I’m now advertising three services for indie authors on Contra. These are beta reading for romance, last-pass proofreading for any fiction genre, and continuity checks for any fiction genre.

Opening up to all fiction means that I could receive some very innovative works that push boundaries. I’ve added a note to my service page about the types of stories that I won’t accept.

It was a difficult note to write, so I feel that I should clarify exactly what I mean. There are certain stories that I don’t want to work on, either because I’m not a good fit, they pose a risk to society, or they are a risk to the author’s reputation.

If you’re not sure whether your story falls into the categories below, please get in touch. There’s a big difference between stories that focus on these topics and stories that involve a small aspect in a character’s backstory.

Non-consensual activities

The term “non-consensual activities” means physical contact that is not consented to by one or some of the people involved. This applies to people who do not want the contact and people who are unable to give informed consent due to age or capacity.

This very serious topic appears in many different kinds of stories. Some raise awareness and give representation to survivors. Others sensationalise this sensitive issue, turning it into entertainment.

If your fiction is in the first category, I wish you all the best with it. You may need to find service providers who specialise in this very delicate topic.

If your fiction is in the second category, I’m not a good fit – I’m not in your target readership.

Extreme violence

I’m not a good fit for stories that centre on one-on-one violence between humans. This mostly means stories about serial killers, anything like American Psycho, and people like Josef Fritzl.

I have no problem with battles in space, alien invasions, or bloodthirsty vampires. Make of that what you will.

Hate speech

Hate speech causes harm to society and poses a risk to anyone involved in its publication and distribution. It involves making negative generalisations about a group of people because of their gender, sexuality, skin colour, beliefs, ethnicity, national origin, abilities, or appearance.

Authors who publish hate speech endanger their future job prospects and relationships. By refusing to work with them, service providers protect both the author and society.

Harassment or shaming of living individuals

Sometimes, unpleasant characters in books are based on people known to the authors in real life. They can result in legal proceedings against the author and anyone involved in the book’s publication.

Well, that’s my list of topics that I’d rather not read about. To be honest, even writing this blog post was an uncomfortable experience!

If you aren’t sure whether I’d be happy to read your book or not, please get in touch.