[Designist7]

Hey Everyone,
I wanted to know what do you guys use in your fiction instead of saying GodD*mn. I would rather not use God's name in such a sentence. I appreciate any feedback. Stay safe and Be Well!
THANKS!

 

[MMSN]

Blast!
Thunderation!
Blimey!
Darnation!
Damnation!
Well drats!
Jeez!
Goldarn!
Bah!

 

[K'Sennia Visitor]

https://bartkings.blogspot.com/2014/01/paraphrased-from-high-school-students.html

https://wehavekids.com/parenting/101-Great-Cuss-Word-Alternatives

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/curse-words_n_4570641

 

[NikOK]

Dang
Shoot
Heavens to Betsy

 

[LDB]

No need to complicate things. Just leave the blasphemy out and use damn.

 

[Rod Little]

What is your genre? In science fiction and fantasy you can make up swear words. In Battlestar Galactica  they said "frak" and in the Pirates of Dark Water, they used to say "Noy Jitat!" as a swear.
Of course, this won't work in some genres.

 

[Vidya]

Surely Goshdarn would be the closest substitute for GodD*mn.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

You can't just plug in any old word and expect it to work.  Exclamations of profanity are part and parcel of our world.  And if you're being honest to the characters you've created, they'll tell you which words to use.

Using "Gosh darn," for instance, might work for a straight-laced history teacher you've created.  But it wouldn't work at all for an abusive, drunk husband or a crew of profane sailors on a ship... or, frankly, most of the instances in which GD is used.

Your alternative is to write stories and create characters that don't require such language.

 

[Jena H]

Very good suggestions here, including LDB's simple solution.  Or, you can make up your own word; doesn't have to be for sci-fi or fantasy only... perhaps some current word 'repurposed' as a swear word, as often happens with the English language.  Anyway, I've always thought that reliance on swear words can sometimes show a great lack of imagination.

 

[Designist7]

Looking for use in a sentence, like he walked like a Godd*mn Neanderthal
Thunderation!
Blimey!
Darnation!
Damnation!
Well drats!
Jeez!
Goldarn!
Bah!
[/quote]

 

[Jena H]

Looking for use in a sentence, like he walked like a Godd*mn Neanderthal
...

Blasted... friggin' ... freakin' ...

Or simply use another adjective, like "walked like a gimpy Neanderthal" ... "walked like a drunken Neanderthal," etc.

 

[NikOK]

Looking for use in a sentence, like he walked like a Godd*mn Neanderthal
Thunderation!
Blimey!
Darnation!
Damnation!
Well drats!
Jeez!
Goldarn!
Bah!

You could just something with a different meaning but still giving the image you want.
"he walked like a plodding Neanderthal"
"he walked like a shiftless Neanderthal"
"he walked crude and heavy on his feet, like a Neanderthal"
"She always sighed when she watched him walk. One lazy foot stomped behind the other, almost like a man from the days of clubs and caves and mammoths."

All I'm saying is that it doesn't have to be a direct replacement. If you just want to avoid one word, it can just take a little rework of the sentence. Good luck!

 

[jb1111]

I'll sometimes substitute the f-word, as it's still cussing, but not blasphemy. Had a similar effect.

 

[MMSN]

flippin'
frickin'
freakin'
friggin'

 

[nightwork]

Hey Everyone,
I wanted to know what do you guys use in your fiction instead of saying GodD*mn. I would rather not use it for religous reasons. I appreciate any feedback. Stay safe and Be Well!
THANKS!

i too use the eff word

same reason as jb1111

it's not a blasphemy but it's a popular swear that fits in anywhere as far as i'm concerned

 

[unkownwriter]

Very strictly religious people won't accept a euphemism, either, so you'd have to go another direction. Regular readers won't bat an eye at anything you use. Your personal bias could mean you're in the first group, and don't want to use anything related (like gosh darn), or if not, then you could use any of the other curse words people have given that fits the character.

 

[ShawnaReads]

Could you give us the context? Like, the specific sentence you're using it in? If you're okay with non-religion-based swears, the f-bomb would probably be the closest thing to use. Add some embellishments like 'mother' for even more punch.

 

[LDB]

You (generically referring to any/all authors) are going to offend some/many readers with the inclusion of profanity. It doesn't matter who the character is, what the context is, what the plot calls for or anything else. The degree of offense will vary depending on the profanity. It doesn't matter if every other person walking down the street uses it. It doesn't matter if the reader uses it themselves. It's going to offend them. That's just how it is. If you escalate to blasphemy with the profanity the offense escalates as well. The f word isn't a good choice in many cases either. Profanity is usually just a crutch to avoid taking the time and doing the work to write without it. You can get away with damn now and then but beyond that you are going to offend readers and you are going to lose some of them. I'm just the messenger and that's just how it is.

 

[Designist7]

You can't just plug in any old word and expect it to work. Exclamations of profanity are part and parcel of our world. And if you're being honest to the characters you've created, they'll tell you which words to use.

Using "Gosh darn," for instance, might work for a straight-laced history teacher you've created. But it wouldn't work at all for an abusive, drunk husband or a crew of profane sailors on a ship... or, frankly, most of the instances in which GD is used.

Your alternative is to write stories and create characters that don't require such language.

I forgot to mention that the book is being written in third person, so ir isn't dialogue at all, just describing a "crazy" and humorous character.

 

[jb1111]

I forgot to mention that the book is being written in third person, so ir isn't dialogue at all, just describing a "crazy" and humorous character.

In that case, it would probably be preferable to leave the GD expression completely out. Find another way to get the point across.

Most of us would use such bad language in dialogue only, I think. Not all of us are Henry Miller (although he wrote a lot in first person) or Bukowski (I think he wrote narratives with a lot of swearing, but I'm going from very distant memory).