tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post4270624628567666005..comments2023-08-14T10:44:59.007-04:00Comments on Novel Spaces: Do You Let Your Characters Swear?KeVin K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14792797517571690942noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-68115442244748477932017-12-26T11:16:16.250-05:002017-12-26T11:16:16.250-05:00Sasscer, according to my "cozy" editor, ...Sasscer, according to my "cozy" editor, damn is one of the okay words. Gloria, your comment about Harlan Coben's dialog not needing swearing is interesting and thought-provoking. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-53394394179376566442017-12-25T14:59:37.058-05:002017-12-25T14:59:37.058-05:00Interesting. I'm currently reading Harlan Cobe...Interesting. I'm currently reading Harlan Coben's book Don't Let Go. It's not a cozy, but there are no swearing either. The dialogue is so intense, it doesn't need it.Gloria Getmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01566261963541833179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-3624883907089947212017-12-25T09:42:16.523-05:002017-12-25T09:42:16.523-05:00I write edgy, close to thriller mysteries, and thi...I write edgy, close to thriller mysteries, and think the F word dropped into dialog sparingly can be quite effective and appropriate. I also tend to like "effing" more than "frigging." My editor at St. Matins, to date, has never deleted a well placed S or F, but then these words don't show up that often. If I were to write a straight cozy, there would be NO swearing. Well, maybe "damn," but that would be as salty as I'd go in that genre. Like everything else in writing a novel you have to know your readers and give them what they want and expect.Sasscer Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05855348330942561488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-8713644805494043862017-12-24T15:09:43.353-05:002017-12-24T15:09:43.353-05:00Thanks for your comments. Katherine, I love the &q...Thanks for your comments. Katherine, I love the "nicely sweary" compliment. I think there's agreement that swearing (or not) depends on the genre, its use should be limited, and that it's best to use "creative" language---invent our own swear words! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-14171114665734990972017-12-24T08:10:54.698-05:002017-12-24T08:10:54.698-05:00While my characters do swear (I write adult fantas...While my characters do swear (I write adult fantasy), they swear only if a particular situation calls for it. Otherwise, they speak in the type of creative language that their creator is known for. While it may be easier to get a particular emotion across by dropping the F-bomb or S-bomb or A-bomb for a certain scene, it's a lot more fun to get a particular emotion across using biting wit and sarcasm, as well as colorfully selective adjectives that are not the aforementioned bombs. Except maybe the B word.G.B. Millerhttps://gbmjrflashyofct.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-34180980712827552452017-12-23T17:18:37.555-05:002017-12-23T17:18:37.555-05:00I honestly like to hear some cuss words in a book,...I honestly like to hear some cuss words in a book, but I don't think it works in a cozy. I ended up with "frigging" and "fudge" for areas that I thought the real word was needed. It's better as frigging and/or fudge as it gets the same idea across without grossing a reader out. <br />Good post. I enjoyed this.authorlindathornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02605805996356003012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-27874004318023955982017-12-22T21:24:17.373-05:002017-12-22T21:24:17.373-05:00I think it's genre-specific. I used to write a...I think it's genre-specific. I used to write a LOT of dark fiction and I wrote one crime story for an anthology that had the editor saying it was "nicely sweary." I also write a lot of fantasy and I have invented curse words for that because, let's face it, FU*K is an Anglo-Saxon word that's been around for a long time but sometimes you don't want to go all George R.R. Martin with your characters. I specifically avoid cursing if it's a cozy. When I lived in Richmond, I had a ladylike vocabulary. (My father didn't even swear in front of the family) but decades in L.A. cured that.Katherine Tomlinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696623795926663895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-60500395257198623142017-12-22T19:53:35.920-05:002017-12-22T19:53:35.920-05:00Sharon, I think cozies are responsible for giving ...Sharon, I think cozies are responsible for giving cursing a bad rap! lol. You have wonderful holiday as well. Be happy, be safe. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-60423978274879139542017-12-22T19:22:54.598-05:002017-12-22T19:22:54.598-05:00Hi Maggie! When I read your post, I asked myself, ...Hi Maggie! When I read your post, I asked myself, “did Maggie’s books have curse words?” So, my answer is, if I don’t remember it, then they certainly weren’t offensive! I agree with you and Liane that sometimes if you want it to seem real, cursing is needed! All about judgement! And of course, while reading a cozy Christnas story, I don’t want to see cursing! Have a wonderful holiday season! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14264457916428447491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-86433714262964843332017-12-22T13:04:41.309-05:002017-12-22T13:04:41.309-05:00So far I think we're in agreement that it'...So far I think we're in agreement that it's a judgment call. Also, our own comfort level comes into play. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-62452248011936934902017-12-22T12:59:34.452-05:002017-12-22T12:59:34.452-05:00The editor of my first book, which was contemporar...The editor of my first book, which was contemporary romance, removed the one expletive I included, even though it was justified in the context. She also removed the word 'rape' and substituted 'force'. The explicit sex was fine, once I used euphemisms for the 'naughty parts'. You have to abide by the rules of the genre (or sub-genre) or, or of a particular publisher, or risk alienating your readers.<br /><br />A salty character in my self-published second novel, which is romantic suspense, let fly a few. No one has complained so far... So my answer is yes, my characters curse if cursing is called for. That said, there are certain expletives that I find so offensive I don't think I could ever put them in a character's mouth.Liane Spicerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05035607144500219524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-86234421590048371352017-12-22T12:21:55.928-05:002017-12-22T12:21:55.928-05:00Frigging good.
Frigging good.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297802244220754962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-82182623705055526762017-12-22T10:50:42.529-05:002017-12-22T10:50:42.529-05:00I don't write cozy's and my characters do ...I don't write cozy's and my characters do swear. although I try not to have them do it unless it seems necessaryCharles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com