I always take emails that I get from readers very, very seriously. Actually, I listen to them just as much as I do to my editors.
And I watch market trends, too, especially for the types of books that I write (traditional mysteries, also known as cozies.) I try not to take myself too seriously…it’s really all about the readers and what they want.
So when I received an email a few days ago from a lady who expressed her interest in reading my books, but first wanted to know if I used profanity in my series, I paid attention.
This isn’t the first time I’ve received an email like that. In addition, I’ve also noticed a rise in sites like Clean Cozy Mysteries and Genre Reviews (with a blog subtitle that states: In Search of Well-Written, Clean Novels), and an Amazon forum topic on ‘clean mysteries‘. It all makes me think.
Let’s face it, I’m trying to accommodate as many readers as possible. Do I write for myself? Yes. But I wouldn’t try to be published at all if I were only writing for myself. I’m not trying to be an artist—I’m trying to provide entertainment. Am I losing anything by writing John cursed, or using alternate expletives in place of real ones? If I’m not, why not just leave it out?
I’ve never gotten an email from a reader saying how much they enjoy profanity in my books.
Now of course, this only goes so far. If readers asked me to try my hand at a genre that was out of my reach or to make a change in my books that I felt strongly against doing, I’d have to politely tell them that was something I couldn’t accommodate them with.
But if there’s a slight change I can make that could possibly pick up new readers without losing old ones? Sure, I’m willing to make that change.
In fact, I have. I let the lady know that I had a book coming out in November with no profanity in it, and a series debuting next year that was expletive-free, too. But I couldn’t direct her to my first three books. :)
How about you? How far are you willing to go to make your book reach more readers? How much do your readers factor into what you write?
IMHO there are two kinds of “clean” book. One way is to pretend that profanity doesn’t exist — the story takes place in a kind of a clean alternate universe. It’s like the old Production Code or TV’s standards and practices. Married couples sleep in separate twin beds. Tough guys say “darn.”
The modern way is to write around it. The tough guy lets out “a string of oaths.” We never see inside the bedroom.
I’m trying to write something that’s maybe a step further from that one — it’s a world where the f-word not only exists, but is acknowledged, but it’s also a place where the characters consciously work around it.
My heroine is a small town spinster who lives in a community where “golly” is actually something people say. (And yes, there really are such communities.) But she’s also a big fan of Quentin Tarantino.
If she needs to quote an R-rated movie, she simply inserts the word “f-word” for the appropriate oath.
My problem is two fold — some people are offended even by acknowledgment that such language exists, and other people find the substitutions too “quaint.”
In some ways I kind of wish we would go back to the cozies of old, when Christie or Sayers or the like would have the character say something like, “Oh, d—, I forgot my magnifying glass!”
I swear like a truck driver It doesn’t bother me to read, but I can see how it would be off putting to some. I don’t like swearing just for the sake of swearing though. I think there can be instances where it could be appropriate, but…it depends on the character I guess.
Profanity doesn’t bother me as long as it melds smoothly with the dialog and story. I do hate when people try to substitute “clean curses” in the story–it nearly always sounds strange or even comical. Better to communicate the sentiment in a different way.
This is a tough one. I do my best to stay true to my characters and their nature, no matter where that takes me. So far, my novels have been profanity free but that doesn’t mean they always will be.
I try, always, to tell the truth. The truth about the characters, the time, place, situation… all of it. I don’t write cozies (my books are far too violent) and some of my characters curse a lot, some never at all, and most somewhere between. So, yes, I use profanity in my fiction, should the story require it.
Like a friend who writes police procedurals once told me, a cop is not going to say to an armed suspect, ‘Would you please be so kind as to release your weapon and lower yourself to your knees?” No, the cop will say something like ‘Drop it and get the f— down, NOW!’
Sometimes profanity is needed, sometimes it’s not. I tend to write stories that need it. Shrug.
It’s a problem at times. My WIP has profanity but I’m trying to hold the line against certain words. Unfortunately, when I have a heated scene between cops and gang members, it’s not realistic to have them saying shucks and darn.
Of course we should write for the reader, but since everyone’s likes are different, I want to write to be true to myself first.
I’m not a cussing kind of gal unless there’s a good reason. That’s just not me. So in my writing, I don’t curse just to curse.
I love this post. It makes you think….
Have a great holiday!
It’s funny that some people seam to be very sensitive to profane language. I’m swearing a lot myself (the kids do too), and I’m not offended by explicit language when I read >:)
Cold As Heaven
Erika–I’ve curbed my own profanity with the children around, but will admit to cussing to myself during the day when it’s just my furry kids in the house. :) It’s hard for me to imagine that the minor profanity I’ve used in my books would be disturbing to anyone…but it clearly is, judging from emails. So I’m taking them into account, since my perspective is apparently a little warped on it (and since it doesn’t bother me.)
Julie–I think ‘clean cursing’ would *have* to be done for comic affect–it would be too distracting and take the reader out of the story, otherwise.
The Daring Novelist–Nice insight! Yes, and I don’t want the 1950s feel of the first option. I like sort of the sweet looking town on the surface that has dark undercurrents.
I’m liking this town and story, Camille! Pulp Fiction and small towns *can* go hand in hand! :)
Yeah, those Golden Age dashes would have come in handy for us now!
Heather–I think for me it’s going to depend on the genre I’m writing.
Tammy–Most mystery genres need it, I think. It’s the realism of the story that’s involved, particularly with police procedurals and thrillers.
LD Masterson–I think, with some genres, it’s impossible to get rid of without losing realism.
Cold As Heaven–I know what you mean. My generation swore like sailors all the way through and didn’t think twice about it (Gen X.) And kids today seem totally immune to it. But it’s amazing how many people are affected by it–I can be, actually, if it’s overdone in a movie (just gets distracting.)
Swearing is ok for me but I don’t like too much blood and zombies. As for writing for readers, I prefer to challenge myself, writing different genres and in a way, that’s writing for more readers.
Every Savage Can Reproduce
Elizabeth – You’re very wise to pay close attention to what readers say. I do the same thing and it really matters.
About profanity? In my writing, I try to be very careful about it. Yes, the occasional word pops in, mostly because I try to write the way that the characters would speak. And the milder profane words are words that my characters would use. That said, though, I don’t use any of the really rough language, and mostly it’s for very reason you outline. Lots of readers are put off by the harder profanity. Besides, all too often it’s used gratuitously. So I keep it, well, PG-rated.
H Elizabeth .. you seem to have hit the right balance .. and there are plenty of books out there, if people feel the need for a little more profanity in the writing.
Interesting thoughts though – Hilary
I think it depends on story and genre. I have toned things down and spiced things up. Like you, as long as it doesn’t violate my personal code, I’m okay.
I don’t really write to please the readers. I know, I know – bad author, bad author! But I don’t. I don’t put gratuitous swearing in but I swear and most of my friends swear so many of my characters do too. I use them sparingly (swear words that is) because they are more potent then. Reading books with no swear words in them is like watching tv shows where no one watches tv or smokes or ????
If you’ve chosen a genre and it has certain conventions then you must follow them, I suppose. But I haven’t and won’t.
I do try to take the readers somewhat into account when I write – not so much that I go against my grain, or write something that rings false to me, but like you, if there are little things I can change to reach more people, without it affecting the underlying tones or themes of the book, I don’t mind doing so. Because while it sounds very noble to say “I only write to please myself,” in reality, any time the writer thinks about publication, we’re automatically writing for others, as well.
Daring Novelist – I’m writing an adventure story set in the 1920s now, and I have seriously been contemplating whether or not I can get away with dashes instead of profane words, since it is set in those times!
Using profanity reminds me of the whole gory deal. I think it takes more creativity and can add more suspence not to have an ocean of blood on the scene. Same goes for swears. It’s often worth it to stretch past profanity…dig deeper into that character. An action might say something far better than a swear would.
~ Wendy
Profanity for the sake of profanity is just boring whether it’s in a book, a movie, or tv show. Constant swearing will make anyone turn a deaf ear. My characters might use a bit of colourful language in extreme circumstances, but it’s certainly not the norm.
I think any author has to take their readers into account. When I’m writing a new game, I try to write something people will want to play. What would be the point of writing something only I like? I’m not buying it.
I think fans of my books appreciate that the profanity is only mild. I’m sure I could sell to a bigger audience if I dropped the F bomb, but I refuse to do it.
As long as every other word isn’t profanity, I’m okay with it. People use expletives…that’s they way society is now. When it comes down to it it all depends on the story. And we do wan’t to write the best story ever to reach a wider audience…but we need to remember that we can’t please everybody all the time. :)
Well, just to be different, I’ll tell you what I think. I agree that most cozies should not have profanity, gore and the like, but one of my problems with cozies is that I can’t think of anything more obscene than murder.
Sometimes murders in cozies seem to be little more than an excuse for the puzzle or the trappings, the quilt making or whatever. I think there are many cozies which devalue the evil, pain and grief in murder.
I just finished reading “Pretty is”. (If you have time to click on my blog today, you’ll see it in the photo that I used.) It was great. You must have used minimal profanity in appropriate places, because as I was reading this post, I thought it was pretty clean. The language needs to fit the characters. Sometimes, it’s necessary. Most of the time, it’s not.
I think the point you made about the language fitting the particular genre is important. My books are hard-boiled police procedurals and one of the detectives cusses a lot. I do try to rein her in when the language starts grating on my nerves, but there is no way I could cut it all out. And it would be a disservice to the books and the characters to try to do that.
On the other hand, if I decided to write a cozy mystery, I would consider the growing interest in cuss-free books and not use language that could offend readers as long as it fit the character and the story.
I listened to my readers for the second book when they all wondered why there were no women in the first one.
Enid–I think you’ve found the best of both worlds there…stretching yourself creatively and looking to find new readers at the same time.
Hilary–Thanks!
Jan–I think you’re enjoying the creative aspect a lot…and you should keep it up! I’m going to wait and see if the lack of profanity is obvious or whether it goes unnoticed. I’m hoping it goes unnoticed.
Louise–I would like to be noble about it, but I have to admit that the readers and the market matter a good deal to me. It’s just part of the publishing business. Try out those dashes! I think that would be interesting to see how it works.
Journaling Woman–It’s a tough balance, isn’t it? And–hope you have a good weekend, too!
Wendy–That’s a great point. Because cursing is telling. Actions can speak louder than words.
Diane–Good for you! And that’s an example of profanity from the other way around!
Margot–I think you and I have the same level of profanity in our books (from what I’ve read in yours.) Very mild.
Laila–That’s a good point, too. Can’t please everyone. And this is always very obvious when I read reviews. What thrills one reader turns off another…with the same story.
Carol–And I think we should all have that line that we’re just not going to cross.
Mary–It was very PG, pretty minor. I think it occurred naturally in the story. But I have a feeling that the particular reader who emailed me would have been anxious about the profanity, so I didn’t recommend it to her. My sequel to the book doesn’t have the expletives in it.
Alex–I think that’s one of the best examples of author responsiveness that I’ve ever encountered! I bet you’ve got a great story, too.
Elspeth–It does get a little boring, doesn’t it?
So true, Elspeth. I could write just for me…but it takes so much of the fun and satisfaction out of it. Not to mention the money. :)
I curse like a sailor, but when I write- fiction, blog or social media- I don’t. It’s an 80s leftover about how to effectively communicate, I guess :-) And in general I think people are doing it too much- not too much as in they’re offending my Victorian sensibilities, but too much as in the words don’t pack a punch when they’re overused.
Of the four manuscripts I’ve written, there are only two curses- basically, the f-word. Both times, they’re used to convey a serious, life-changing moment. However, I found other ways to convey the same in the other two manuscripts :-)
It certainly depends on WHAT the readers want.
As I am a Christian and never swear myself, my characters tend not to do so either (interestingly, no publisher has never commented on that, meaning they probably don´t even notice). In non-cosies, I do add mild terms like darn occasionally, but I really don´t believe there is anything of that kind in “The Cosy Knave”. And I noticed that one reviewer of “Heather Farm” called it a clean read so most of my fiction could definitely be read by your lady. Not to please her, but because swearing and sex in crime fiction do not interest *me* very much.
NB: I tried to find a way to comment on Clean Cozy Mysteries, but couldn´t figure out how to register. Are you any wiser than me because I think they might accept some of my stuff.
Joe–Funny you should mention it…because that was one of my first thoughts. *Murder* is immoral. And it’s a big part of my books! Interesting that many of these readers are okay with murder and not so much with profanity. :)
Deb–There’s definitely more of a casual usage out there with it. It does water down its impact. You’re right–having a word or two scattered throughout makes the reader take notice because it indicates a moment of strong emotion.
Maryann–Oh, gosh, hard-boileds! Yes, readers would be expecting profanity in hard-boiled mysteries and I think it would stand out if it wasn’t included.
Dorte–It’s something my publishers have *never* mentioned to me, and I don’t think it’s really something that’s gotten on their radar. The readers who are looking for books without profanity seem pretty well organized. I think their approach is to writers directly. Maybe they should contact publishers, too–I’m sure publishers would listen to them.
Dorte–Why not try this site first (more of a directory): http://www.cozy-mystery.com/ and then mention that your books don’t have profanity…because they have a thread on that site for expletive-free mysteries. And Clean Cozies hasn’t been updated for a little while, but it might be worth adding to this thread: http://www.cleancozymysteries.com/?page_id=119
When Eddie Murphy first hit the stage, someone asked Bill Cosby what he thought of him. Bill’s response: “If you have to use profanity to get a laugh, you’re not funny.” I believe the same thing is true with my writing. If the only word I can think of is profane, then I must not be a good writer.
My first book had one expletive in it, something that was uttered by a really bad guy. But I have regretted using that word ever since, and none of my other 11+ books contain profanity.
And you’re right, Elizabeth – I’ve never had anyone complain to me about the lack of profanity in my books, either.
I hold my novels to PG swearing. In Unthinkable I only actively bowdlerized in 1 place, writing “crap” repeatedly in a conversation where another fecal description was the term the character would have used. I reasoned that he was in the presence of both his high school principal and a police detective and was intimidated by their authority.
There is no single level that universally applies (outside the profanity bean-counter community). In in a single conversation my WIP, a character says both “damn” and “dang”. The thing for the writer is (frankly) to set the limits up front. The swearing level (and the sex level and the alcohol level and the drug level and the violence level and the barbeque sauce level) may have any number of artificial limits; this is analagous to a reporter who has to get a story in 1000 words.
The question is this: Is the writer good enough to get a good story out within the set limitations, no matter who (self, audience, publisher, grandmother) imposed them?
I think most adults swear sometimes, so the occasional f-bomb doesn’t bother me. If it’s every other sentence, then it bothers me. And I write the occasional profanity.