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YouWriteOn Message Board > Literary Forums > Professional Writing Tips and Techniques - New Help Search Recent Posts
Swearing in Narative
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Cheshirecat83uk
 03 Feb 2011, 14:32 #110070 Reply To Post
Hi there,

Well, I've stopped writing because I've run up against a troubling roadblock. I'm writing a piece of fiction, fantasy-styled stuff, and things are actually flowing quite nicely for once.

So I'm working away and I type down one line:

"Holy shit, she was speaking to him."

That's just the way the story comes into my head. It comes in there and I write it down before the words become elusive and I lose my grip. But I stopped because I'm just not sure what sort of impact swearing has on a narrative. I've read plenty about characters swearing, but this is me, crafting the tale, not any of my characters.

I have really no idea about much of this stuff - I just write the stories that occur to me, that interest me and that I want to tell. I don't know the target audience exactly, but I have a vague idea. I just write because I like to do it, but I would love to be published one day, so that's why this is important.

Any info or thoughts you could offer on the subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

notleyab
 03 Feb 2011, 15:06 #110072 Reply To Post
I wouldn't really count shit as a swear word, especially as it's part of a set phrase as you use it.
But I do think those who throw the fucks and cunts around in narrative shd look for alternatives.
OK to stick them in the mouths of people, as long as it's not the village priest, but to me at least in narrative it looks as if their vocabulary is so limited they can't come up with another word.

dancingsue
 03 Feb 2011, 16:17 #110077 Reply To Post
Quote: Cheshirecat83uk, Thursday, 3 Feb 2011 14:32


"Holy shit, she was speaking to him."



It sounds from the way you say it that you're very much in his head. So, in my opinion, this is fine.

It's the lol you need to worry about.
the long and the short of it

RobertB
 03 Feb 2011, 16:27 #110078 Reply To Post
I think swearing's fine in the right context. Anyone can swear if they're in a sufficiently stressful situation. So if the characters have just narrowly missed a head-on with a juggernaut, for instance, turn the air blue and don't be ashamed. Even if they're bishops. Then if they come from the sort of family where they swear in every other sentence, then they have to swear or it won't feel right.
garytones
 03 Feb 2011, 17:05 #110080 Reply To Post
I think it's perfectly fine to swear as long as it's in the right context and not for the sake of it. People swear in real life and if you think swear words some of the time (as I'm sure all of us do) then it's ok. If anything I think it can make something less authentic if you replace swear words from a sentence that someone would likely say.

A good example would be if you wrote about Ozzy Osbourne. Would people really be convinced it was him if he said things like 'fiddlesticks' or 'sugar' instead of 'fuck' and 'shit'
RobertB
 03 Feb 2011, 18:48 #110084 Reply To Post
Those made-up watered-down euphemisms always sound wrong.
katarina66
 08 Mar 2011, 19:05 #112747 Reply To Post
It depends on your character. If your character is a rough type who would swear, then of course it would not be good characterisation to have him NOT swear. Personally I don't like searing on or off the page, but it's the character not us who is doing the talking.
Follow the Dove
Scartongarth
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