I have an interesting dilemma. I submitted a short story to a publication last year and have received a response saying that they’re interested in publishing the story if I remove the profanity as the story would currently be R rated (It’s a US magazine).
Coincidentally (if there is such thing as coincidence) I’ve recently been listening to Stephen King’s book “On Writing” and the same day I received the response from the publication the passage I was listening to in On Writing was discussing the need to be “truthful” in your dialogue.
This censorship may come as a surprise to people who know me, I don’t swear, but I do recognise that the characters in my tales are not all mini-me and so there are times when it’s appropriate for them to release the odd swear word. So my dilemma is whether to accept the editorial advice and cut the profanity, or whether to stand by my original draft and understanding of the characters within the story.
If the advice was given because the language wasn’t true to the character, and that was a criticism I recognised, then it would be a no-brainer. But is that my truth? I reread the story and questioned whether the speech was apprropiate, and in hindsight I still think it is right; I think that it indicates the frustration and anger of the character speaking. So do I think adjusting the language is “selling out” or lessening the impact of the piece? Well yes. Do I feel strongly enough to pull the story from the publication?
There will be other stories, and other publications… and it’s unlikely the publication or otherwise of this piece will affect my writing career, but still…
