New to the forum and not sure if this topic has been discussed before on this forum. As you are all aware, slang words will have specific meaning depending on the area / country where they are used. If you plan on becoming a published writer, do you think it is good practice to include slang words in your work? My personal opinion; I would say know, because your readers, depending on where they are located, most probably wouldn't know the meaning of the word(s). What is your view?
Depends on the voice of the narration. Do you want the narrator to sound regional or global? Also, for an extreme example, take a look at Anthony Burgess' book, A Clockwork Orange. https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Clockwork_Orange/bgpJn-Oq22MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA3&printsec=frontcover Talk about some serious slang!
... If you write things like "in you writing", then I think slang would be very appropriate... Edit—also, just noticed "I would say know"—I believe you mean "no"? Sorry, I normally wouldn't criticize so harshly, especially to a newcomer, but the thread seemed to call for it. That's my excuse anyway. Oh, and welcome to the board! We're all friendly here, trust me!
Thanks, Xoic. Much appreciated. Damn, as a newcomer I'm not off to a good start. Why didn't I proof read before posting Oh well. Maybe I'll have better luck next time
From the advice I've seen slang is kind of a double-edged sword. On the one hand it really sets the scene. Since slang is regional and generational its use helps place the setting and make it seem more real. On the other hand it can really date your work. If you're trying to write a timeless piece use of modern slang, places it clearly in the current era once those slang terms fall out of fashion. It can also be a challenge to use without research. Nothing will kill immersion more for a well-informed reader than using slang in a setting it wouldn't exist. If I were to write a YA book set in the current year, but all my teenagers were saying things like groovy and gnarly, there would be a setting dissonance.
It depends entirely on what you're writing and who your intended audience is. There is no single answer.
I think it’s all right if you are consistent. I just read a short story on another forum and the author started out with his character mentally damaged with medication, but halfway through the same character sounded like a Harvard lawyer.
If it's appropriate to the time and place where the story is set, sure. One of the reasons I like to read British fiction is it sends me often to Google to find the meaning of one word or phrase or another, especially slang. I'm most fascinated by rhyming slang, for some reason.
Depends. Do you mean slang as in "foshizzle" "bruh" "bro-ham" "lit" and all the other slang words used today.... or do you mean dialect? A lot of post modern southern literature and african american literature are often heavy in dialect. "He ain't been here before, thats how come," said Leota. "He belongs to Mrs. Pike. She got her a job but it was Fay's Millinary. He oughtn't to try on those ladies' hats, they come down over his eyes like I don't know what. They just git to look ridiculous, thats that, an'of course he's gonna put'em on: hats" ("Petrified Man" by Eudora Welty) Zora Neale Hurston: "Humph! Ah'm way behind time t'day! Joe gointer be heah 'fore Ah git mah clothes on if Ah don't make haste." ("Gilded Six-Bits") And more
Are you asking about slang used by the narrator, or in dialogue? Either can be fine, if done well. I recommend extreme caution if using any slang in your dialogue that could be perceived as stereotyping your characters. Otherwise, use whatever slang fits the setting and the voice you're using to tell the story... but make sure the context is clear, so anyone who isn't familiar with the slang term will be able to understand it without resorting to Google.
I agree with @TheOtherPromise where it can be a double edge sword.... the dialect in Hurston's piece made it really tedious to get through.... but at the same time, in both examples I used, it set the time, scene, and mood.
I recommend a light touch. A little goes a long way. If your setting is a real time and place, make sure your use of the slang is spot on. If the time and place is toital fiction, you have a bit more leeway, but it can still sound silly if you aren't careful. Just don't go overboard with all that felgergarb, or your dialogue will be truly frakked.
Well, why don't you write a short piece both ways? Like write a 5,000 word short story using slang and re-write it without the slang? Post both in the workshop (once you meet the requirements) and ask people to vote. It would be an interesting exercise and probably eye-opening - I'm sure some people will love it and some will hate it, but WHY they love or hate it would be enlightening to find out.
Thank you all for responding, much appreciated. Having given thought to your responses and suggestions, you have won me over in that slang can have a place in writing. The hard part would be to limit the amount and that it's used in the correct context and setting. @ Cdn Writer - now that would be a challenge!
I think if the writing is in first person, then I'd say that it's absolutely fine to use slang in writing. I think it adds a unique flavour to the writing and can help bring a character to life. Depending on the genre, I think it can work well in third person too, especially if used humorously.
Write more or less. The idea is just to write enough to highlight the difference that the use of slang or non use of slang would play in the piece. I don't think 200 - 500 words shows enough so I figured a thousand to five thousand would be enough. It doesn't have to be the same story. Write a story in your preferred setting with your preferred characters using slang; then write a different story in your preferred setting and using your preferred characters. See which one flows better. And....just to make it a little more difficult, sometimes the story itself will flow better with slang - for example if you write a time traveller, one way s/he could trip up is when they interact with the natives and they don't know the correct idioms or phrases for the environment they find themselves in. I'd love to see an example....hmm....maybe this could be a friendly challenge in here? In the writing prompts forum maybe....?
Assuming your use of slang is 'correct'—it's slang that is actually used in the context of your story and characters—fine, go ahead and use it. BUT ...and it's a big BUT ....it will date your piece. If you expect the story to be read, say, 20 years from now, don't expect that it will still sound contemporary. It won't. It's going to sound old-fashioned, or, at the very least, out of touch with what is happening 'now.' You can do whatever you want in creative writing, but everything you do does have an effect. Make sure you know what that effect will be.
