Editorial

Running for the F-bomb Shelter

Mike Wever, Editor

Mike Wever is the editor of Wanderings magazine as well as an occasional writer and video producer and a full-time husband and father.

There is one word which is considered in American culture to be completely beyond any realm of politeness. Nice people are thought never to utter it and little children are not meant to know it exists, and should not in any case know what it means. I'm writing, of course, about the dreaded f-word. Some of the inhibitions about this word are changing, however, and it is appearing with more and more frequency in all kinds of entertainment media, including mainstream short stories. I've enjoyed countless short stories and novels that used this word appropriately, but I've also been unpleasantly struck by numerous unwarranted occurrences.

The word “fuck” is the undisputed king of bad words. It is meant to convey hatred, disgust or (in the traditional sense) a libido on fire. It never suggests calmness or clear thinking. Because of this, the word guarantees an emotional reaction in the reader. Some authors are therefore tempted to use it as a crutch to try to prop up some emotionally weak dialog or even a whole scene. Such usage usually fails miserably.

The f-word is similar to the semicolon in a sense—it is very effective when used correctly but becomes distracting when it is not. Also like the semicolon, there are many writers who use it where it is not necessary. Unlike the semicolon, however, the unnecessary and unjustified presence of this word may be enough to cause a reader to stop reading a story.

In my experience, the f-word is a part of just about every adult's vocabulary, so any story that aims to accurately portray a modern adult world has a valid chance of containing a “fuck” or two. By the same token, however, when an author is trying to accurately portray such an adult world, the f-word should not appear more often in the story than it would if the same situation were to occur in reality. Unnecessary swearing, and particularly unwarranted use of the word “fuck,” will be obvious to and unwanted by a large portion of the reading public. If you want to make money from writing, you do not want to alienate these people from your work.

When you are tempted to use the f-word in a story, make sure that it fits the situation and the character. Spare your reader (and your editor) the distaste of falling victim to a pointless f-bomb hitting them square in the retina.

© Copyright 2008 Mike Wever