I have to admit it. Even though I write cozies, and mostly humorous cozies at that, I am sometimes at a loss as to whether or not to have some of my characters talk the way they would in real life. Putting aside I am half-Italian and a quarter-Irish, for the most part, I’m considered a pretty mellow soul, and try to err on the lady-like side in my daily life. However, I have been known to let a few colorful words rip when I bang my toe or lose the tip of a freshly manicured fingernail. And do NOT wake me up with a spam call at six am asking me to buy your storm windows. It will not go well for you.
But, but, but, that is my private life. Professionally, I receive emails and comments about the fact that I write a pretty clean novel. I do. No body parts are fleshed out or described in a way that could be called salacious. I do not salache. If you want salacious, please visit Joan Collins. Who, by the way, sells about a gazillion more books than me. That should tell me something right there, but I’m not listening.
While I do write a peppery word upon occasion in my books, I don’t think it can be described as vulgar or offensive. I have Lee Alvarez describe her buttocks as her derriere. The upper, front portion I don’t talk about much. The word bosom comes to mind and if I’m feeling peppery, boobs. But I try to keep that kind of jargon or slang to a minimum. Possibly someone, somewhere might be offended. I once said “hello” and was challenged as to what I meant by that.
But what I really try to keep to a minimum is having that sway my writing or make me back off on what I’m trying to say. Because you can’t please everybody all the time. And if you play it wrong, you’re going to please nobody at any time. So, I try to please myself. I write what I am comfortable writing. I say what I want to say. But I am always aware of my contract with the reader. This is especially true for the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries and Persephone Cole Vintage Mysteries. There are expectations and I respect that. When writing these two series, I sometimes have to rethink the selection of a word or phrase and not use the first one that came to me. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, I pick and choose with care. I never dilute or sell out, but try to be clever.
The reality is it’s easy to throw the “f” word into every other sentence. It’s easy to shock people, titillate them, and make them remember your writing for its sensationalism. That’s not me. I focus on things I consider to be important in life: honor, respect, truth, positivity, family, standing up for yourself, being good to people and animals, and making a difference, even in a small way. Oh, yes! Then I throw in a dead body. Maybe two. But I try to do it with a clean sense of fun, a lot of humor, and from a point of view that’s a little off the beaten path.
Because we’re all different. We all go our own way. And we’re all wonderful.
Happy New Year, my friends.
Ladies of Mystery 
Agree with the salty language that must be used from time to time to shade a colorful character.
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Years ago, a reader took me to task for using the word “shit” in dialogue. And I have been know to toss in the F word. Hey, I’m writing a private eye novel. I got the Mom seal of approval when Mom said, well, people talk that way. This from a woman who always told me to watch my language when I would let loose with an expletive at home.
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All in all, Janet, you write a pretty clean novel. Not a lot of bad language, and when it’s there, it belongs there. I find your characters read very real.
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I write pretty clean novels. I also don’t have a lot of violence in them. I enjoy psychological twists. But you never know what a reader sees. With my debut novel, someone was mad at me for making a few Arabic speakers the bad guys. However, I also had someone of Eastern European descent up to no good and the biggest antagonist and the most clever with disguising his true intentions was the military guy. Unfortunately, this particular reader did not take the time to read all they way through to the final resolution. To be a reader, read carefully and never attack personally. Know that the author is writing fiction but yeah, I like clean, also.
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Cupcakecache, I think we’ve all been attacked by a reader, once or twice who hasn’t read the book all the way through, or even at all. A reader once read the blurb of a book of mine, thought it sounded too much like her favorite mystery writer (whose books I never read), decided I was stealing from the writer, and gave me a 1 review based on that. And declared so proudly. After the shock wore off, I decided not to take it personally. As you write, “You never know what a reader sees.” But there are so many other, wonderful readers out there writing for them is more than worthwhile!
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Yes, exactly! Thank you so much for sharing this! It is always good to share these truths. I had some great reviews but this review was a blogger who followed me briefly from another blogger in NY. Unfortunately, I dropped the blogger when a friend asked me “Hey, do you know this person” I thought it was all very strange.
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Heather, like you, I try not to have cussing and have been thanked for writing “clean” books. But have on occasion had the bad guy use the F word once maybe twice. Because it was more realistic than some other word. And my characters use sh*t or hell now and then when something goes wrong. Let’s be real. I’m sure even the people who thank us for clean reads, use a word once in a while. There are just some things that “Oh my!” doesn’t work for. 😉 Good post!
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I agree. In one of the books, Lee’s ex used several and she tells him off. I had to have him use the real words because otherwise, she’d look like an idiot. We di what we gotta do! Thanks for the input and kind words.
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Susan, great idea. I can have her curse in Spanish. I think I did that in one of the earlier books, but forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. Happy New Year!
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I knew this would be a good one when I saw the title and your name. My mysteries are also traditional and, therefore, “clean,” no swearing, etc. But there are times when I think my characters must be mightily upset but how to show it? I’ve never found a truly satisfactory solution in English but in the Anita Ray series, I occasionally use an interjection in Malayalam, and leave it to the reader’s imagination to decide what it is, and how bad. I’m waiting for a reader to write and tell me that they don’t like it when so-and-so curses so violently. ;-)) Great post.
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