Next month I’m teaching a workshop at the RMFW conference about non-crude profanity, which means I’ve been doing a whole lot of thinking about swear words. What are they? What function do they serve in a story? What expectations do readers have regarding them? Why is non-crude profanity a tool every writer in every genre should utilize?
Spoilers: Utilizing your own non-crude swears (like “storming” in Brandon Sanderson’s case or “goldfish” in mine) is a chance to world-build, show (not tell) readers who characters are, and foster community among the fan base.
Furthermore, there are expectations for many genres and audiences regarding profanity. Middle Grade literature is a bastion from four letter words. Some genres of YA are still this way too. And I learned recently, thanks to some of my readers, that the genre of sweet/closed-door romance also has language expectations. Sure I was aware that f-bombs were not kosher for this genre, but that’s just the tip of the ever-lovin’ ice berg.
These graphics are taken from Rachel Parker at Closed Door Romance.
I’ve had fun with non-crude profanity from the start. In fact, non-crude profanity became a bit of a plot point in my debut novel, My Cosplay Escape. However, I didn’t realize that the frequency of even something tame that Henry Higgins or Eliza Doolittle would say would be something to watch for in the sweet rom-com genre.
Now, the amount of swear words in my novels has been trending to zero all on their own. There’s one curse in Courses, Diamonds, & Toads. There’s nothing in Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay. Why is this? I think part of it is the stories I’m telling, part of it is I’ve got a better toolbox of tricks as a writer now (profanity is metaphor/simile and metaphors/similes that are as ubiquitous as profanity amount to little more than a cliches, and good writing does not use cliches), and part of it is me becoming more attuned to the expectations of my chosen genre.
“What gets measured gets managed.” And while Henry Higgins cursing Mrs. Pearce, the coffee, and Eliza all in the same line is super authentic to his character and the moment, I’m seeing how other alternatives could be just as authentic. Rigid posture, dead silence, strained/measured laughter, all could work in that moment. So could a different curse. There’s any number of petty things Professor Higgins can pronounce with exquisite diction to convey his frankly-my-dear-I-don’t-give-a-darns.
I write books for many reasons. I want to escape. I want to realize a happily-ever-after. I want to scratch a very specific itch or fill a gap that I see is missing in the world of written words. I publish books for lots of reasons too, but a big one is that I want readers to read and enjoy a bit of an escape. I love my readers. I want to treat them right. I don’t want them to get whiplash because a feature they appreciate in the latest is notably absent in the first in the series.
I write standalones, yes. But they’re also an interconnected series of standalones. Some characters reappear. Some inside jokes reappear. I want the experience to be consistent. Because when you reach for a second chocolate chip cookie, you want another chocolate chip cookie. Not a chocolate chip cookie with raisins and mixed nuts. Yes, that could be an absolutely delicious cookie, but it’s an unexpected surprise. Especially when it is on the same plate in the same packaging as the other chocolate chip cookies.
So I decided to make some changes to My Cosplay Escape. There’s still non-crude profanity on offer, but the other “bible swears” are gone. Additionally, the opening note to the reader includes the following content warning:
“This is a rom-com that takes on some heavier topics, specifically miscarriage and its accompanying grief. A journey of healing and hope accompany this topic, but please read gently and know that I see you even if this book isn’t for you. Additionally, unplanned pregnancy, parental loss, and hasty marriages to the wrong people come up in this story.”
The result of these changes is a book that better matches the tone of Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay and better aligns to the expectations of the sweet/closed-door/no-spice romance readers. Now both titles in the Escape to Love series are both solidly PG, and I really like this.
But I must have initially included those swears for a reason? Yes, I reasoned that my heroine’s non-crude profanity (fudge, goldfish, and Shirley Temples) would stand out all the more if contrasted against the regular swears of… I’ll sanitize because I don’t want algorithms to give me a slap on the wrist…“heck” and “darn.” And I needed those swears to standout because they’re tied up with a major plot point.
It turns out a 22-year-old woman saying, “Goldfish, my feet hurt after that twelve mile run,” doesn’t need any help standing out. That’s one of the joys of non-crude profanity. It’s incredibly memorable.
So My Cosplay Escape got an update, and just in time for Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay’s Kickstarter launch. My hope is that I’ll be able to go back in and update Escape’s cover to match the new playful vibe of the series, but for now a color change will have to do. The new edition is purple, and I’m happy to send an electronic copy to anyone who bought the original and would like an update. You can ping me via the contact form on this website.
Do you have a favorite non-crude swear or an author that has a flair for writing curses without dropping any four-letter words? I’d love to know!