Lies in a Season of Tribulation by Launa McNeilly

I was checking out Twitter and the language was so horrific that I clicked out of it. It has made me think about my own writing. I think it is sad that we have to put in our books the words being bandied about in the world today. In my book, Lies, In a Season of Tribulation I used a few lousy words and I hated to do that but the reality of today is if I wanted the conversations to sound real, there had to be those choice words. I am not a purist in any sense of the word but our English has gotten atrocious.

If a movie today is not rated R then it won't recieve the kind of ticket sales the producers desire. So, they throw in a few bad words and VOILA, an R rating. Does it change the movie at all, not really, but we have become used to either listening to the EF word constantly or getting a peek at a boob. Constituting an R rating.

When writing a book with dialogue, you try to make your characters real and thus use the language they would speak if they were real. Unfortunately, unless you are making a children's movie or writing for children, then you are expected to throw those words into your prose. The EF word was always used for effect in relaying the emotions of the speaker, but now a days, it is used as part of every sentence by some people. Not neccesarily to emphasize strength in emotion but just because it is a habit to say it. My own young daughter has been overheard using it in simple conversation to my dismay. I am all about freedom of speech but boy I think it would be nice if we didn't have to use those words that make us cringe, just because we can.

I am hoping by writing this blog that any reader that has the EF word as part of their everyday language  might be more aware of just how many times in a conversation that they say it. Hopefully, it might reduce the use of it so much. Of course I could enrage a few readers and make them say it even more. It is a petty thing to be disturbed by, but it does turn me off when having a conversation with someone that uses it.  Have I ever used the word? Oh yes, to stress my anger, I have resorted to it a few times. Does it make me a bad person? No, but it does show me that I need more self control when I'm angry.

Everyone wants to clean up the Earth and I think that is noble. Maybe the first way would be to stop spewing toxic words around . I would much rather hear an "Ah" when speaking, when the next word isn't right there, then EF, EFFING, EFFED, for a substitute.

I'm just expressing my own opinion.  I guess respect for one that you are speaking with might keep the word in check but I find respect is another behavior lacking in this world of ours today. That, I'll save for another blog.   Thanks for reading. I know," EF you Launa McNeilly!" Sigh.