Gosh, I’ve really mellowed on this in recent years. I remember being a little snot about what’s acceptable and what’s not all the time. But honestly, it doesn’t matter that much if you go with the word that makes me wrinkle my nose. Or if you do songfic with the lyrics breaking up the text of the story. It took me ages but for everything that makes one person rush for the ‘x’ in the corner, another ten don’t mind and just enjoy the story.
There are a couple of general exceptions to the anything goes policy – no food terms for describing people of colour, please. And I don’t overly love using the language of hets to describe a relationship between two women, but I also see that there’s a place for that. I’m always free to not read it. We need to bring that back, don’t we?
Don’t like, don’t read.
But yeah, who the hell am I to deny anyone the fun and satisfaction of putting their words on the page and getting the reactions to it? We can all always do better, that’s what betas/editors are for (when you can get them). In the meantime, well, maybe we can all get together on the word ‘turgid’ not being that sexy?
As a reader who also writes what are a few of your cringe worthy things you wish more writers were aware of and why?
Published
Question of Smoke 