I asked this question in a couple crime fiction groups, “What do you think about profanity in fiction?” The response was overwhelming. More than a hundred responses in one of them and over thirty in the other. The answers ran the gamut.

Since these were crime fiction groups, as anticipated, the responses were weighted heavily toward the “yes it’s necessary” variety. There were a few detractors who said they didn’t like it at all. Another group that said if it wasn’t gratuitous and fit the character, they were okay with the use of profanity.

The number one reason favoring profanity was that it is realistic. It’s the way people really talk. Ok, but do we want our fiction and dialog realistic or believable? Can crime fiction be believable without profanity? Just because it’s the way so many people talk in the real world, do we have to read it as well? And isn’t it a sad commentary on humanity that the use of profanity is “just the way it is”?

What about you? Do you like or dislike profanity in fiction? Is it a necessary part of dialog? Does the genre make a difference? I wonder if I’d get the same response in a romance or science fiction group? Probably the same types of answers but maybe a different distribution. That’s an exercise you can try at home.

I don’t use profanity in my book or my stories. And they are crime fiction. Is that unusual? I don’t think so. One of the books I’ve reviewed here is The Water Keeper by Charles Martin. It’s crime fiction. Deals with human trafficking, and there’s little to no profanity. I didn’t see any reviews complaining of the lack of curse words. Also, I was told by one crime fiction group member that the long running television series Law and Order did not use profanity.

There are alternate ways of having characters use profanity besides putting directly in dialog. That method is something I’m taking out of my writing.

The writer can indicate that the character used profanity. For example, he spewed out a string of expletives or she cursed at him.

There’s even making up words to replace our more offensive ones. In the television series Flash, they do this. The word “frack” is a curse word from the future that the characters adopt. This can work in science fiction and fantasy, but not sure it would work in crime fiction.

Of course, there’s toning them down. There are milder curse words or even completely unoffensive ones. But I agree with several commenters who said no violent criminal is going to say “fudge”.

In my writing, I’m going to lean toward the method of indicating that someone cursed, swore, or used profanity, if necessary.

You, the reader, can tell me if my use is effective. I hope to hear from you as you read my stories and my books.

If you have an opinion on the use of profanity in fiction, please post it here and start a conversation. Be nice, though. No profanity allowed.