When I thought about it longer I decided that half the point of reading a book is to deliberate over it and spend time with it, get to know characters, think about the story while you’re away from the book. You’d miss those things if you had an instant book download.

Another one of my “good” ideas which I quickly see the downside of.

I think that instant book downloading will be after ebooks but before facebook becomes a human organ that we can’t live with out.

‘I can’t stop thinking about an idea. It possesses me and I can’t stop thinking about it no matter what I do. When I brush my teeth I think about it. When I go to work I see things which make me think even more. I can’t work because I’m too busy thinking. And it used to just be in my head, but I’ve started doing this weird thing. It’s like self harming. But I want to do it anyway because it helps get rid of the idea. But it’s really difficult to do. And I don’t know why I carry on doing it. And the thoughts still don’t go away.’

‘This thing you do, is it writing?’

‘Yes…’

‘I don’t think I can help. You will need a better doctor than me. The problem is, you’re a writer.’

Before you start writing the possibilities of what you might produce are endless. It could be anything you’re about to create. That’s part of the bit I like, the fact you don’t know what it will look like even though you have an idea of how you wish it would look. It will never be the same as your intention. As soon as you start writing direction becomes narrower. This isn’t bad, it means you’re going somewhere. But you lose the openness that comes with having a completely clear page.

I like the blinking cursor tempting me to start rapping keys.

For me, it’s blank pages. What is it for you?

I’m cursed with a drive to write and an enjoyment of it. I will fret over a plot, a character, a phrase. I’ve always written, there’s no stopping it and no stopping the ideas which come out of everywhere.

Why do writers write? Why do YOU write?

If you read What’s You Writing Thing? you’ll see that I said I listen to music when I write. Occasionally the music fits the scene I’m writing, or the mood and adds to it as I write. Obviously a musical track cannot be applied to a book (though I bet someone will try with the advent of eBooks). But I thought about choosing music from my selection to go with a certain scene to enhance my perception of it, even if it wasn’t in he finished product (which it wouldn’t be). Maybe books will come with a CD with recommended tracks to play while reading. I think I prefer reading the way it is, but writing with the music is interesting.

Let me know what you think about music and writing and combining the two. Does anyone get ideas for writing things from music? Or feel the same as I do.

I own the copyright to musical eBooks, by the way. So don’t try it.

Swearing is a part of colloquial language, whether we think it’s appropriate or not. And whatever is true of spoken language will find some way into dialogue embedded in a narrative. I think that swearing is an important part of language, making the meaning of a threat heavier and causing insult and often shock when used in certain situations. All of this stuff is good for the writer.

The use of swear words can be effective to arrest the attention of the audience. Blue words tend to leap off the page. It can also create a shock, particularly if it is used in a social situation that prohibits “improper” language.

For dialogue, swearing is particular important. If you wish to directly quote obscenities rather than avoiding it with a “He cursed” or “She swore profusely”, you should not water down your dialogue. If it’s a rough, male character, he is more likely to say “bugger off” or “fuck off” than “oh, go away”. Similar he would curse saying “oh shit”, not “dash it” or “fiddlesticks”. Language causing less offence can be equally effective, especially if your characters use it often, such as “damn” and “blast”, which have the connotations of swearing attached rather than slapping you in the face. In contrast to this, gentry at a dinner with ladies would not use anything so blunt as that mentioned above, choosing more of a eupemism.

As with all “rules” of writing, there are ways of using a set “rule” against itself for a certain purpose. An upper class character or dame using excessively rough language is a source of comedy as well as an interesting contrast. I would normally suggest using swearing in narrative sparingly and in dialogue too. An exception to this rule is if you would like a really rough character who uses swearing consistently.

Your audience must always be considered when writing with the intention of using obscene language. Having said that, there was a “children’s” book (really for the parents) called “Go the Fuck to Sleep”, which shows me up quite well in terms of censoring your audience.

Tell me what you think, if you agree with what I said or if you think other things about it. And if you use swearing to a certain degree or try to abstain from it.