Defanging the Cobra

     Fuck obscenity. I’m not saying to lay off obscenity. I’m simply mocking the notion that art can be obscene. The idea of self-censorship is preposterous. If your art has to get a little “vulgar,” then so be it. That’s how the art was meant to be. Sometimes art is unsettling, unnerving or downright appalling. A lot of critics will say there’s no need for art like this to exist. I respectfully disagree with those critics.

     Granted, there are times when some people make “shock art.” Typically, this is just a ploy for easy press and free attention. It’s not art for the sake of art. It’s rarely insightful or poignant. But, it is a fairly simple process to get something intentionally vulgar seen.

     For the more traditional artist, nothing is taboo. Therefore, vulgarity is impossible. The reason why is obvious: art is a representation of reality. If art is vulgar, then reality must be vulgar. That being true, art will not be perceived as offensive by the society that spawns it. Does that make sense?

     If you’re worried that you may be pushing the envelope, don’t worry. That sentiment is entirely natural. Sometimes you will find yourself skimming the line between poor taste and insightful social commentary. That’s merely a byproduct of the process. You’re going to have doubts sometimes. Inevitably, you’re going to wonder if you’ll upset anyone with some off-color words or ideas.

     When you’re really stumped on what to do, go to sleep and look at in the morning. Sometimes it’ll look better the second time around. Maybe it’s just such a strong statement that it does bring a lot of emotion out of the reader. Isn’t that part of why you write? Shouldn’t your writing be provocative?

     Some people say that the use of curse words is a sign of ignorance. Those people give words far more weight than they bear. However, there are some occasions where cursing is obnoxious. If you overdo it, then the words lose any teeth they may have had. And if your characters do nothing but swear, they’ll come off as unbelievably ignorant and flat. There cannot be any sense of dynamism when your character is running at full the whole time. No one is that high strung. It makes for a boring read. Shouldn’t your writing be provocative?

     Make it as provocative as you can. But, remember, don’t go overboard!

A Little Chat

     Dialogue is a very important part of any relationship. And isn’t writing the art of building a relationship with others? By that logic, if your dialogue falls flat, you won’t keep many relationships. There’s a good chance that I’m making more out of it than it is too.

      People like characters they can relate to. If a character has no personality or a really awkward way of speaking, people won’t connect. There’s even a good chance that you won’t enjoy the way your characters came out. Different recipes are needed to make different types of characters. Put in too much sugar on a villain and he’ll break out of the mold. He’ll be unrecognizable. Make a teenage sweetheart with too much bitters and no one will be able to stomach her. It’s important that your character's dialogue matches their personality.

      Also, remember that you’re not your character! Unless you’re doing autobiographical work, your character shouldn’t sound like you. There’s no reason to have your character be a mimic. It makes the story monotonous when every character talks the same way, regardless of culture or circumstance. Think about it, if you’re from upstate New York and writing a character from the Mississippi Delta, would they really say, “Hey, mac, how’s it doin’?” It just makes for surreal characters. Take note of regional colloquialisms, things certain demographics say, how women and men think differently, and other such nuances.

     The easiest way to solidify your dialogue is to speak with people who represent the types of characters you want to write about. This makes sense, right? The more people you talk to, the more different, distinct personalities and mannerisms you will be able to utilize. It’s similar to how visual artists use reference when composing their pieces. It’s also like how musicians utilize exotic scales to get more worldly sounds. The concept is simple: speak to people, get to know them, and then use people like them in your work.

      Something I notice with a lot of new writers is a tendency to use overcomplicated dialogue. Don’t do this! No one says, “Paradoxically, the intrinsic value is equivalent to the extrinsic nature of the tangible good in question,” when talking about buying a bag of fruit. It’s too analytical and wordy. Save it for the inner monologue or the classroom. Of course, there are always exceptions. If you’re trying to make a character seem pompous, it may be within your best interest to make them speak in a pretentious way. However, exercise caution when doing this. If the speaker annoys you, it’ll probably annoy the reader too.