Okay, so a few of my characters have been put through some situations that may have them spouting some obscenities here and there. I was wondering if you all think Expletives are a mandatory part of writing, because, lets face it, any person over the age of 18 who's male uses expletives liberally. Sometimes I cuss like a wharf rat, not ashamed to say it, but I was wondering if it's acceptable for a Novel. I want to make my characters are realistic as possible, and i think this would be key to doing that. What d'you think?
----------
~It Not Easy...Being Green...~
48,000 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2007 - 06 57
Fyre,
I wouldn't say it's mandatory to use expletives for your characters, I'd say it depends on the situation they are in and whether it's part of their natural world, however, but it will certainly make the work more realistic. We all have persons in our lives who use expletives more than others.
As long as it's part of your character's make-up (and your readers should be able to see this), then I think it's acceptable, but if everybody's cussing willy-nilly for no reason at all, then that is a different thing altogether. :)
Hope this helps!
52,047 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2007 - 07 19
I've studied courses in editing and the most important advice on this issue I read was - never forget who your intended audience will be. You must always ask yourself who you are writing for, who you expect will pick up your book, read, and enjoy it. And, as xaymacagirl says, know your characters. You may actually find if you get to the point of being published and an editor works on your manuscript, you'll end up with a lot of deleted expletives - depending on the publisher's syle and who they perceive the book's audience will be. An author friend wrote a memoir in which she used some expletives in her own speech because she does talk like that in real life. Her American publisher wanted to delete them all because he thought her speech as it stood might offend readers. I think she eventually came to a compromise and allowed them to take out some. But her Canadian publisher kept the speech intact.
But this is still early stages of the writing game - I say, for now, write whatever comes to mind, and use whatever speech you think your characters would use. Worry about deleting in Dec., after you've finished the 50,000 words.
I saw an article in a magazine about the use of expletives in writing. If I can find it again I will let you now where you can get a copy.
25,000 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2007 - 09 30
if you find it, do give me a link, it'll be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the advice too :)
----------~It Not Easy...Being Green...~
55,441 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2007 - 11 32
I'd say for NaNo it really doesn't matter. Don't think about what you're writing as a finished piece of work, but as a set of ideas you're putting down to work on later. Don't let anything stop or slow you down.
----------...not as good as she thinks she is...
25,000 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2007 - 11 16
I've compromised, using "effing" instead of more explicit obsceneties. I think it'll change come December for Editing though
----------~It Not Easy...Being Green...~