrease over time. How this pertains to excellence/art: some argue that excellence is enough of an excuse to tolerate something we wouldn't allow in our closest friends; others argue that excellence is no excuse for promoting bad human behavior. This is a individual decision.
Human nature. Given that only human beings will read your book, every author gambles with their audience. To some extent, an audience in the abstract doesn't exist, only individuals do. Those individuals have their own sensitivities and opinions, sometimes benign, sometimes extreme. An author has to trust his/her own instincts as well as the instincts of their audience.
The author will be called names no matter what. This is a fact of 21st century life. Most authors of any race, gender, or creed can expect at least one of the following at some point in their career, depending on what they write: talentless, elitist, old-fashioned, racist, sexist, stupid, insensitive, hyper-sensitive, brilliant, long-winded, windless, a gas bag, an arrogant prick, a humble weakling, a whiner, a pugilist, a conservative, a liberal, a giant, a dwarf, an ex-husband, or a piece of shit. How sensitive does an author need to be? What does the author consider to be insulting and which outcries should be addressed publicly and when? All of that depends on how devoted the author is to the work and how much people actually care.

It would be easy to just say, "Be fearless!", but your question is worth considering. The 21st century may not have rocket packs for every household, but it does offer megaphones to every person with access to the internet. This is an anxiety that hasn't been viscerally experienced en masse since the days of tribes, when public shaming meant a life destroyed.

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