By Becca Besser (Guest Post)
Recently, in a group I’m in on Facebook, someone brought up the topic of personal religious beliefs and swearing in writing based on a person’s moral standards. Being a Christian myself, I chimed in on the discussion, explaining the only way an author would be swearing, and that it’s separate from that of a character.
Let me explain…
One must understand that the only time the author would be swearing in fiction would be in the narration. The only way there should ever be swearing in narration is if it is from the point of view of a character who is prone to that kind of behavior.
Swearing in dialogue is the character swearing, not the author. The reason characters swear is to make them seem like real people. Real people swear. For example, if a character is a drug dealer, the character would have to swear or they would be unbelievable to the reader. Or, there might be brief measure of swearing by a character when they’re startled or afraid. Even if you were writing a pious character, something along the lines of a swear word might slip out of their mouth when something happens that warrants it. This makes them human, because even human beings with the best intentions make mistakes.
To force your personal beliefs onto every character you write is impossible and wrong. Each character should take on its own personality and they should have a different background (usually) than the author. If not, the author’s characters would be bland and boring. Life is diverse. Writing life calls for diversity in characters, beliefs, and actions. You can’t live is a tiny little box of your own right and wrong and write something that’s going to touch people. If that’s your goal, you need to switch to nonfiction – you’ll be better off there.
There’s also another aspect to the swear word issue that gets complicated in the “swearing” area: culture. What is a swear word in one culture isn’t necessarily a swear word in another. All words are words, and your cultural-base decides which words are “bad” words. So…no words are really bad. What makes a word bad (or a swear word) is the implied and perceived meaning of that word to the people of different cultures. If you think about it that way, no words are bad or swear words. That puts an entirely new spin on the issue, doesn’t it?
Personally, I do include moderate swearing in my writing – in character dialogue. Swearing happens whether people want it to or not, so use it where it’s appropriate and moderate the rest. Let’s all be human – authors and characters – unless, of course, you’re writing aliens.
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TIME-SENSITIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you’d like to try Becca’s novel, Nurse Blood, the Kindle edition is on sale for Halloween (Oct. 28th-31st).
https://www.amazon.com/Nurse-Blood-Organ-Harvester-Book-ebook/dp/B01K8VOLCS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Rebecca Besser’s short story collection, Twisted Pathways of Murder & Death, will be free for Kindle on Oct. 31st & Nov. 1st for #AllHallowsRead!
Rebecca Besser’s short zombie western, Cursed Bounty, will also be free for Kindle on Oct. 31st & Nov. 1st for #AllHallowsRead!
https://www.amazon.com/Cursed-Bounty-Rebecca-Besser-ebook/dp/B00H89BGDG/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
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Related Post – Check it Out!
If you liked this guest post by Becca Besser, check out this
other one she wrote called Sensitive Author Syndrome.
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BECCA BESSER has been published over 200 times in magazines, ezines, anthologies, literary journals (poetry & photography), nonfiction collections, and on blogs. Undead Drive-Thru, her first zombie novella, has been compared to the works of Stephen King and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. An anthology which Becca edited and has a short story in, Earth’s End, won the Turning Pages Book of the Year 2012 Reader’s Choice Award in the Scifi category. Becca has also edited nearly a dozen books as a professional editor, and she’s currently shopping her first full-length thriller/horror novel called Nurse Blood. Learn more at www.rebeccabesser.com and check out Becca’s blog at https://rebeccabesser.wordpress.com.
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MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
MARK MALATESTA is a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark now helps authors of all genres (fiction, nonfiction, and children's books) get top literary agents, publishers, and book deals through his company 
I admit I am new to the world of publication and I have just completed my first Novel. There are so many variables and each Agent is very particular about what and how they want the Author to submit their query. Thanks to all that you provide us in advance, at least we have a chance. The industry wants to excuse their methods because of volume. Most industries are pleading for volume. There are methods to handle volume since it usually is very desirable. Why not this industry?
I’ve actually only once, with a magazine submission, have anyone refuse to take a work of mine because it had swearing in it.
The characters swearing in dialogue to portray realism has never been an issue. It wasn’t mentioned at all for Nurse Blood from my agent or the editor at the publisher. It’s more about learning to write strong and have real characters than anything else. Learn to make your characters real and no one looks twice at their words.
“Thank you.” My books have some foul language, but it is the character, not me. A person that lives in a rough environment is not going to say, “Oh Darn. It’s going to be crude. It’s actually quite difficult to write something like that, but if it makes the story more shocking and realistic then the author has accomplished their goal. If it disgusts the picky reader, than in that sense I have accomplished my goal. I’ve made you feel something. Thanks very much. Phyllis.
In reality, the coarse people who swear often do offend people in real life. Why would they be different on a written page? You’re writing that character how that character would be in real life.
Everyone should also keep in mind that people get offended all the time about some of the lamest stuff. Some people are LOOKING for things to be offended about. So, people could get offended all day and you could be doing nothing wrong.
Keep it real!
While I agree that moderate swearing, in character, is okay, I have completely written off several authors who use the “F” word throughout the story. It may be “in character,” I but I won’t stand for it. There are several authors that I follow whose characters seem real, but the language is acceptable. Probably being a Religious Book author affects my strong position–but I still enjoy good thrillers. Lee Child, for example, is one of my favorites, and there is little bad language there.
Hi Becca-
I thought your article was spot on! especially the part about your “character” swearing but not you as the “Author”. I have written a book in which several of my characters swear because it is a part of their personality and the environment in which they live in also,swearing is a natural part of their occupation. My natural personality is on the rough side so naturally when I write at least one of my characters will be prone to swearing, this is a great article thanks for writing it.
Thanks for reading it. 🙂
Thank you, also, for bringing the environment into it. Some people do swear more because of their surroundings and how they were raised. In some cultures swearing is more common than not swearing. You can see that in some of my writing. I hope you’ll take the chance to download the ebooks I have for free if you haven’t already.
The character will make the choice. Some of my characters swear and some don’t. And even a rough character will use expletives within context (probably not when they’re chatting with mom on the phone). But some of my vilest characters don’t swear at all. They don’t have to. Their actions speak louder than words.
That’s fine as long as you aren’t omitting swearing on purpose. Because, if you are, you’re taking away from the character’s realism. Most people in this world who do bad things swear. If you present a character to a reader and you want them to appear badass or evil, and then they say “Oh, poop,” the reader will giggle and KNOW you did that on purpose to avoid swearing. They will know it was the author who did that and it makes the character seem less real.
It’s about authenticity.
Hi, Becca – great article. I am in your camp regarding the voice of the character. While I don’t believe swear words need to occur on every page, there are times when it drives the point of a character or even helps frame a strong emotion. I am just starting out with young adult fantasy novels and have a slightly off-color word here and there (maybe five words in the entire novel). I agree that you have to understand your audience in your judgment of building your character’s voice. Thanks!
It sounds like you have a good grasp of your audience too. YA lends to some harshness and swearing, but not going too strong or overboard. (I’m a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature and know the “rules” for children’s writing and age group targeting.)
Swears are like any other words in writing… You don’t want to over use them, but use them just enough to keep things real for the characters and readers.
I think Ms. Besser posited a cogent dissection of the issue. A judge in the Florida Writers Association gave my manuscript (first 30 pages) demerits because of the language used by hoodlums. Further, he or she condemned my few references to Republicans as the bad guys, though I was only being faithful to the real-life characters; this was a roman a clef. The novel’s antagonist was a Democrat. A credible source described the organization as “overwhelmingly amateurish,” and I concur.
It sounds like you had a good handle on the issue and were getting bad advice. Writing groups are tricky. You have to find a good one that has writers at your level or you’ll never grow. And, you’ll get those jealous people who will tear you down or give you bad advice just to make themselves feel better.
Human beings are a sticky bunch that can’t face the truth most of the time.
Thank you for your input on this issue.
Thanks for your response, Becca. I wasn’t clear, however: This wasn’t a writers group, but a writing contest, and the comments were from a judge of my manuscript. (There were other appalling comments.) Obviously an amateur.
WOW! That’s pretty scary. I hope you didn’t have to pay an entry fee.
Really appreciate your take on this, Becca. As a Christian myself, I am at time uncomfortable with including swear words in my writing, and I don’t do it very often, but there are times when being true to the character demands it. I really like your distinction between swearing in narration vs character swearing. And it love this: “To force your personal beliefs onto every character you write is impossible and wrong.” Amen, sister!! 🙂 I will be sharing this on my twitter feed, @las_writer!
I don’t think people really think about it mattering where the swearing takes place, and when it would actually be the author swearing vs the characters. If you can distinguish between the two, as someone who doesn’t normally use swearing in your own vocabulary, it relieves any guilt one might feel from personal morals. And like that line you quoted, we can’t make everyone in life believe what we believe and we can’t do it to all of our characters either!
Thank you for sharing!
FYI, I followed you on Twitter. Me —-> @BeccaBesser
It’s absolutely about the chacactaer’s voice. If you have a gang banger saying things like “shucks, darn, and oh fudge,” you would lose all credibility as a writer. Your mom might like it better, but you readers won’t. Stay true.
You have to make the characters real. All readers deserve excellently written characters! I would actually be scared to read the reviews for a book with a gang banger in it that said “shucks” or “oh, fudge.” I’m sure the readers would crucify that author! There is no way that would happen in real life unless it was sarcasm.
Becca, congratulations on the fine job you’re doing on this post. Your replies to others adds to your contribution, and you do it with grace and intelligence.
Thank you!
Thank you for your note. To be honest, I don’t feel ‘swear’ words add anything to any character, even those rough and rowdy people. I feel the swear words are used as a crutch much too often. I feel that each character should be strong enough to imply a ‘rough’ person without the colorful word. When we read, we look for magic scenes; either full of beauty, or danger.. Because the scenes don’t imply swearing, why should a character do so?
Thank you for your view on this. I hope that your readers agree with you on the subject. And actually, unless you’re writing a very rough character, you’d be completely fine not using any “swears.”
I have been published in various genres for a variety of age groups, but write mostly horror. My genre calls for strong and aggressive characters. Maybe yours doesn’t. 🙂 I’ve written many things that don’t call for swearing at all.
Hi Becca,
While it is true that in some genres swearing is used, I think the author should be aware of his/her audience. Why use vulgar words that would offend readers? For example: the author of “The Plague Dogs”, used a lot of words which were well done, but at the same time, were vulgar, too. After I read that book, I felt ‘dirty’ and threw the book in the trash can. However, the language used did fit the personality of one of the dogs.
It is the epitome of common sense that a writer should have. When you write fiction you have to get into the character’s behavior, inside their heads, not yours. I have a hard time including the swear words, especially the hard core stuff. If you want to create a believable character for that time of writing you have to become that character so that a reader gets to know him/her .,
Mary
I’m glad you see the merit of making characters as believable as possible. It’s also completely normal to feel weird about including words you wouldn’t normally use yourself, even if you know it’s for the character.
But, as I said in the article, the only time YOU (as the author) would be swearing would be in the narrative, which is a no-no unless it’s a first person narrative of a character.
But, unless you’re writing a naughty sailor or prison inmate, you can get away with not going hardcore
Becca, I am in total agreement of your input on the subject of profanity. In my honest opinion, there should never be any reason for an author to swear on his/ or her behalf. Each of the books that I have written thus far, have contained less than 10 swear words. Those were part of character dialogs, and used in a way that should not be offensive to anyone.
I’m glad you agree and have already applied what I’m sharing to your work. It seems so obvious sometimes, but the use of “swear” words isn’t really thought about by writers most of the time. At least, that’s what I’ve found since the Facebook discussion and the sharing of my short article.
Reading an early draft of my novel, POST 60, a former co-worker said, “Too much cussin’ for me!”
I was astounded. “But you cuss worse than a friggin’ sailor!”
She handed me my chapters back. “So? That don’t mean I wanna read it.”
It was an eye opener. I had over-salted the soup. I deleted nearly all of the swearing. The voice stayed true and the story read smoother. Lesson learned.
I’m glad you took the feedback seriously and made adjustments. Too many writers can’t take and apply constructive criticism well!
“Swear” words, like all words should be placed strategically for impact. Using words in an effective manner to create texture, description, and to elicit emotion is one of the biggest arts involved in being a writer. Sometimes you have to learn that art the hard way. The best way to learn it is to read and take note of how words effect you while reading.
Hi Becca, just wanted to chime in and say that I love your replies. You’re a master of diplomacy. I knew this article would create some strong opinions, so I really appreciate you letting everyone share theirs. I was a little nervous about this one at first, to be honest. I don’t want to offend anyone. But, at the same time, I thinks it’s good for people to see both sides of this issue, and every issue. Anyone can be a good writer by just seeing things from one angle. But being a great writer requires seeing things from multiple perspectives. Thank you for sharing your article, and thanks again (as well) for being so thoughtful with your responses to everyone. You are a freakin’ class act! Ha ha ha. Mark
I had a status on Facebook the other day that applies here: “Yes, I am an opinionated person. But, I believe that I’m not the only one who has a right to an opinion.
If you want people to value what you think, you also have to value and consider what they think.”
I love seeing things through other people’s eyes as much as my own. I often see and consider things in new lights and that helps me grow as a writer and a person.
Thanks for hosting me, Mark!
My thoughts exactly. In a novel, my female character is a woman who threw away a fortune because she couldn’t stand being married to it. She now manages property and acts in amateur theatre — and swears a lot. The male is an architect who never swears. They’re forced into a desperate escape for 2200 miles, and their constant dialogue benefits by the contrasts.
Personally, I hate the F word because it degrades procreation, and I respect religious constraints. Otherwise, they’re just words.
I’m glad you’ve discovered how to use swearing in your writing to its best advantage.
Great example! YOU don’t like the F-word because of what it implies and means to you. That’s exactly what makes words “bad” for people. It could actually be any word, if it makes you think of something uncomfortable or degrades something you hold in high esteem.
That’s personal beliefs culture at its best. And that’s where “bad” words are born.
Great article. It’s amazing the things some of us take for granted. One would automatically assume that to convey a character is to illustrate how the character talks…what he says… as well as what the character wears. This reminds me of a life-lesson I was taught by one of my employers: “Lola, you must always remember, people don’t think with your brains.” How true!
You would be surprised how many writers don’t understand how much the dialogue and speech patterns of characters can influence how they are seen by readers. You would also be surprised by how many editors would ask a writer to take out speech signatures/accents to make reading smoother. I had a magazine editor do this once, and I complied for that publication, but still kept the original version of the story as was, and it was published the original way later in an anthology.
As a children’s writer, I bring a little bit different perspective. Certain “adult” words are not usually accepted in middle grade manuscripts. So the key is describing an adult swearing without actually using the word. In older fiction, such words do become OK, but I’ve observed that the first “f-bomb” is usually saved for 50 pages in – even if it’s then used 10 times afterward.
My personal preference is prudish, and I’ll stop reading if I’m tired of the swearing – even if it’s done well.
You brought up a great point! Children’t Literature is an ENTIRELY different ballpark. Everything has to be age targeted and appropriate. (I’m a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature.) But, there could and still be slip ups with the not so nice words children of that age would use. And, with MG you get into what is commonly known as “potty humor.” I live this, as my son is currently 10! LOL
Typo: But there could and should still be slip ups…
I also love that you pointed out that if swearing is overdone it ruins a read. Like I said, swearing has its place and should be used appropriately for characters that would need it to be believable, or to slip out by accident in certain situations.
I am of the opinion that swearing is taking the Lords name in vain. Everyone says words of discontent. The most common is “damn it”. Other words were made up to hurt, yes hurt one’s feelings. They are used so commonly now that the impact that it was suppose to impose has lost its meaning. Why even bother. New words are coming out of TV programming that I never heard before. They also, meant to maximize the situation, have little to do with the story line and often take away the enjoyment, damn.
We didn’t discuss taking the Lord’s name in vain, but that would only apply to those of a Christian/Religious moral standard. Other’s wouldn’t see it that way. That would apply to the culture thing, in a way.
We did discuss that “swear” words from history are different from the ones we have now. If you take Shakespeare’s writing for instance, there are many then swears/insults that mean nothing today.
Most all words considered “bad” are used with the intent to hurt or insult.
Swearing has it’s place as long as it’s not overdone. As you say – it does add humanity to a character when it’s used in the right place. Just don’t be too repetitive! Roget’s Thesaurus isn’t of much help with swear words and it gets sooo boring to read the same word over and over; that’s just sloppy writing!
I’ve never used a Thesaurus for “bad” words, so I wouldn’t know about that. LOL
I do know that swearing is one of those things that can be overdone easily in writing. Any overused words can be annoying when a writer uses them too much, but swear words will stand out more to the reader since they’re something that’s jarring and draw attention and emotions from the reader.
Like all words, words that are considered swears should be used artistically and for a desired impact on the reader.
From the cultural viewpoint of immigrant children mastering playground language at school… then using such in the classroom and in journal writing…
There are two considerations. First in the acquisition of English in the intense culture of childhood … There is a great variety of permitted vocabulary. Second in writing authenticity it belongs.
The oddity is that everyone may choose from among the expressions known to exist. Manners are a learned behavior. The situation often predicts styles
Absolutely! Culture has to be mentioned when talking about swearing, because speech and actions are directly impacted by culture. It tells us what’s okay and acceptable for each society. You don’t have to agree with cultures, but you do have to be aware there are differences and they impact many things about life.
Diversity is a wonderful thing!
Hi Everyone,
This is such an important subject, I am so please it was finally brought to the surface.
Dorlies von Kaphengst Meissner-Rasmussen
I’m glad you enjoyed the article, and I hope you’ll share it with other writers you know! Especially since you think it’s something that should be brought to light. 😉