Hello! I am trying to choose a POV for my novel and I'm really hung up, looking for some input. I would love to write my novel in 1st person, I feel it loans itself more organically to a very mind driven story, but due to some concerns I have been using 3rd person. My book is an erotic romance. My main character has PTSD, and there are a lot of very intense sex scenes, I don't want my readers being too triggered with anxiety or have a hard time reading about something sexually that they aren't personally into, if that makes sense. Does anyone have any input on this that might help me? Thank you in advance.
You are a storyteller, not a mental health worker. Write your novel in first person, if that is the POV that sings to you, and quit worrying about triggers that might get flipped by the story's content. Folks who can't handle what they're reading have the option of closing the book.
I'm not sure why 3rd person would be any less triggering if the content is still there. So I think you should write in the perspective that feels the best for you, if that's 1st person, go 1st person. If you're worried about triggering your readers, just include a trigger warning so they know what they're getting into.
Honestly, forget the whole triggered thing. It's art and that's part of the risk. "Safe" art is boring as hell. As for the sex, well, it's erotica so isn't experiencing something you might not be into part of the thrill? Again, not for the faint of heart. If you try to right safely you will produce boring shit that won't interest anybody.
Someone who’s triggered by sexual issues isn’t likely to be reading erotica so it’s a bit of a non issue in this context
Write what you want to write. Don't listen to people who say you're not "supposed" to write something.
