Using profanities in novels

Question

I've recently read two quite "hard core" novels, both by famous authors. One was erotic fiction and one was a thriller which was very violent and gory. At the end I realized something: the F*** word was never used once in either book.

Then, I realized that I don't actually see it a lot in novels, or perhaps the novels I read.

Both the above books had a lot of sh**, damn, freaking, screw, bi**** etc, but not F*** or F***ing and variations.

Is there some unwritten rule about this? Is it seen as very vulgar in novels? Or just unnecessary? Can it put readers off?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Be true to your characters. If the characters swear, do so. If they don't, don't. Be true to the moment, if the scene requires swearing, then swear. Don't confuse your preferences or personality for your characters.

if you swear a lot, or not at all, that shouldn't reflect on how your characters speak.

One of the most common mistakes in even accomplished writers is judging their characters. Write your characters with sincerity, and let your readers judge them. If you are a good writer, they'll land on the conclusion you want them to make.

Important to note, though, that you'll generally only swear in character. Third person exposition will almost never use any form of profanity. Exposition is objective, not subjective.

One other thing: crudity or profanity has little to do with verbiage, it is mostly context. You said it yourself: a hard core novel that didn't use F once.

Consider: "She is so fucking smart not even her professors can keep up with her." vs "I'd pound her brains out if she weren't as ugly as a leprous orangutan."

One is a compliment, the other misogynistic. The swear is nothing more than color.

Answer 2

At a guess I'd say it's probably a bridge too far for most publishers, but the other thing to remember is that it's pretty much top-of-the-tree as a far as profanity goes, so once you've used it, where do you go? If you want to represent levels/layers of emotion and associated profanities then you'd start small and build up, leaving the big stuff for when it's really needed.

Of course I'm speculating, but it's as a good a reason as any.

Answer 3

Can it put readers off? Yes, by all means. Are there rules? Yes, don't turn off your intended audience, for obvious reasons.

I know that regional differences and religious views hugely impact what could be considered norms, but you should at very least gauge your language off the rest of the content. On one extreme, if your book could otherwise be admitted into a local church library, why introduce potentially offensive language, and limit your audience? On the other hand, if the content will be such as to attract an increasingly large audience among whom vulgar speech is second-nature, language used will have far less impact on acceptance than content. I personally would rather encounter some mild language prior to questionable scenes so I would better realize the direction of the book (especially when reading alongside, or out loud to, others, e.g. younger siblings, friends, etc.).

You really just need to make the language usage fit in with the book. That said, I would err on the mild side just to be safe.

Answer 4

There's no rule for not using the F word. It just might be that the author(s) are avoiding it. I recently read a book by Andreas Embirikos (whose style resembles that of Sade's) and he used the F word quite often.

Can it put readers off?

Depends on the book IMO. If I was reading a book like the aforementioned one, I wouldn't be offended. If I was reading a romantic novel, I might be. But generally I wouldn't say that people are offended by these words. They use them and hear them on a daily basis.

Answer 5

The limitation is on the publisher or agent but not for legal reasons, for marketing ones.

I always use an agent. They will tell you what to do about this issue in particular (among others). I've seen some ghetto drama where F bombs didn't break the top 5 on insults, for instance.

I personally write the story I see. Finishing a book is an awesome experience. Once you've gotten that far, it's time to consider the tone of your story, and whom you are trying to appeal to. I find it a true head-scratcher that erotica mostly stays away from profanity (at least by the George Carlin standard). Despite that, it does so well commercially.

The few times I've seen bestsellers like Grisham and Clancy cuss in print, it actually stands out in my mind.

However, consider comedians often swear successfully, both on stage and on paper, but you should be sure you're funny (with beta readers). If you are self-publishing, you may give yourself a bad name if it comes across as crude.

My current work, not that I should just talk about myself, has A LOT of profanity. The catch is it is 15th century historical fiction when many of our favorites were coming into use. It remains to be seen whether they will survive the editing process.