As writers, we can't know which speech pattern trends are fleeting and which are here to stay. And since a manuscript can take years to write, edit, and publish, anything we write using trendy dialogue might be completely obsolete by the time the story goes to print. I sure can't imagine taking a contemporary YA novel seriously where guys were referred to as "scrubs" and people asked each other if they were ready to "dip" when they wanted to leave. Will teenagers in ten years feel the same way about OMG?Personally, I avoid slang altogether. Just like I avoid referencing specific band names or song titles which could just as easily date my story. But, does that make the dialogue less realistic? Or does it matter, as long as it's neutral? I figure, dated dialogue would be much worse than dialogue which doesn't seem to be related to a particular era (unless I'm going for a particular era of course ;) ).
What do you think? Do you use slang in your writing? Do you have a way of deciding how much slang/which words make the cut and which don't?
I only use slang that has already stood the test of time, but for the most part, I try to avoid it. :)
ReplyDeleteMe too. Sometimes it's hard though to remember that some slang words are relatively new. Will the next generation still say "cool? I can't imagine they wouldn't...but then again, I wonder if my mother ever expected "bitchin" to go out of style, haha.
DeleteHa--I just talked about a similar topic on my blog today. I have so much slang in my first drafts, but after I have some distance from it, I reevaluate if I should keep it or not. :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good way of handling it. I never have much slang in my writing, probably because I don't normally use much myself, but I wonder if it might be necessary for contemporary.
DeleteI'm with Kyra, I try to only use slang that's stood the test of time. And I'm with you in that I don't use brands, and I invent my own songs, etc.
ReplyDeleteI do have to admit to including an iPod in my latest completed MS, but I don't think iPods are going anywhere for a long time - "please don't let me down, Apple!"
DeleteI try to avoid it, for the most part. One thing I have been struggling with though is the issue of swearing. In a lot of senses, that is slang too, and especially because I'm writing about a time far in the future where cultures have mixed/they don't have religion it's kind of unrealistic to assume that swears are going to be the same. I've experimented with making up my own, but it is very very difficult to structure them so they don't jar readers out of the story. Maybe it's best, if like other slang, I try to avoid swearing altogether. But it's hard when characters are reacting to tricky/surprising/annoying situations!!
ReplyDeleteSwearing is something that really bothers me for some reason. I know people swear on a regular basis, so it's not that it's inaccurate - but, I can ask my friends to tone down the swearing and that doesn't go for a book. So, you never know what will be fine for one person but too much for another. And I wouldn't want anyone putting down my book over something like that.
DeleteIn science fiction and fantasy though, I thoroughly enjoy it when an author invents their own slang/curse words based on the world (ex. "Light" as a curse word). Robert Jordan is a great example of this and Jacqueline Carey uses her unique religion to create new swear/curse words too. It really adds to the world-building! List of WoT swaer words
Yeah, it's funny because I actually literally never swear in real life. Well, not what anyone else would consider a swear anyhow, ha! So swearing is such a hard thing for me to write, but there are moments when my characters get excited and they need to say some sort of expletive. I love the idea of inventing some creative ones that are also easier on the reader who might not like offensive swears (like me!) Thanks for that link, I'm definitely going to have to get some inspiration there.
DeleteI made up expletives for my WIP - and even tried to use them to aid in world-building, but they totally fell flat according to my betas because one was too close to a key character's name and the other people thought was the sound of a slot machine! eek! Back to the drawing board on that one =)
Sounds like you're a lot like me on the swearing :) That's too bad the world-specific swears in your WiP didn't go over so well, but I'm glad you're not giving up! When an author gets those sort of things right, it's magic :D
DeleteI do what Pam does - I write whatever comes in the first draft, but I cut a lot of it during further drafting. I don't mind slang when I read it, but it does date things. I think there's a balance...what that balance is, I have no idea. :)
ReplyDeleteThat makes sense - I just don't know if I'd catch it all in revisions!
DeleteI write 20th century historical, so I do use period slang to give the stories authentic flavor. Even if a modern reader might not know what words like bearcat or the bee's knees mean, they can probably tell from the context or look it up. I found a wonderful dictionary of American slang for just this purpose, showing the origin of words by decade and century.
ReplyDeleteFor historical, I think it totally makes sense to include enough of slang to remind the reader of the time period they are in - it's part of the setting, imo. But then, it would be even more important to make sure nothing current slips in there :)
DeleteA little slang is ok to set a tone or feel of the period but it needs to be used very very sparingly or it will take over and be distracting, even in small doses.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! For me, it's easier to leave it out than make sure I don't overdo it, haha.
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