: Re: How to deal with moral/legal subjects in writing? More specifically, how can one write a novel that examines or even argues against cultural moral values and laws without... dealing with legal

@Bryan361

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If you are publishing your book in a country which guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of artistic expression, then you won't fear any legal repercussions. But keep in mind that:

Freedom of speech does not mean right to assistance with spreading speech. Publishers have the right to reject publishing your work. Bookstores have the right to reject selling your work. They are not obligated to provide a justification for that decision and there is nothing you can do about that.
Freedom of speech does not mean the right to be liked. When nobody wants to read your book because it goes against their values, then you are not a victim of discrimination. You failed to give the market what it wants.
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from critique. If critics bash your work because they consider its message dangerous, Amazon reviewers give it one star because they find your arguments unconvincing and moral authorities advise parents to not let their children read your book because they claim it might corrupt them, then it's within their freedom of speech to do that.

If you want to publish in a country where the messages of your work might violate certain laws which restrict freedom of speech, then a possible way to avoid censorship might be to hide behind allegory.

Don't criticize speed limits on public roads, criticize a completely different restriction in a completely different scenario, but with an argumentation which applies just as well to road speed limits. Don't criticize the government, criticize a fictional authority figure with similar policies. Don't insult the state religion, insult a fictional believe system with a very similar dogma.

How much you need to abstract your subject matters in order to avoid censorship depends on how strictly censorship is enforced in the respective country.

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