Avoiding Slang whilst Writing

Neither your individuality or your creativity is precious, no matter what they told you in kindergarten. Your story may or may not be precious, depending on whether it is any good or not. Creating a good story is not about expressing yourself (no matter what they told you in kindergarten), it is about expressing your story.

Stories are told. That is, they are transmitted, communicated, to other people. They are good (and therefore precious) insofar as they are successfully recieved by the reader. As a writer, therefore, you should be 100% focussed on what the reader receives.

Unless you write purely for catharsis, your private slang, your native word choices, are entirely inappropriate unless the reader can readily receive them. To reach the reader, to produce something potentially precious, you must write in language that is readily accessible to and evocative for the class of readers you hope to reach.

You don't necessarily discover this by listening to what they say or reading what they write, because most people have a much larger recognition vocabulary than use vocabulary and will readily understand lots of words they would not ordinarily write or say. Instead, read what they read, and read it extensively, and with attention.

Writers read differently from other people. They read with attention to structure and story and vocabulary. (Some complain that it ruins their enjoyment of popular entertainment -- they see all the flaws.)

Learn to read like a writer and this will teach you to write for an audience. Francine Prose has a fine book called Reading Like a Writer.

posted almost 6 years ago

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Mark Baker‭

4351 reputation 12 1104 742 58

You need to recognize this is a tool in your toolbox as a writer. It isn't "wrong" to do it, it just has a specific effect and impact that you may or may not want: Use of slang, in general, establishes a social "in group" (those who understand the slang) and an "out group" (those who don't understand it). It builds a sense of commonality and community among those who understand it, and is distancing and alienating to those who don't. So it doesn't so much display personality as it does establish a social context.

There are some very effective books written entirely in slang ("The Moon is a Harsh Mistress") and/or dialect ("Their Eyes Were Watching God") and at least one very famous book written entirely in the author's idiolect --which is a completely personal variation on language ("Finnegans Wake"). But it demands a lot of the reader, and can limit the size of your audience.

If you do want to use it, the following can help: Use it sparingly, for flavor. Introduce it gradually, and in a context where it can be easily understood and/or where understanding it is not a necessity. Use it in the full awareness that the feeling it will give the reader will be very different depending on whether he or she understands it or not. Use it, knowing that slang tends to go stale very quickly, and to not travel well.

posted almost 6 years ago

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Chris Sunami‭

1355 reputation 13 171 261 0

This question is simply answered: Let others read your work!

Others often have a different view on the project, especially if they are not related to you; they often deliver a pretty good review on your work and your writing style. If the slang is too much, they will tell you that too.

posted almost 6 years ago

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Pawana‭

95 reputation 4 12 18 0

I don't think you need any resource other than your own intelligence and self-awareness. We know when our slang is not "standard", just don't use it.

Plus, it is ephemeral anyway, the 1920's "bees knees" and "flappers" are unintelligible to us now; "copacetic" is a real word made popular in the 1970's but few today would recognize it. (like one meaning of "cool" it means "in excellent order", like "It's all copacetic, dude.")

Slang ages quickly. Never use it in exposition, in fact I personally avoid any word in exposition if I think a typical reader of fiction would have to look it up.

In dialogue; characters can use slang, although I'd encourage you to study the mechanics of slang development (See Development of Slang and 15 Reasons People Use Slang.)

In particular, slang is generally short to say, a few syllables, and produced by a sub-culture to reflect something unique to that sub-culture, or if it is an insult, coined by outsiders to denigrate that sub-culture, and for the purposes of diffusion, not difficult to pronounce or recall; slang words and expressions are easily learned and understood upon first hearing, and easily explained in a short sentence.

posted almost 6 years ago

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Amadeus‭

3156 reputation 2 1399 613 37