Please welcome Cathy Strasser author of An Unquiet Grave. She is a Registered/Licensed
Occupational Therapist who writes cozy mysteries in her spare time. The tricky
question of adult language is the theme of her guest post today. After you read
the post make sure you check out her website at www.cathystrasser.com
TO SWEAR OR NOT TO SWEAR – THAT IS THE QUESTION
As a writer, I
often get the question, “Do your characters swear? Why or why not?”
Choosing whether or not to have
characters swear is a tough call. My book, An Unquiet Grave, falls mainly in
the cozy category and many cozy readers are put off by swearing. On the other
hand, as an author I want to create believable characters, and if one or more
of those characters are law enforcement officers, wouldn’t it be more realistic
to have these officers swear, at least occasionally, under times of extreme
provocation? Because most cops swear. Same with EMT’s, fire fighters, doctors
and nurses and other high stress professions. It’s a way to release pressure.
So the question remains, if you have
police officers in what is an otherwise cozy book, should they swear? Mine do.
But not often, not excessively and only
for effect. In a 72,000 word book, I think my characters use a total of eight
swear words. I feel that, for my smaller town officers, having a few
strategically placed swear words provides more impact than a continuous stream
of expletives – but again, this is for my characters in my particular books.
I think it makes them more believable if they occasionally let loose a
frustrated four letter word.
By the same token, characters in more
hard-boiled or noir books would not be as believable if they didn’t
swear; frequently, colorfully and in original and inventive combinations. I
think it’s a judgment call every author has to make, based on book type that
leads to character believability.
The next book….
The next book in the White Mountain
Mystery series is being written now. The same investigative team of New
Hampshire State Troopers Cliff Codey and Mike Eldrich will be returning to
investigate another body, but this time it’s not a cold case. Once again, their
connections to the “North Country” of New Hampshire will both help and hinder their
progress in the case.
Cathy Strasser
Cathy
belongs to The New Hampshire Writer’s Project. Her first book, An
Uncertain Grave, published by Oak Tree Press is a humorous hiking
mystery set in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She lives
in Sugar Hill, NH with her husband and is currently working on her second book.
Her website is www.cathystrasser.com
.
Posts
5 comments:
I agree. It has to be at the right time and place. And it has to be natural. Some times too much swearing and grit can seem forced and get in the way of a perfectly good story.
In a cozy, I don't expect the F bomb, but there are other swear words that wouldn't put me off.
I have no compunction about swearing myself, but not as much as when I had a day job.
Still, for some reason, I hold heroes and heroines in books to higher standards and don't care for them using the F bomb. That said, the villains are another matter. They can swear all they want, though too much of it loses effect.
As has been stated, whether to have a character swear depends on the type of story and how the author wants to portray the character. But there is a way to have a character swear without actually using a swear word. Just write that So-and-So swore, and let the reader decide what word or words he or she used.
Cozy seems to be an ever expanding deal these days cozies are being marketed with the f-bomb.
Big time thanks to Cathy for doing this today.
If a bad guy is caught, chances are he's not going to say, "Aw, shucky darn." And chances are he won't remain quiet. I don't drop the F-bomb in my books, but there are occasional swear words. It's part of life.
Marja McGraw
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