So I wrote this book, which I guess technically qualifies as fantasy, and I'm running into some problems with the handling of cursing. This is a place without magic or supernatural abilities; it is a bleak setting with modern language. The style of the book is kind of gritty, full of sex and violence and insane levels of swearing. I already know that there is way too much cursing as it is -- I'm talking like 300 f-bombs in the completed first draft and a liberal spattering of every other curse word imaginable. I have to weed those suckers out like adverbs. But I'm really struggling with the question of what is too much.
Many of my beta readers have said the swearing removes them somewhat from the fantasy realm. There are two major cultures central to the book -- Asaltan and Levian. I kind of consider Asaltan the default/English and Levian is completely made up. So my hero, who is kinda rough, uses a ton of curses in Levian -- and people seem to like the Levian curse words a lot. They make them feel more immersed in the story. The real cursing doesn't seem to be ruining their experience of the book, but many have mentioned that they prefer the Levian.
Where I'm stuck, I guess, is I'm afraid the Levian words don't have as much emotional impact. They can't because we are not culturally conditioned to perceive them as obscene. I could go back and replace every single f-bomb with the Levian equivalent, but I'm afraid it will change the tone of the story too much. Also, it's a little weird because toward the end of the book I have a couple very explicit sex scenes and one graphic torture scene. I'm worried people will pick it up, start reading, and not realize just how adult it really is -- and that those scenes will lose something if I soften their impact. For example, there's a scene in which the hero calls the heroine a c**t, and I just don't see any other word having the same impact.
I've never written a fantasy before, and I'm sure that shows in how many fantasy rules I'm breaking here. I guess the question is where to find that balance -- should I have no modern curse words whatsoever? Half Levian and half English (Asaltan)? Only use the less offensive ones? Or just use them very sparingly?
If it's relevant, I plan to self-publish as I know this thing doesn't fit any one genre. So what the publisher will think is not really an issue. I'm concerned with the reader's experience.
Thanks!
Many of my beta readers have said the swearing removes them somewhat from the fantasy realm. There are two major cultures central to the book -- Asaltan and Levian. I kind of consider Asaltan the default/English and Levian is completely made up. So my hero, who is kinda rough, uses a ton of curses in Levian -- and people seem to like the Levian curse words a lot. They make them feel more immersed in the story. The real cursing doesn't seem to be ruining their experience of the book, but many have mentioned that they prefer the Levian.
Where I'm stuck, I guess, is I'm afraid the Levian words don't have as much emotional impact. They can't because we are not culturally conditioned to perceive them as obscene. I could go back and replace every single f-bomb with the Levian equivalent, but I'm afraid it will change the tone of the story too much. Also, it's a little weird because toward the end of the book I have a couple very explicit sex scenes and one graphic torture scene. I'm worried people will pick it up, start reading, and not realize just how adult it really is -- and that those scenes will lose something if I soften their impact. For example, there's a scene in which the hero calls the heroine a c**t, and I just don't see any other word having the same impact.
I've never written a fantasy before, and I'm sure that shows in how many fantasy rules I'm breaking here. I guess the question is where to find that balance -- should I have no modern curse words whatsoever? Half Levian and half English (Asaltan)? Only use the less offensive ones? Or just use them very sparingly?
If it's relevant, I plan to self-publish as I know this thing doesn't fit any one genre. So what the publisher will think is not really an issue. I'm concerned with the reader's experience.
Thanks!
