Okay so you’ve read my last post on clichés but you’ve decided to you’re going to listen to your well meaning friend, your fellow writer, or that nasty little voice inside your head I told you to ignore. You’ve always heard that clichés are wrong and gosh darn it you’re going to write something original. In fact you’re going to blow everyone away.
Well I have something to tell you, you’re going fail horribly.
‘But Fireheart!’ you protest, ‘my story will be original! I’m going to set it on a moon of Jupiter, in a society based on Japan, my mentor will be a green haired dwarf, the evil overlord will have fallen into the position by accident and the hero will be a gimp.’ I have only one thing to say to you, oh intrepid writer, the only reason anyone is going to read your story is for laughs. If it's meant to be serious- expect mocking. Even worse the originality is still superficial, it still has stable fantasy clichés: a mentor, evil overlord, hero. You could then change it so the story is about the gimp’s new job. But again unless you’re righting comedy… Of course you could just keep trying to change everything so that it’s original, but in the end it will be a story no one would probably want to read. If it’s even comprehensible.
The thing is if that’s your solution to clichés then you’ve missed the point. I know it's in fad right now to stay that nothing it original (which this hypothetical story seems to prove), that everything has been done before. And in a way that’s true, but in the most important way it’s not. Maybe the themes have been done, maybe there’s been a main character almost exactly like yours somewhere, but your life experiences, who you are can’t be replicated. It’s in your view of the story, how you decide to bring those themes to life and combine the elements together that the potential for originality arrives.
It’s not that you can’t use elements that aren’t common; in fact most people would encourage you too. A dwarf mentor could be interesting; a hero who's a gimp could be a very engaging story, but just like with clichés, using them won’t guarantee that your story will be good or even original. To write a good story you can’t be so concerned with being original, with avoiding clichés, that you forget the most important thing – story itself. As I said in the last post, it’s the act of letting yourself follow the characters, story and themes that lead to originality and the best chance for a good story.
It is a good idea, however, to expose yourself to lots of different genres as it expands your plot vocabulary. Also, if you feel your first idea seems too cliché especially in context with your other ideas, try your second, third or even four idea. This is where having a large plot vocabulary will come in handy.
As a useful resource check out TVTropes - it's the dictionary of plot elements.
Good luck plotting!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Hot Topics: Cliches
So you’ve got an idea, but then that little voice inside your head starts pointing out that trench coat wearing detectives are cliché. Or maybe it whispers- ‘does the world really need yet another farm boy king?’ The first thing I will tell you do is to stop listening to that voice. That voice is out to kill your inspiration and fill you with doubt.
However I am not here to say that one shouldn’t care about clichés and the effects they have on the people who read your stories. At this point some people say that clichés are clichés for a reason, because they work. However this begs the question, well if they work why are they so bad? Shouldn’t they just work in every story they're in? The obvious answer is that clearly they don’t or otherwise well meaning writers and your friends wouldn’t tell you to avoid them like the plague.
To explain this answer one needs to look what a cliché is. A cliché is a trope (meaning a common story element) that has become so well known it’s the first thing people think of when you mention a genre. For fantasy, some of them are farm boys, secret heirs, and magic swords. For the romance it’s the Byronic hero and the virgin heroine. Of course genres aren’t limited to a single set of story clichés, the alpha male hero is another romance cliché.
So what’s the problem? Clichés are often what get people into the genre in the first place. And you’ve probably read books where the clichés worked fine and you loved the story. But that’s just it: so has everyone else. When these elements where first introduced, or when a new author makes them popular again the genre is flooded with stories baring marked resemblance to these previous works. And because of how common the tropes have become readers are trained to expect certain elements together. The problem is that most of the books aren’t nearly as good as the original. And after a while many readers will get bored and frustrated.
The thing that most people don’t realize about clichés is they work not because of the element themselves but because of the writer and because of the story. Sure clichés are often (or were originally) set up to pull the audience in further, to surprise them, to pull their heartstrings or make them cry. But that’s ultimately not why they work.
They work because the author built a world that drew the reader in, created characters that seemed alive, because the author knew their craft. And that’s still the way to succeed with clichés today. Many writers do nothing but write within a cliché storm (romance, genre movies) but people still enjoy their work, often because their characters work (big hint to succeeding with clichés). Just keep one thing in mind when writing clichés, because they have been overused, they can have little to no forgiveness (especially plot related ones, trained readers and all) and any poor usage can make them completely lose their effect and read as trite.
Ultimately when using a cliché it’s best to look at why you’re using it. Examine your own mind. Are you making your mentor old and bearded because that’s how mentors are suppose to be or because having an aged character is the best way to tell the story you’re trying to tell? It’s there a reason for why you’re using a cliché beyond the fact that it’s cool, it’s what you’re suppose to do or you’re trying to tell story in the spirit of a previous work (which by the way is a silly reason to write a story, if the reader wanted to read that story then that’s what they would read).
In the end you need to find your own story and follow your characters to wherever the end. You’ll probably be surprised at how little it reads as cliché. Of course if you’re writing for you own enjoyment you can be as self indulgent as you want to be and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Of course every reader will have a different tolerance level for clichés. Some will actively seek out certain clichés hoping they'll find a writer that does them as well as the last big name who wrote them. (Me? I'm a huge sucker for farm boy kings and marriages of convenience - if they're well done.) I mean look at the success of avatar (which I also LOVED)...
One last note: beware of clichés revolving around physical appearance. Those are the easiest ones to change. Making your mentor character young and red headed is a simple way to avoid having someone tell you you’ve just written a Gandalf rip off.
However I am not here to say that one shouldn’t care about clichés and the effects they have on the people who read your stories. At this point some people say that clichés are clichés for a reason, because they work. However this begs the question, well if they work why are they so bad? Shouldn’t they just work in every story they're in? The obvious answer is that clearly they don’t or otherwise well meaning writers and your friends wouldn’t tell you to avoid them like the plague.
To explain this answer one needs to look what a cliché is. A cliché is a trope (meaning a common story element) that has become so well known it’s the first thing people think of when you mention a genre. For fantasy, some of them are farm boys, secret heirs, and magic swords. For the romance it’s the Byronic hero and the virgin heroine. Of course genres aren’t limited to a single set of story clichés, the alpha male hero is another romance cliché.
So what’s the problem? Clichés are often what get people into the genre in the first place. And you’ve probably read books where the clichés worked fine and you loved the story. But that’s just it: so has everyone else. When these elements where first introduced, or when a new author makes them popular again the genre is flooded with stories baring marked resemblance to these previous works. And because of how common the tropes have become readers are trained to expect certain elements together. The problem is that most of the books aren’t nearly as good as the original. And after a while many readers will get bored and frustrated.
The thing that most people don’t realize about clichés is they work not because of the element themselves but because of the writer and because of the story. Sure clichés are often (or were originally) set up to pull the audience in further, to surprise them, to pull their heartstrings or make them cry. But that’s ultimately not why they work.
They work because the author built a world that drew the reader in, created characters that seemed alive, because the author knew their craft. And that’s still the way to succeed with clichés today. Many writers do nothing but write within a cliché storm (romance, genre movies) but people still enjoy their work, often because their characters work (big hint to succeeding with clichés). Just keep one thing in mind when writing clichés, because they have been overused, they can have little to no forgiveness (especially plot related ones, trained readers and all) and any poor usage can make them completely lose their effect and read as trite.
Ultimately when using a cliché it’s best to look at why you’re using it. Examine your own mind. Are you making your mentor old and bearded because that’s how mentors are suppose to be or because having an aged character is the best way to tell the story you’re trying to tell? It’s there a reason for why you’re using a cliché beyond the fact that it’s cool, it’s what you’re suppose to do or you’re trying to tell story in the spirit of a previous work (which by the way is a silly reason to write a story, if the reader wanted to read that story then that’s what they would read).
In the end you need to find your own story and follow your characters to wherever the end. You’ll probably be surprised at how little it reads as cliché. Of course if you’re writing for you own enjoyment you can be as self indulgent as you want to be and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Of course every reader will have a different tolerance level for clichés. Some will actively seek out certain clichés hoping they'll find a writer that does them as well as the last big name who wrote them. (Me? I'm a huge sucker for farm boy kings and marriages of convenience - if they're well done.) I mean look at the success of avatar (which I also LOVED)...
One last note: beware of clichés revolving around physical appearance. Those are the easiest ones to change. Making your mentor character young and red headed is a simple way to avoid having someone tell you you’ve just written a Gandalf rip off.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Absense
For all the many people I know where following my blog (/sarcasm)... sorry for my LONG absence. I enjoy working on this project and I have every intention to continue.
I'll try to work on some more blog posts over the weekend.
And to anyone interested I recommend checking out nanowrimo.org (national novel writing month). If you've ever need an excuse to start writing, this is it.
I'll try to work on some more blog posts over the weekend.
And to anyone interested I recommend checking out nanowrimo.org (national novel writing month). If you've ever need an excuse to start writing, this is it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Inspiration Part 3: Finding a keeper
Now that you have some idea about what to write- how do you know which one’s a keeper, which one will grow into a story you’ll love? Well there are ways to tell.
First off which one inspires you? Which one makes you want to write? If your so lucky as to have an idea that strong – awesome! If not, then which idea interest or intrigues you the most? It might just be the idea of a ghost story with a creepy tree or the story that will have that bridge across from your apartment complex. These stories will very likely turn into something you’ll love.
But what do you do if none of your ideas seem special? What do you do if you see your idea and just want to go “meh?”
You have several options then. One you could wait for a new idea that sticks out in someway. Or you choice one at random and start writing. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t like it and now you have more practice. Or you can try and combine several ideas together. This is a good thing, it adds depth and/or complexity to the story you might have lack otherwise. And you have at least one less idea knocking on your brain. And don't forget about the might of prompts or plot generators - the internet's full of them!
There is one thing I will tell you right now, never ever choose an idea just because you think it will sell. The readers can tell and so can an editor and your manuscript will likely be passed by. And if by some fluke it's not, you could end up spending years writing something you don't really like.
The best way to insure a successful story is to write about something that you love. Those will be the idea you’ll be willing to work for. And everyone can tell the difference.
First off which one inspires you? Which one makes you want to write? If your so lucky as to have an idea that strong – awesome! If not, then which idea interest or intrigues you the most? It might just be the idea of a ghost story with a creepy tree or the story that will have that bridge across from your apartment complex. These stories will very likely turn into something you’ll love.
But what do you do if none of your ideas seem special? What do you do if you see your idea and just want to go “meh?”
You have several options then. One you could wait for a new idea that sticks out in someway. Or you choice one at random and start writing. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t like it and now you have more practice. Or you can try and combine several ideas together. This is a good thing, it adds depth and/or complexity to the story you might have lack otherwise. And you have at least one less idea knocking on your brain. And don't forget about the might of prompts or plot generators - the internet's full of them!
There is one thing I will tell you right now, never ever choose an idea just because you think it will sell. The readers can tell and so can an editor and your manuscript will likely be passed by. And if by some fluke it's not, you could end up spending years writing something you don't really like.
The best way to insure a successful story is to write about something that you love. Those will be the idea you’ll be willing to work for. And everyone can tell the difference.
Inspiration Part 2: Beating the Block
But what if you’re stuck? What if the ideas refuse to come? What if you are dug in quite firmly behind the writer’s block**? Well there’s no easy answer, but I’m going to give some suggestions that will hopefully get you moving again.
First look at your life. Are things crazy? Are you stressed? Is writing starting to feel more like a chore then a joy? Then maybe what you need a break from writing. Everyone, even people who love their jobs to death, take vacations and have time off, why shouldn’t writers too? Give you self a week or two, maybe even a month and let it be OK that you aren’t writing. Don’t make yourself feel bad because you’re not writing. That isn’t to say you should ignore a desire to write coming over you, please embrace it. It just likely means you didn’t need as long a break as you thought you did. That’s fine, better to err on the side of caution.
Second – look at your story (if you have one), think about what you’ve written – Have you accidentally written yourself into a corner? Is it taking a different direction then you planned and you don’t like it? Then the time may have come for you to rethink what you're writing. It doesn’t need to be major overhaul, but just try to find the point at which the story limited itself or changed from what you wanted (get a smart friend's advice and see if they can help). It could also be the opposite and you haven't given yourself enough to work with. If that's the case try introducing new characters, new situations or switching to a new point of view. There is also the possibility that your story isn’t going any where and you can’t fix it. Then you need to move on to a new project. This all having been said I caution that you probably need to give yourself at least a few days distance from the project to let it cool before attacking with a weed whacker or scraping it all together.
What if though, you’re staring at that blank first page and you still don’t have an idea what to write? Well then I suggested you just start writing! Write down whatever comes into your head as the next word. Write based on prompts. Ask a friend to give you the first line of a story. Use a plot generator. Try writing with a partner or in an unfamiliar genre or taking a walk outside, nature and people are full of ideas for the taking. Any of these can make you excited about writing again, but just get some words down on paper, even if they suck. While you might not end up with the best idea ever, it might give an idea for a better story or help you get over your fear of the blank page. But if none of these suggestions work you might want to give yourself a break. I suspect you’re putting yourself under too much pressure.
In the end writer’s block is never easy to deal with, but don’t let yourself quit. Writer’s block is an obstacle to a successful story, not a dead end.
** Technically having writer's block is when your stuck in a manuscript, not when you're stuck for a story idea.
First look at your life. Are things crazy? Are you stressed? Is writing starting to feel more like a chore then a joy? Then maybe what you need a break from writing. Everyone, even people who love their jobs to death, take vacations and have time off, why shouldn’t writers too? Give you self a week or two, maybe even a month and let it be OK that you aren’t writing. Don’t make yourself feel bad because you’re not writing. That isn’t to say you should ignore a desire to write coming over you, please embrace it. It just likely means you didn’t need as long a break as you thought you did. That’s fine, better to err on the side of caution.
Second – look at your story (if you have one), think about what you’ve written – Have you accidentally written yourself into a corner? Is it taking a different direction then you planned and you don’t like it? Then the time may have come for you to rethink what you're writing. It doesn’t need to be major overhaul, but just try to find the point at which the story limited itself or changed from what you wanted (get a smart friend's advice and see if they can help). It could also be the opposite and you haven't given yourself enough to work with. If that's the case try introducing new characters, new situations or switching to a new point of view. There is also the possibility that your story isn’t going any where and you can’t fix it. Then you need to move on to a new project. This all having been said I caution that you probably need to give yourself at least a few days distance from the project to let it cool before attacking with a weed whacker or scraping it all together.
What if though, you’re staring at that blank first page and you still don’t have an idea what to write? Well then I suggested you just start writing! Write down whatever comes into your head as the next word. Write based on prompts. Ask a friend to give you the first line of a story. Use a plot generator. Try writing with a partner or in an unfamiliar genre or taking a walk outside, nature and people are full of ideas for the taking. Any of these can make you excited about writing again, but just get some words down on paper, even if they suck. While you might not end up with the best idea ever, it might give an idea for a better story or help you get over your fear of the blank page. But if none of these suggestions work you might want to give yourself a break. I suspect you’re putting yourself under too much pressure.
In the end writer’s block is never easy to deal with, but don’t let yourself quit. Writer’s block is an obstacle to a successful story, not a dead end.
** Technically having writer's block is when your stuck in a manuscript, not when you're stuck for a story idea.
Inspiration: Catching the muse
So you know you want to write, but that's not enough. You have to have something to write about. And this is where the ever illusive idea of inspiration comes in.
The most commonly asked question people have for published authors is “where do you get your ideas from?” Some authors would have you believe it comes from on high – from a vision, a dream or the mouth of god. Well I’m here to put your mind at ease. What those people have told you just simply isn’t true. Sure you have your exceptions – JK Rowling’s train visitation, Meyer’s meadow dream (that is to say nothing of the execution of her story), but they are just that – exceptions.
So now I’m sure you're asking, 'but Fireheart if story ideas aren’t rained down from the heavens where do they come from?' Well here’s the good news. Finding inspiration is a matter of training yourself to think about the world in a certain way. It's about being aware of your surroundings and finding the stories that are hidden there.
For example- while you’re riding home on the subway you hear a woman saying in an annoyed tone to the man sitting next to her, “Yeah well I hope you have a great time in India! I hope you enjoy every freaking moment of it.” You as the writer should easily be able to see the story there. Why is the man going to India? Why is the woman angry? What is their relationship? Is she his girlfriend? Wife? Something else? There’s a story there.
Some story possibilities aren’t going to be so obvious or easy. Maybe a knarled tree in a neighbor’s yard makes you think of ghost story. Maybe the tree will play a large part in your ghost story or maybe it will just be the thing that made you think you wanted to write a ghost story.
Sometimes it’s the stories left untold that leave you wanting to write. Maybe you just came out of a movie and you thought it was going to go in a different direction or maybe an event in a book made you wonder- what if? Those are stories you could write as well (as long as the world and characters you created were different from the source of your idea otherwise you're writing fanfiction).
Finding ideas isn’t as hard as it seems, sometimes it recognizing the good ones that presents a problem.
The most commonly asked question people have for published authors is “where do you get your ideas from?” Some authors would have you believe it comes from on high – from a vision, a dream or the mouth of god. Well I’m here to put your mind at ease. What those people have told you just simply isn’t true. Sure you have your exceptions – JK Rowling’s train visitation, Meyer’s meadow dream (that is to say nothing of the execution of her story), but they are just that – exceptions.
So now I’m sure you're asking, 'but Fireheart if story ideas aren’t rained down from the heavens where do they come from?' Well here’s the good news. Finding inspiration is a matter of training yourself to think about the world in a certain way. It's about being aware of your surroundings and finding the stories that are hidden there.
For example- while you’re riding home on the subway you hear a woman saying in an annoyed tone to the man sitting next to her, “Yeah well I hope you have a great time in India! I hope you enjoy every freaking moment of it.” You as the writer should easily be able to see the story there. Why is the man going to India? Why is the woman angry? What is their relationship? Is she his girlfriend? Wife? Something else? There’s a story there.
Some story possibilities aren’t going to be so obvious or easy. Maybe a knarled tree in a neighbor’s yard makes you think of ghost story. Maybe the tree will play a large part in your ghost story or maybe it will just be the thing that made you think you wanted to write a ghost story.
Sometimes it’s the stories left untold that leave you wanting to write. Maybe you just came out of a movie and you thought it was going to go in a different direction or maybe an event in a book made you wonder- what if? Those are stories you could write as well (as long as the world and characters you created were different from the source of your idea otherwise you're writing fanfiction).
Finding ideas isn’t as hard as it seems, sometimes it recognizing the good ones that presents a problem.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Basics: Why Write?
Now that I’ve got my big beginning out of the way I thought I’d turned my focus back to the basics and that basic question – Why write?
There are many reason people write – for themselves, for fun, to entertain others, to tell a story (by that I mean there’s a story the writer believe needs to be written or can’t stop themselves from writing), to make money, to get published, to get famous. Then the question becomes why do you write? It might be for one of these reasons, it might be for a few or it might be all, it might be different from story to story.
So what does this mean for you and for your relationship the world at large?
If you’re writing to only get famous or for the money, then you might as well stop now. There are easier ways to get famous and get rich. Get yourself on a reality TV show, kill someone, marry rich and then make a reality TV show about you. Writing will require way more work then you really going to want to put into it.
If you're writing to get published, there's nothing wrong with that per say, but be aware that getting publish isn't easy and if you aren't passionate about what you are writing you aren't likely to get published (or worse you do and the your stuck writing books you don't like).
If you’re writing to entertain others. Entertaining people is great fun but remember if you’re not enjoying yourself it will show in your writing. And it could very well ruin the work. The same goes for writing to get published and to get money.
If you’re writing to tell a story insisting to be written. This is great! These are often the best works we write, with the most potential and the most life. This means it also likely have publishing potential. However that doesn’t mean your first draft is publishable. It means that if it ever sees print it could be worth its cover price or more.
If you're writing to have fun, awesome! Writing for fun is great practice or just a fun way to pass the time. However these works may or may not be publishable. But if you’re just a hobby writer then I wouldn’t be to concern about that. Just be aware if you decide that you want to try to get your work published you’re entering into a whole different ball game.
If you’re writing for yourself, good. You should always be writing something that speaks to you on some level (it doesn't have to be a deep one). However the same advice above still applies. Just because your having fun or getting something you need out of the writing process, doesn't mean your writing publishable work.
Now that you know why you’re writing what does this mean for you as a reader of this blog?
That depends on you. Do you want to improve yourself as a writer and improve your writing? Then this is the place for you. I can’t promise I have all the answers, I’m far from a published author myself, but I do believe I know something of the craft of writing. And while I’m still growing as a writer and have a lot left to learn I believe what I do know is worth sharing. You always have the choice to take or leave any advice or thoughts on a subject I have.
There are many reason people write – for themselves, for fun, to entertain others, to tell a story (by that I mean there’s a story the writer believe needs to be written or can’t stop themselves from writing), to make money, to get published, to get famous. Then the question becomes why do you write? It might be for one of these reasons, it might be for a few or it might be all, it might be different from story to story.
So what does this mean for you and for your relationship the world at large?
If you’re writing to only get famous or for the money, then you might as well stop now. There are easier ways to get famous and get rich. Get yourself on a reality TV show, kill someone, marry rich and then make a reality TV show about you. Writing will require way more work then you really going to want to put into it.
If you're writing to get published, there's nothing wrong with that per say, but be aware that getting publish isn't easy and if you aren't passionate about what you are writing you aren't likely to get published (or worse you do and the your stuck writing books you don't like).
If you’re writing to entertain others. Entertaining people is great fun but remember if you’re not enjoying yourself it will show in your writing. And it could very well ruin the work. The same goes for writing to get published and to get money.
If you’re writing to tell a story insisting to be written. This is great! These are often the best works we write, with the most potential and the most life. This means it also likely have publishing potential. However that doesn’t mean your first draft is publishable. It means that if it ever sees print it could be worth its cover price or more.
If you're writing to have fun, awesome! Writing for fun is great practice or just a fun way to pass the time. However these works may or may not be publishable. But if you’re just a hobby writer then I wouldn’t be to concern about that. Just be aware if you decide that you want to try to get your work published you’re entering into a whole different ball game.
If you’re writing for yourself, good. You should always be writing something that speaks to you on some level (it doesn't have to be a deep one). However the same advice above still applies. Just because your having fun or getting something you need out of the writing process, doesn't mean your writing publishable work.
Now that you know why you’re writing what does this mean for you as a reader of this blog?
That depends on you. Do you want to improve yourself as a writer and improve your writing? Then this is the place for you. I can’t promise I have all the answers, I’m far from a published author myself, but I do believe I know something of the craft of writing. And while I’m still growing as a writer and have a lot left to learn I believe what I do know is worth sharing. You always have the choice to take or leave any advice or thoughts on a subject I have.
Curse Words Part 2: Fact or Fiction?
A new and interesting problem is created when writing fantasy fiction. If you’ve decided that your thief is going to have a foal mouth you still have to decide how exactly is he going to curse. That might seem a simple problem – cursing is cursing right? However just like everything else in writing it isn’t that simple.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense for your character to yell out “God damn it!” if there isn’t a version of hell in your world or if it has a polytheistic religion. However having your character yell out “purple shrubbery!” in anger or frustration will be a hard pill for the reader to swallow even if purple shrubberies are an omen of death.
This doesn’t mean, of course, that every modern curse needs to be removed, some curses are fairly universal. It just means you need to think about the one to use. It helps to look at where curse words come from.
Curse words – and insults – are words that have gotten a negative connotation because they represent things that society see as bad, disgusting, taboo or evil. So a good place to begin is to look at the world your characters live in. Is honor the most important virtue or is the class system highly structured? If so having one character call another a coward or lower class is quite an insult. Of course for this to have the weight you want, you really have to set up the importance of this value in your world.
How about a world ravaged by disease – then maybe decay, puss or blood are a curse words. However, as you can see, these won’t hold as much meaning to the reader and will be harder to build up as culture based insults. A good general rule is if the curse doesn’t directly contradict the world you’ve built then sticking with the original is best. And words like those I’ve suggested are best for insults or low level curses as there not going to have nearly the same impacted as real world curses.
Now based on what I’ve just said it may seem like I’ve limited your selection, but never fear I haven’t. Just as “God Damn it” might be eliminated in your world, other religious curses are open. The name of an evil god or demon would work well for a curse or even the name of a god, if the use of the name as a curse is frown upon. Quite literally a wish for a god to curse something or someone is also a possibility.
But again just like real curse words, the use of made up curse words needs to be thought out. The frequent use of a made up curse word can familiarize the reader with the word and make it seem less bizarre. Just as the sparse use of a real curse word will likely throw off the reader shaking them out of the moment.
There is one last possibility. Changing a real curse word slightly and using that replacement word instead, like “frak” on Battlestar Galactica. It is a viable option for science fiction, which some readers may or may not mind. They might be less likely to forgive a made up curse word in a world where real curse words existed at one point. This option really doesn’t work for fantasy, which should make sense after you read in my blog on the use of made up words in fantasy.
While this advice should keep you anyway from any big blunders, the use of curse words is tricky and the finally decision is in your hands as to what works best for the story you’re trying to tell. Inevitability some people won’t agree with you. I'm going to cite my previous example of the use of ‘bitch’ in Deathly Hallows as an example of this – despite the fact that the use of this word was well thought out and planned, some readers disagreed with it’s use bemoaning the lack of named curse words through the rest of series and arguing that it did not fit the tone of the story. Ultimately, use of curse words is a touchy subject and sometimes there is no clear right answer.
It doesn’t make a lot of sense for your character to yell out “God damn it!” if there isn’t a version of hell in your world or if it has a polytheistic religion. However having your character yell out “purple shrubbery!” in anger or frustration will be a hard pill for the reader to swallow even if purple shrubberies are an omen of death.
This doesn’t mean, of course, that every modern curse needs to be removed, some curses are fairly universal. It just means you need to think about the one to use. It helps to look at where curse words come from.
Curse words – and insults – are words that have gotten a negative connotation because they represent things that society see as bad, disgusting, taboo or evil. So a good place to begin is to look at the world your characters live in. Is honor the most important virtue or is the class system highly structured? If so having one character call another a coward or lower class is quite an insult. Of course for this to have the weight you want, you really have to set up the importance of this value in your world.
How about a world ravaged by disease – then maybe decay, puss or blood are a curse words. However, as you can see, these won’t hold as much meaning to the reader and will be harder to build up as culture based insults. A good general rule is if the curse doesn’t directly contradict the world you’ve built then sticking with the original is best. And words like those I’ve suggested are best for insults or low level curses as there not going to have nearly the same impacted as real world curses.
Now based on what I’ve just said it may seem like I’ve limited your selection, but never fear I haven’t. Just as “God Damn it” might be eliminated in your world, other religious curses are open. The name of an evil god or demon would work well for a curse or even the name of a god, if the use of the name as a curse is frown upon. Quite literally a wish for a god to curse something or someone is also a possibility.
But again just like real curse words, the use of made up curse words needs to be thought out. The frequent use of a made up curse word can familiarize the reader with the word and make it seem less bizarre. Just as the sparse use of a real curse word will likely throw off the reader shaking them out of the moment.
There is one last possibility. Changing a real curse word slightly and using that replacement word instead, like “frak” on Battlestar Galactica. It is a viable option for science fiction, which some readers may or may not mind. They might be less likely to forgive a made up curse word in a world where real curse words existed at one point. This option really doesn’t work for fantasy, which should make sense after you read in my blog on the use of made up words in fantasy.
While this advice should keep you anyway from any big blunders, the use of curse words is tricky and the finally decision is in your hands as to what works best for the story you’re trying to tell. Inevitability some people won’t agree with you. I'm going to cite my previous example of the use of ‘bitch’ in Deathly Hallows as an example of this – despite the fact that the use of this word was well thought out and planned, some readers disagreed with it’s use bemoaning the lack of named curse words through the rest of series and arguing that it did not fit the tone of the story. Ultimately, use of curse words is a touchy subject and sometimes there is no clear right answer.
Curse Words: Do you have a foul mouth?
The fact is that everyone uses them. They’re the bad words, the evil words, the words that make us feel unpleasant upon hearing them. They’ve changed over generations, words that once would have made a polite lady swoon are now commonly used by five-years-olds. They can’t be avoided.
Such words as these can be powerful weapon in the writer’s arsenal. Case in point- JK Rowling’s use of the very real curse word ‘bitch’ in Deathly Hallows. It was startling to the reader, making the passage feel very real. As such it pays to know when to use them or when not to.
So what things should one take into consideration when choosing what curse word and where? There are a few key features that are notable – audience, tone, as well as frequency throughout the text as a whole.
The question of audience seems simple right? If you’re writing for children it’s best not to drop the F Bomb in your story, their parents might not be to happy with that – if you even make it to the publisher. But as with everything in life it isn’t that simple. If you’re writing a romance, using the f word probably isn’t a good idea either even if your reader is likely an adult. Many of your readers come to feel good, thus the happy ending.
This is where tone comes into play. A lover of film noir won’t be too happy if flowers and sunshine were added into Chinatown nor western lover if the outlaws start spouting poetry every other line. If the tone of your work is meant to be gritty, raw and/or unsettling, then feel free to use curse words galore. It’s what the reader expects.
However that’s not to say your romance novel has to be squeaky clean or your post apocalyptic romp has to include a curse word every page, that’s were frequency comes into play. A well-placed curse can drop your romance into the cruel world out of its pretty white clouds, dragging the reader with it. One might argue it makes the happy ending all that much sweeter.
Once again it comes down frequency and use. The common use of curse words will show a crassness about the character and/or characters that use them. It says a lot about the world or the character, drawing attention to them. In the right type of story this can be a good thing, drawing in reader and making them wonder about the psyche of the character. The curse user could be the crazy old man that lives down the street or the rough and tumble hero. However in the wrong story cursing and the ever foul mouthed character sticks out like a sour thumb.
The other extreme can do as much damage. If your main character stays steadfastly clean or uses sanitized bad words after an event that would send normal people into a stream of foul language – congratulations you just sent your reader into fits of laughter. You might need to give them a minute to catch their breath.
Ultimately a good use of a curse word all comes down to intent. Word choice is always important, but when the word draw attention to itself greater thought needs to be given to its use. A good writer thinks about the reasons to use a curse word. Despite the “foulness” of the word, what really are you trying to say about the character, about the whole the character lives in and about the story when you use a curse word?
Such words as these can be powerful weapon in the writer’s arsenal. Case in point- JK Rowling’s use of the very real curse word ‘bitch’ in Deathly Hallows. It was startling to the reader, making the passage feel very real. As such it pays to know when to use them or when not to.
So what things should one take into consideration when choosing what curse word and where? There are a few key features that are notable – audience, tone, as well as frequency throughout the text as a whole.
The question of audience seems simple right? If you’re writing for children it’s best not to drop the F Bomb in your story, their parents might not be to happy with that – if you even make it to the publisher. But as with everything in life it isn’t that simple. If you’re writing a romance, using the f word probably isn’t a good idea either even if your reader is likely an adult. Many of your readers come to feel good, thus the happy ending.
This is where tone comes into play. A lover of film noir won’t be too happy if flowers and sunshine were added into Chinatown nor western lover if the outlaws start spouting poetry every other line. If the tone of your work is meant to be gritty, raw and/or unsettling, then feel free to use curse words galore. It’s what the reader expects.
However that’s not to say your romance novel has to be squeaky clean or your post apocalyptic romp has to include a curse word every page, that’s were frequency comes into play. A well-placed curse can drop your romance into the cruel world out of its pretty white clouds, dragging the reader with it. One might argue it makes the happy ending all that much sweeter.
Once again it comes down frequency and use. The common use of curse words will show a crassness about the character and/or characters that use them. It says a lot about the world or the character, drawing attention to them. In the right type of story this can be a good thing, drawing in reader and making them wonder about the psyche of the character. The curse user could be the crazy old man that lives down the street or the rough and tumble hero. However in the wrong story cursing and the ever foul mouthed character sticks out like a sour thumb.
The other extreme can do as much damage. If your main character stays steadfastly clean or uses sanitized bad words after an event that would send normal people into a stream of foul language – congratulations you just sent your reader into fits of laughter. You might need to give them a minute to catch their breath.
Ultimately a good use of a curse word all comes down to intent. Word choice is always important, but when the word draw attention to itself greater thought needs to be given to its use. A good writer thinks about the reasons to use a curse word. Despite the “foulness” of the word, what really are you trying to say about the character, about the whole the character lives in and about the story when you use a curse word?
Monday, February 2, 2009
Fire Heart Ink
This blog will follow my life as a writer (I think). Interesting thoughts I have on the world- things I want to share and advice I have for other writers. There is one thing this blog won't be- a story of my life. If I wanted a journal I would use one and I certainly wouldn't post it for everyone and anyone to see.
As of right now I have nothing of importance to post. But I have no doubt that will change. Hopefully soon I'll have lots of things to send out into the internets.
I'm debating - How focused should this blog be? Questions, questions.
Any suggestions?
As of right now I have nothing of importance to post. But I have no doubt that will change. Hopefully soon I'll have lots of things to send out into the internets.
I'm debating - How focused should this blog be? Questions, questions.
Any suggestions?
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