A Writer’s Building Blocks

Words are the bricks and mortar of an author’s craft, so in that sense, no word is completely verboten or off limits. You might need that off-color brick to highlight your design, like a well-chosen epithet from the mouth of an angry character or a villain.

I’m for the freedom of authors to use any icky word needed to get the story right. But, author beware–your readers will have opinions about your word choices!

Words that make me go “ick!”

Here’s my lightning round of words I have opinions about:

chick

When applied to a woman. I know, I know, it’s so benign, but I developed an aversion to this word many years ago in college when my feminist sensitivities were a lot more sensitive than they are now.

c*nt

No, that’s not an “a” missing. “Can’t” is a word I’m not fond of, but it’s not fingernails on the chalkboard like this starred one. Such an ugly word, whether used for anatomy or as an insult.

And f*ck

when used as an all-purpose, universal modifier, for “song” lyrics, or when it comes out of the mouth of one’s son or daughter of any age. F-bombs have their purposes but should be thrown judiciously.

Hop along with my fellow MFRW authors and see what words annoy them!

Image: Alexander Baranov via Flickr and Wikimedia Commons