People—mostly other authors—ask me: Why clean? Why no sex or profanity? Nobody much asks me why no gore.
So, here’s why in a nutshell: Because readers, especially me, are tired of dodging the cringe factor, which, as time goes on in entertainment (be it books, movies, music performances …you name it, and in our culture in general), now strives to reach a higher level of ‘shock impact’, each iteration trying to outdo the previous. It all becomes a race to the bottom.
Honestly, sex, gore, and profanity aren’t necessary for good, solid story.
I used to pride myself on realism. And, yes, especially with the workarounds needed to remove any and all profanity, that can push the credibility off a cliff, because, also honestly, most cops …most people curse …unless they come from a very strict upbringing and stick with it. However, as an author, creating story without it is doable. It just takes figuring out another way to deliver the same meaning or effect without losing impact.
There’s your nut taken out of its shell for the morning.
—Dawn