Self-censorship or just editing?

In the last episodes I posted, there are a couple of paragraphs which, after I'd written them, I read again and thought: I can't say that! One I decided to leave as it was, the other I changed slightly. But I was very strongly tempted to delete them altogether.
Does anyone else get this feeling that they are sometimes up against the limits of what they feel comfortable saying? Or wonder about readers' responses? And anyway, what's the difference between self-censorship (bad?) and editing (definitely good). Bearing in mind that the film director Billy Wilder said that "Good taste is just a form of censorship."

I think if you're not comfortable with something you've written, then it's wrong - for you, and you should rewrite or delete it. There is one word which I have never said, never written, and have in truth told people to leave my house for using. So, even if I think a character of mine might say it, I just can't bring myself to write it.

As to readers' responses - there are almost 10,000 members here at the Library, so no matter what we write we are sure to offend somebody, so I don't worry about that!


I don't believe it is bad as long as it is truly self-censorship, and not done because you think someone else may not like it.

It kind of depends on why you edited it out. If the character said something that was out of character or didn't sound right, then that wasn't self censorship, it was editing. If you did it because you were uncomfortable with it then I guess it is self censorship, but there's nothing wrong with that, unlike censorship which you don't have control over.

I edit for any and all reasons - including self-censorship. I just submitted a story (not yet posted ) I had written years ago. One of the reasons for holding it back until I revised it was exactly what you said - I didn't feel comfortable with part of what I had written. Although I don't mind occasionally treading on the edge of what I expect people's sensibilities to be, sometimes the telling of a story carries me beyond the bounds what I find acceptable. I like to think of it more as a conscious choice about self-expression rather than self-censorship.

I had always heard this quoted from Mr Wilder as "Good taste is just a form of bad censorship."

Maybe I heard it wrong but either way I guess it makes sense in some way.

There are some stories that I've written that have turned...

"Ugly" is a polite word for the result. I started with characters and a general idea of how to start and one thing led to another - arriving at a point that I didn't plan nor did I enjoy.

I don't believe that any of those stories are posted here or anywhere else. They might be products of my imagination, but they aren't things that I wish to share.

Is not posting a story self censorship? If so, then I'm guilty of doing that in the name of good taste.

Goodgulf

That's an interesting proposition. The stories we write are just hard versions of the things we think, codified and tidied up so that others can share them

If not posting a story is self censorship which I suppose it is, then so is not blurting out all the nasty rubbish which flits through our minds sometimes unbidden and sometimes tolerated. Certainly that's not for public consumption, indeed we are very careful of other peoples sensibilities with whay we say (usually).

No, just because the term self-censorship contains the C word it doesn't make it the same as censorship applied from outside, and even that can be a perfectly valid thing to do. We have obscenity laws in most countries for good reasons. Just because certain noisy people complain about censorship doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing.

Linda
How refreshing to have someone say there is a limit to what they will accept in the use of the language in their presence. Thanks for so saying!

I am fairly new to this writing process, and certainly I am being constantly surprised by the actions and reacations of characters whom I have 'created.' (Well, I must have done as they didn't exist before I started writing!)
On occasion I have been quite taken aback at these reactions which most certainly don't reflect what I would have thought might be my own 'take' on the situation. I have been known to retrace my steps and rewrite - while sometimes feeling a little guilty at not allowing my 'creations' to have the courage of their convictions. the reason I rewrite is either to avoid offending anyone or not to be compromising my own beliefs. Is that censorship or merely editing?

Well thank you. I have, however, been accused either of being a prude or a hypocrite because I accept some 'swear' words but not that one!