Do Your Characters Need to Use Profanity?

Word power is key to writing, and that includes the use of less than savory language

Some call it “spice.” Others call it “heat.” And some even call it “swearing,” “adult language,” or “foul language.” But the technical term is “profanity.”

Do you as a writer really need it? Read on before answering.

What Qualifies as Profanity

Generally, profanity is verbiage that refers to something considered disgusting, demeaning, or insulting.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, profanity is something that is profane. And they define profane as:

Adjective: 1. Ritually unclean; especially heathen, pagan. 2. Not pertaining or devoted to what is sacred or biblical; secular; civil. Of a person: not initiated into a religious rite; not admitted to some esoteric knowledge. 3. Characterized by disregard or contempt of sacred things; especially irreverent, blasphemous.

Noun: 1. Treat (what is sacred) with irreverence or contempt; desecrate. 2. Abuse or defile (a thing) where reverence or respect is due. 3. Speak profanely; swear.

For example, “He’s a g-dd-mn liar.”

For the purposes of this article, though, I am including such terms as the “f” bomb and those referring to bodily functions or excretions, parental arrangements, and method of conception.

When Profanity is Justified

Occasionally, your characters will need to express strong emotion. Profanity, or swearing, is very effective for this. But you needn’t overdo. In the following example, I convey the sense of frustration (at himself) that Jim O’Connell (the hero of the novel) feels:

Jim watched her go. “Look, Rose, I just …” he began and then sat back down. “Well, Henry, guess I stuck my foot in it. I just wanted to help her. Damn it, Henry, when Rose came to Hammil Valley, the whole area came alive, at least for me.”

In a short story where the MC is in a very frightening situation yet remains defiant, I have him dropping the “f” bomb:

“F--- you! Why don’t you answer my questions?”

He can be excused for the foul language, being tied to a chair in his underwear and taunted by a mysterious voice. The situation warrants.

You will no doubt be putting your characters into equally (or even more so) undesirable situations. But keep strictly at the necessary level.

When Profanity is Gratuitous

Obviously, if your character is letting out a string of swear words, and assuming he or she is not suffering from Tourette Syndrome, and if your story isn’t aimed at people of a similarly restricted vocabulary, then the profanity is gratuitous. That is, you’re sticking it in solely for shock effect.

Making Profanity More Palatable to Readers

Need to have your character swear but don’t want to make readers blush, gag, or report you to local authorities? Try these tactics:

1. Use alternate spelling such as “gawd,” “effing,” “dammit”

2. Use alternate words such as “gosh,” “darn,” “dang,” “criminy,” “geez”

Bottom Line (Final Note)

You want your characters’ emotions to show. Just be a little mindful of your readers. If you’re writing Young Adult literature, opt for softer alternatives. Avoid even those alternatives in children’s literature. And even in erotic romance, strong language is—well, frankly, not romantic.

Hope you found this helpful and have been inspired to start and/or continue writing!

See my article: Publisher Agent Fiction Genres Defined, with downloadable PDF.

Please check out my works in progress (WIPs). And thanks for reading.

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