Profanity in novels. What's your opinion?i - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T15:55:11Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/profanity-in-novels-what-s-your-opinion-i?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A363018&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI just finished the first nov…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-18:537324:Comment:3657982013-01-18T23:08:11.577ZSusanhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Susan
<p>I just finished the first novel written by Chuck Hogan (whose novel Prince of Thieves was made into The Town by Ben Affleck). In it, he does an amazing job of individualizing many characters. One uses the f word in almost every passage of dialogue. Others do not. I think, as others have said, it depends on the character, and certainly on the type of book you're writing. Cozies don't interest me. Hard boiled and noir novels do. Forgot to mention the title of Hogan's book (written when he was…</p>
<p>I just finished the first novel written by Chuck Hogan (whose novel Prince of Thieves was made into The Town by Ben Affleck). In it, he does an amazing job of individualizing many characters. One uses the f word in almost every passage of dialogue. Others do not. I think, as others have said, it depends on the character, and certainly on the type of book you're writing. Cozies don't interest me. Hard boiled and noir novels do. Forgot to mention the title of Hogan's book (written when he was 27) The Standoff. I highly recommend it.</p> Fuck yeah!!!
Am currently wri…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-16:537324:Comment:3659022013-01-16T05:37:50.026ZTom Vaterhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TomVater
<p>Fuck yeah!!!</p>
<p>Am currently writing my second Detective Maier novel (for Exhibit A in the UK and US). My detective swears moderately, rarely in fact, but other characters are more vociferous with their 'blue' outbursts. I take a cue from real life. I am currently living in a hotel in India (a great place to write detective fiction) with an illustrious collection of guests. One Greek guest here swears continuously. The staff are less than impressed. But what can they do? This…</p>
<p>Fuck yeah!!!</p>
<p>Am currently writing my second Detective Maier novel (for Exhibit A in the UK and US). My detective swears moderately, rarely in fact, but other characters are more vociferous with their 'blue' outbursts. I take a cue from real life. I am currently living in a hotel in India (a great place to write detective fiction) with an illustrious collection of guests. One Greek guest here swears continuously. The staff are less than impressed. But what can they do? This relationship between a constant exponent of bad language and those suffering the consequences around him may well flow into the text.</p>
<p>I'd say, in real life there is plenty of swearing. In a lot of mainstream detective fiction there often is not because the corporate end of the genre is sanitized and utterly boring. If you like your characters to be 'real', then use it where it fits.</p> I have a street-kid character…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-15:537324:Comment:3658852013-01-15T20:39:26.169ZDebbie Bennetthttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DebbieBennett
<p>I have a street-kid character. It took me ages to understand that he was talking with my words and not his. When I started restricting the range of his vocabulary and letting him swear, he started coming to life. A lack of education means he doesn't have any other words to express himself.</p>
<p>I have a street-kid character. It took me ages to understand that he was talking with my words and not his. When I started restricting the range of his vocabulary and letting him swear, he started coming to life. A lack of education means he doesn't have any other words to express himself.</p> No worries. It made me laugh…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-13:537324:Comment:3656662013-01-13T17:31:50.741ZEileen Schuhhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/EileenSchuh
<p>No worries. It made me laugh and reminded me that I, too, mention #1. In FATAL ERROR, while relating how my young heroine lapsed into a stupor for several days after the gang murder, her biker body guard says, "I don't think she even got up to take a piss."</p>
<p>No worries. It made me laugh and reminded me that I, too, mention #1. In FATAL ERROR, while relating how my young heroine lapsed into a stupor for several days after the gang murder, her biker body guard says, "I don't think she even got up to take a piss."</p> Didn't mean to be 'in you fac…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-13:537324:Comment:3653362013-01-13T17:21:40.822ZWilliam G. Davishttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/WilliamGDavis
<p>Didn't mean to be 'in you face' about that. Just thought it was ironic that you mentioned it and I caught my character in the act.</p>
<p>Didn't mean to be 'in you face' about that. Just thought it was ironic that you mentioned it and I caught my character in the act.</p> Ha ha! I didn't mean characte…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-13:537324:Comment:3653352013-01-13T17:12:23.682ZEileen Schuhhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/EileenSchuh
<p>Ha ha! I didn't mean characters couldn't or shouldn't do that. It was just something I picked out of the air to illustrate my point that authors get to choose which aspects of their characters and their lives to include. If we don't like their swearing, we can ignore it. I believe, however, that if characters such as serial killers, fraud artists, and nasty politicians get to have their stories told, people who swear ought to be able to share their lives and hearts and souls with us, too.We…</p>
<p>Ha ha! I didn't mean characters couldn't or shouldn't do that. It was just something I picked out of the air to illustrate my point that authors get to choose which aspects of their characters and their lives to include. If we don't like their swearing, we can ignore it. I believe, however, that if characters such as serial killers, fraud artists, and nasty politicians get to have their stories told, people who swear ought to be able to share their lives and hearts and souls with us, too.We can learn something from them. Their tales are legitimate.</p> As long as the dialogue flo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-13:537324:Comment:3655262013-01-13T16:43:01.228ZS. Eric Wachtelhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/SEricWachtel
<p> As long as the dialogue flows naturally, there is no problem with using profanity in a novel.</p>
<p> As long as the dialogue flows naturally, there is no problem with using profanity in a novel.</p> I appreciate your thoughts. …tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-13:537324:Comment:3653222013-01-13T11:46:12.589ZWilliam G. Davishttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/WilliamGDavis
<p>I appreciate your thoughts. Toward the climax of my novel, my protagonist <em>did</em> go to the john</p>
<p>(#1), but it did seem logical and humanly "in character." </p>
<p>I appreciate your thoughts. Toward the climax of my novel, my protagonist <em>did</em> go to the john</p>
<p>(#1), but it did seem logical and humanly "in character." </p> Obscene language is class-rel…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-12:537324:Comment:3651332013-01-12T18:45:09.692ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
<p>Obscene language is class-related, age-related, macho-related, and a badge of brotherhood. The military, and hence all males who have served, tend to be comfortable with the f-word etc., especially when with each other. As for use of such language, I tell my grandchildren you have to know your company. Different rules for different situations. Strangely, their parents, well used to such words, are horrified at their use in front of delicate young ears. People turn into hypocrites when…</p>
<p>Obscene language is class-related, age-related, macho-related, and a badge of brotherhood. The military, and hence all males who have served, tend to be comfortable with the f-word etc., especially when with each other. As for use of such language, I tell my grandchildren you have to know your company. Different rules for different situations. Strangely, their parents, well used to such words, are horrified at their use in front of delicate young ears. People turn into hypocrites when it suits them.</p>
<p>For books then, we let out characters speak the way they would speak in real life.</p> That's hilarious, :)tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-12:537324:Comment:3652282013-01-12T18:36:25.201ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
<p>That's hilarious, :)</p>
<p>That's hilarious, :)</p>