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Craft of Writing

Christine Amsden

Cuss Words: It’s All About the Truth

In order to make stories more realistic, many fiction writers claim that profanity should be used if and when a realistic character would use it. The trouble is that reality cannot be shown, only experienced, and the goal of fiction is to reveal truth, not reality.

I have read fantasy tales set in other lands with sorcerers and elves that evoke a stronger sense of realism than some stories set in modern times, using familiar names and places. Evoking a sense of reality in the reader is a matter of suspending his or her disbelief, and this is not always done by maintaining perfect realism. Reading is a highly emotional experience, whether we want it to be or not, and our opinions are swayed by elements of the story that our intellect might consider inane.

Evoking reality comes from emotional sympathies. Have you ever read a book or watched a movie in which you knew, intellectually, that something was true but you were unable to experience it on an emotional level? Or perhaps you read a far-fetched tale that had more holes in it than Swiss cheese but you fell in love with the tale nonetheless?

The difference between these two tales goes to the heart of the truth that writers propose to show through their work. Truth cannot be found in stories that bar our emotions from entering, even if they allow our intellect inside. But truth can be found in stories that welcome our emotions, even if some of our intellect needs to be left behind for a time.

The best way to learn is through example so let me paint you a picture. Suppose you want to reveal the truth of the plight of inner-city youths who have fallen in with gangs. Their story would be unjustly told if the reader went away believing that these were simply young hoodlums, evil to the core and with no hope for redemption.

The reality is that these youths cuss. They cuss a lot. To show realistic dialogue amongst gang members you might even have to research cuss words you had never heard before. But if you do this, your intended truth, that these are more than evil hoodlums, will fall by the wayside.

We are taught from an early age not to sympathize with people who use profanity in this way. The hero becomes the bad guy, and the reader is blocked from the truth. On the other hand, if you withhold the cussing from the mouths of gang members except to punctuate a highly emotional scene, then the haze that has kept many from seeing and understanding is lifted and the truth shines through. Yes, this is a tiny white lie. Yes, our intellectual sides may even notice this, but they may not. Emotion has a way of blinding our intellect. And yes, there are many who would prefer your profanity-ridden piece for its sense of reality, but there is no need to speak the truth to most of these people; they are the proverbial choir.

So if you were to write this piece, you would need to ask yourself what the point is. Is it more important to show the reality or the truth? Herein lies the answer to the question of whether or not to use profanity in your fiction.


About the Author
Christine Amsden is an aspiring science fiction and fantasy writer. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two kittens.