Opening with an expletive

[Ursa major]

I first saw "Four Weddings and a Funeral" on board an Air Canada flight. For some reason, the expletives were not as hard hitting as those heard in the cinema or on UK TV. I can't say it made the film any less (or more) enjoyable.

[Green]

Nothing about that film is hard hitting.

[Cayal]

I'd quite like to read something opened with an expletive. Means something interesting is going on.

[chopper]

If he's tired & cynical, perhaps more in character to start "Hell, all I wanted was...."

[JDP]

I'd reckon it depends upon the intended readership. You mention the younger end of the teen spectrum... if that's your main target audience, then I wouldn't use a f*** or a c***; maybe a s***, but even that would be unlikely (on further thought, no, definitely no expletives if this is your intended readership). You could make up a sf/f swear word, but that can be well dodgy; might be better to simply rephrase.

If it's an adult novel, targeting an 18+ audience (but you just reckon it could be read by younger teens), then keep it in, as long as it's in context.

[Peter Graham]

Hi Wiglaf

"After a year away from home, his home citystate joins in a war. At this point he has been conscripted by a foreign army who was already at war. While procuring a third pint of stout at a local watering hole, he is beset upon by some young enlistees. All questioning and commenting on his and their search for renoun and glory. His response, "*(F or Sh word), all I wanted was a normal life: a trade, regular meals, indoor sleeping."

I don't know if there's a US equivalent (although I'm fairly confident that there must be), but in the UK this sentence would probably run "Bollocks to it - all I wanted....".

The short, sharp "bark" of F*** suggests shock or surprise rather than a response to a question, which is what we are dealing with here, although "F*** that!" is a possibility, I suppose.

Your character needs to be believable. Either do it and trust to the writing to provide the context as the narrative unfolds, or forget it entirely. But don't fudge it with granny swearing.

And don't worry about what publishers might think. There can't be many who would genuinely be so upset and offended by a little word that they would read no further.

Regards,

Peter