Choosing which genre or sub-genres best suits a manuscript can be a troublesome task. It is also true that some books require warnings to specify who the target audience is. I have seen several different kinds of warnings for thrillers, horrors, romances and even poetry books. However, one of the least obvious genres should also carry warnings. Believe it or not, I am referring to the comedy genre.

There is nothing wrong with having a sense of humor and turning it into a manuscript full of fun and giggles. However, there is something seriously wrong with an author choosing not to let their readers know that the comedy they have written might be somewhat raunchy.

Writing comedy is just like writing anything else and should be labeled accordingly. It is absolutely fine to put vulgar language, sexual situations, and crude behavior into comedy as you would any other genre but the age limit and warnings should be clearly specified. It is fair to say that no parent wants their child of eight years old picking up a book of jokes or funny stories that should be intended for people over the age of eighteen.

The situations, behavior and foul language should always be addressed before the very first page of the story begins so that readers know for certain whether or not your work is what they are looking for. As authors, it is our responsibility to let our readers know who our target audience is.

A warning after the credits or on the acknowledgment page would do just fine. Just add a simple note letting the reader know they are in for some raunchy comedy with explicit language and situations that are not suitable for minors. Make sure to add a line that states that your work is for ‘mature adults only’.

If your comedy manuscript is intended for a younger age group you could go ahead and put a small note to express that too. You will never believe the relief a parent feels knowing that their child is reading something for young people in their age groups and is even noted by the author to contain ‘child-friendly’ material. That simple little side note could inevitably be what brings more readers to your work.

How could you possibly gain readers by a simple little note before the story? Readers appreciate it when authors care enough to let them know who should be reading their material. By being mindful of your audience, your audience will respect you as an author and possibly seek out more of your work. Labels that go on manuscripts have been discussed and written about at length but for some reason, there are still writers out there who refuse to acknowledge that their work may not be appropriate for all age groups.

In all honesty, comedy is a highly sought out genre that people of all ages enjoy and is not hard to find. With that kind of competition out there, it only seems natural that an author would want to keep their readers coming back.

The next time you write anything, try to consider who should read your work and who should not. If the language and situations in the book are something you would not feel comfortable handing to your own minor children, then it may be a good idea to give others a warning so that they can choose wisely too. On the same point, when parents pick up a book with no rating or note that lets them know it is safe for kids, they will usually put the book down. Respect yourself and your audience enough to address your readers with appropriate notes and warnings. Especially the comedy section where so many people find others who share their own sense of humor.