tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post5234319984375348213..comments2024-03-29T05:45:39.184-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Let Me Tell You Something – Dialogue, Part TroisDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-16141048386137622972008-12-29T11:39:00.000-07:002008-12-29T11:39:00.000-07:00I cannot stand books with an over abundance of pro...I cannot stand books with an over abundance of profanity. Books with a lot of slang get under my skin too--especially if it is from another country (say the UK) and I don't know what the slang words mean.<BR/><BR/>An occassional swear word here and there is fine, but a huge paragraph with the person ranting and using every word in the book--no thanks. I end up skipping it and moving along. If there's too much, I won't finish the book.<BR/><BR/>I don't think I've used any profanity in my book, except perhaps for an occassional d*mn. Mostly I just say they swore. It may not pack the "punch" but I suppose I can be kinda prudish in that way by not writing much of it. :PAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-12435504814495075612008-12-24T06:50:00.000-07:002008-12-24T06:50:00.000-07:00Good post. I use profanity sparingly, but sometime...Good post. I use profanity sparingly, but sometimes it's just what HAS to be said to not sound unreal. Good writing HAS to be honest. Truthful. But enough on that, seems lots of commentors have expressed both sides of the cussing thing. I was very interested in your take on slang, how it can "date" a novel. Interesting. Maybe not all bad, but interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-68030961871758716062008-12-23T19:07:00.000-07:002008-12-23T19:07:00.000-07:00Profanity seems to have become part of ordinary vo...Profanity seems to have become part of ordinary vocabulary these days, most often used as adjectives. Still, in a novel it's not a good idea to use too much.<BR/><BR/>I did use some in Two Wrongs, but only in a few spots as emphasis. Using too much of it deadens the effect.<BR/><BR/>Morgan Mandel<BR/>http://morganmandel.blogspot.com<BR/>http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-67505265732513670242008-12-23T18:18:00.000-07:002008-12-23T18:18:00.000-07:00While a heavy hand with profanity turns me off whe...While a heavy hand with profanity turns me off when I am reading,I agree with Gay and Gayle that sometimes it is appropriate for the story and the character. I have some profanity in One Small Victory because the teen boy uses it, as do the drug dealers, and in a couple of places the protagonist uses the F word. But it is in places where it is totally organic to the moment and the character. <BR/>I also struggle with one of the central characters in my WIP who cusses like a truck driver. She is a cop going over the edge -- think Lethal Weapon. I have tried to rein her in as best I can, but she is a willfull woman. :-)Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-80059684260141505752008-12-23T12:19:00.000-07:002008-12-23T12:19:00.000-07:00I agree with Gay, in that I don't like to read pro...I agree with Gay, in that I don't like to read profanity, but sometimes it has to be there. Let's face it - if you go out and sit at the mall or coffee shop and listen to people talk, many of them use profanity CONSTANTLY. Mostly young men, but not always. I couldn't possibly write some of these "conversations", since every other word is F-this, F*ing that. But I did use the F-word a few times in my book, in a couple of young men's dialogues. They are men without morals, so I figure they are not characters who will watch their language. All the same, I didn't overuse the profanity. I just tried to sprinkle a little to give the reader the notion of these men as verbally lazy, opportunistic losers.Gayle Carlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29205290898539961242008-12-23T11:44:00.000-07:002008-12-23T11:44:00.000-07:00I don't care to read profanity, but there are time...I don't care to read profanity, but there are times when it needs to be there, I think.<BR/><BR/>In my novel, the teenager's use of language in front of her mother is significant, particularly the one time she slips and drops an F-bomb instead of saying "fricking," which her mother dislikes but tolerates. It's symbolic between them and has purpose.<BR/><BR/>Of course, I guess I'm "old school," in that I like sex scenes to have a purpose in moving the plot along, too. I'm in it for the story.<BR/><BR/>Gay<BR/>http://www.gaymwalker.blogspot.comGayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09308862059975983327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90357273443640207662008-12-23T11:40:00.000-07:002008-12-23T11:40:00.000-07:00And I will admit that I use profanity sometimes be...And I will admit that I use profanity sometimes because quite honestly, that's what the character wants to say. I do, as editor, go back and weed out the unnecessary profanity.Shonell Baconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04827197354857197637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-56071590645053604652008-12-23T10:52:00.000-07:002008-12-23T10:52:00.000-07:00Amen on the profanity! There are better ways to im...Amen on the profanity! There are better ways to imply low character, or any of the other perceived characteristics that go along with cursing in modern novels. Toughness? Street smarts? Rebellion? The F-bomb is just so cliche these days. Best to leave it out of your writing.<BR/><BR/>Dani<BR/>http://quickest.blogbooktourguide.ever.comDanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.com