Hi everyone! What do you think about using swearing in novels/short stories? Is it necessary to make certain characters more real (as in dialogue) or should we try harder to paint that character though description and let the reader infer their foul language?
I can't imagine why somebody gave Eamon a "thumbs down" (unless it was a slip of the finger)!!! Because, IMHO, it's the best reply so far!
It DOES depend: on the situation, the mood, the subject matter, and on the character whom you're trying to "paint".
Sometimes writing dialogue with a LOT of swearing conveys - better than any other method that I can think of - that the character is INCAPABLE of expressing theirself coherently and succinctly without leaning on swearwords.
Exaggerating swearing - really OVER THE TOP stuff - can also be very, very funny! It depends how you handle it.
Consider the following scene: 4 lowlife criminals are playing poker in a smokey back room.
"Monster" Monty: 'I say, Killer Joe, I do believe that that last card which you dealt came from the bottom of the deck! Please correct me if I'm mistaken."
Unless you're writing like that for comic - ludicrous - effect, your readers are going to be laughing at YOU.
I am not a fan of swear words when I'm reading, well not a fan of then in general to be honest. But in real life people don't swear as much as one might think. You do and always have had the foul mouthed individual that uses expletives like punctuation, as suggested by Eamon in Mrs Browns Boys. I avoid it because of that. (sorry)
Sometimes however, the odd swear word can be funny, as long as it isn't one that makes you cringe. Take for instance Ron Weasley, he had a propensity to use the odd swear word but it wasn't offensive. Maybe that is the bench mark, if it might be offensive then just find another way of getting that point across. Raise the bar.
But that's just me!
Regards Paul
Consider printing two editions of any book where you have placed swearwords – one with the swear words, one without.
I would only buy the book without the swear words (as I suspect most people would).