How dark is too dark?

[Cute_Kitten]

This is for writers and readers alike. For you, how dark is too dark for abdl fiction?

[Elfy]

It is interesting that this topic pops up right now... I was just writing a scene in my story that involved someone spanking another out of anger and it occurred to me that it could be considered abuse, and yet I feel it is important for it to happen in the context of my story. I'm not too bothered by it but I'm fully prepared that someone will have a problem!

To me, fiction is fiction, I enjoy dark tales as well and although it isn't prominent in what I'm currently writing, I may write something in the future that has a darker plot.

There is a limit obviously, if something is dark or has horrible scenes just for shock value or for the sake of being dark than it won't be good but if it makes sense in the story and is used appropriately a dark twist or subplot can add a lot of character or substance to a story or plot.

[Crimson_Wolf]

I'm not writer by any means but you as a writer can write however you like and that's the great thing about being a writer and telling a story the way you want to.

[Fulldiaper]

I agree, the stories that cause people to think are the types of stories I like to read and write. From fantasy to the macabre

[TL/DR]

I should make a chart of well known fetish writers based on there stories.

[Bettypooh]

About persons and personalities, it takes all kinds to make the world go round. And unusual people are interesting.

I think it's more about balancing the story against how deeply you go into those things, and what need there is to go there. For instance, to explain my childhood and how it got me to where I am now would take a full chapter, but to cover just one aspect of that wouldn't. And don't drag things out if that's not needed- keep the story moving along.

[DrunknFox]

I love dark stories. Especially psychologically thrilling ones, or horror stories. I've never read anything too dark either, but like BriBeeBaby said, gore scenes are a bit too cliche'd. Shock value is kind of a topic where I'm like "oh, come on". Like the Saw films.

[WBDaddy]

Seriously, horror is a valid component, I'd like to think, of the ABDL genre.

[BabyJune]

When I write AB/DL fiction, I try to keep it real--in other words, I write about events that could actually happen. I also try to stay away from depressing topics.

[Zinaya]

Oooh, this is a difficult one to call Cute_Kitten! First of all, for whom do you write? Yourself? Fine, then you can go wherever your fancy takes you and not bother or be bothered about what others think or say. Do you write with a particular audience in mind? If so you'll have to know a bit about their preferences as well as their age as younger people tend to see the world in black or white and not shades of grey. Also, you have to be prepared to face the fact that it is impossible to please everyone, no matter what you do or how hard you try.

As for you worded question; how dark is too dark? Well, think of it this way instead, how sweet is too sweet and, to be quite honest, are there any more irritating stories to read than the ones where everyone is happy and nice to everyone else, then something nice happens so that everyone is even happier and nicer to each other until everyone is so incredibly happy and nice that it beggars belief. See Spot run. Run Spot, run...

Then again, look at the sweet "diaper dimension" stories! Can you imagine anything more evil rl than to separate someone from their loved ones, be they father, mother, son or daughter, then mentally regress them to the age of a toddler and force them into diapers and baby clothes for ever? How "dark" isn't that really? And if you look further, what would you have to write in order to come up with a plot more evil and sinister?

The bottom line is that you need both, light and dark, black and white, salt and sugar, because they are contrasts and if you write for a young audience, the beautiful are good and should always win whereas the bad guys always have an ugly sneer and must lose. Unlike real life where the opposite seems to be the rule.

[willnotwill]

i've generally found that the "level of darkness" isn't so much of an issue in stories.