Regarding A Lack of Intense Gore

This is going to be sad news for some and great news for others. I decided that I’m going to remove a good portion of disturbingly gory scenes in the book. There is a good reason for this.

I realized that I did a lot of the gory fight scenes in order to draw some attention to the book when it came out. I wanted some controversy to boost sales. But I do not need to become the Quentin Tarantino of writers in order to gain attention for the book. If my writing is poor, but the book is gory, I’ve failed as a writer. So I want to be paying far more attention to my writing than I have been in the beginning.

Now, will there still be some blood in the books? Yes. Blood plays a key part in the books, for reasons I can’t say without spoiling things. But will I be discussing crushed and sliced bodies and near-cannibalistic scenarios as I did before? Absolutely not. However, the king-slayers, a vampiric race, will still be in the book. There will still be beheadings. But will it be anything close to its previous state of slaughter? No, probably not.

For those thinking I have decided to make a kids book, do not worry. There will be realistic fight scenes. The king-slayers, a vampiric race, will be in the book. There will be beheadings. But will it be anything close to its previous state of slaughter? No, probably not.

If you’re wondering how all these things will be in the book and yet it is not close to its former level of gore… you have absolutely no idea. You just don’t.

It’s not that I’m scared to disturb my readers. But I don’t see the point in doing it unnecessarily. When I want you to be, you will. That is, after all, what makes it dark fantasy. 😉

What do you think of intense blood and gore in Young Adult novels? Do you think or helps or detracts from the realism of the story? Let me know in the comments!