excessive foul language

Hmmm how shall I put this?
My novel has a lot of cussing in it.
Let me frame that so you can get an idea of why:

My novel is set in the music culture. I, myself, know a lot about it and, like a lot of cultures, it's dominated by men. Therefore, the smaller percentage of women in it, for the most part, talk and act like men. Girls can be even a little condescending if you're "too pretty" to be a rocker.
Anyway, that said, I talk a lot like a guy since I've hung out with a lot of them in the music scene. My mc is the same way. What I'm worried about is that agents may be turned off by her use of language, but I wanted to portray the novel as realistically as possibly of how women act in a (punk) music scene (since there aren't too many books with female protagonists who aren't groupies in a music culture).
This is how these girls talk. I know for a fact. Taking out the language and some situations would not be entirely authentic.

Do any of you think that will make it a hard sell?

(I have a good feeling that submitting to red dress ink is out of the question because of this.)

I don't have an agent yet, so i dunno how the process works with publishers, but I'm open to anyone who'll print heh.

Maybe when I'm done with my novel (which probably won't be until at least next spring after polishing) I'll look into entering the Golden Heart.

MTV books is a division of simon and schuster, so it's still the agent thing, but yeah, when I get an agent I'll suggest them.

It's good advice, I agree... I just have to wait until an agent is secured.
I've never heard of that author but i'll check her out.

Heh, my narrator uses the f-word a lot, and the c__k word. And it ain't cook... although some people do think that's a dirty word.

Sunkissed27f said:

When I think of romance authors who curse and do it so well, I think of Susan Johnson.

Grab one of her books if ever you get a chance.

She uses the word f***, many many many times in her books, AND speaks frankly about male and female anatomy. Think Tom, Dick, and Harry and Here Kitty kitty!

Bantam publishes her books.

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thanks, I'll check it out.

clara bow said:

from the web site:

http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?sid=33&feature_id=1627

so, yes, apparently you need an agent. That is, unless you hog tie an editor at a conference!


Speaking of foul language, my SFR has a healthy share of cussing. When I did revisions, I took maybe two of the f-bombs out. I'm curious to see the reaction, quite frankly. If anyone chooses to represent it, that is.

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Of course you could always try a small press if you can't find an agent who's not afraid of the subject matter. Sometimes they're a little more relaxed about that sort of stuff.

Cathy C said:

Hmm... I'm not sure Barb (Caridad) has an agent. I'll ask her. I thought I remembered she said she queried them directly, but I could be wrong.

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I dunno how recently MTV books was bought by S&S but they used to accept unsolicited queries. This may have been years ago.

clara bow said:

I have a secondary character who uses the c__k word to great effect in his very first line of dialogue, heh heh! He's actually the worst offender, as it were, when it comes to expletives. But he provides some comedic relief, so i'm really rilly rillly hoping a publisher wouldn't make me cut it. I probably should explore this issue before I sign any contracts. It's probably one of my favorite lines!

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Well, I would be able to compromise on some of the random cussing in my novel (like, when a person just says a cuss word in a normal conversation) but certain instances are non-negotiable. To me it would really take away from the reality of how women are forced to kind of strip away their feminine qualities when they are in a male-dominated culture. I should probably even say those exact words.
I'm not saying that girls have to wear corsets and never speak unless spoken to... I'm just saying that women are made fun of for having more feminine stereotyped qualities in that enviornment.

I know I sound like a feminist, that's because I am one. I fell into the "don't be a girl" idea because of the music culture when I was younger. I don't really go to shows anymore, though, because it all kind of got old.

DecemberQuinn said:

Caridad Ferrar is repped by Caren Johnson (who also reps my CP Anna J Evans, which is why I know that off the top of my head. )

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I looked her up and she actually represents an author who writes stories that are centered around the punk music culture, just like mine. I'll have to keep her in my agents file.