: Re: Is it okay to have made up words/slang in a story? In my story there are some words in there that even Grammarly couldn't understand, but they make sense in the story. They're slang, or things

@Caterina108

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It depends on your audience. Is it teens? Teens' parents? Or is it about teens but for an adult audience whove had those same experience? For one and two, yes. If you know the proper way to speak "thug, " and it will help you relate to the reader, go for it with the huge caveat that the quickest way to lose a teen reader is to embarrass yourself by trying to use slang to look cool or when an adult uses it to describe themselves. They get embarrassed about so many things, especially parents who believe they are cool but aren't. Nail it if your audience is the group of people using the slang. Otherwise, don't. #ThugLyfe is perfectly acceptable. What else would you say? "That gentleman sitting over there with the pound sign on his t-shirt and a funny little saying."?

If you are using slang to shame a person or group, then absolutely not. As for knowing your audience, I say that because I stopped reading a story the other day because of this. I'm in my thirties and even I was embarrassed. She is in her latter thirties and was telling a story about conflict with landlords and advice for younger people facing that. All was great until she said, "my landlord wasn't on the up and up." Completely okay to say under 21 years of age but saying it as a grown adult took away her reliability in my eyes. She is my age and works a 9-5 job in a professional office like me and we are both white females who live in fairly nice areas.

Saying "up and up" implied that she knows what teens do and she is savvy to their street game. Okay, no. If you wear JCrew preppy blazers and Frye riding boots and post a picture on Pinterest of your outfit every morning while holding a Starbucks with a matching scarf, you do not know anyone who is on the "up and up." The audience was adults and young teens. I would've taken to it better if she said, "We used to say 'he wasn't on the up and up.'"

That way, she wouldn't alienate teens by assuming she knows what they are doing. We were all teens, and parents rarely knew everything we did. She would also keep the attention of the older audience by showing her life now is as she presents it but she was cool at one point. Humility goes a long way but don't take it to the point of self shame.

I created this account just to answer this question because I've had to balance this very question as well. The most important thing is to show respect for your readers in whatever way you think that might be. I was sad to see a couple of answers scold you when you asked for advice. Scolding someone in the creative process can really alienate people, especially women against women. I just wanted you or anyone reading this to know there is no guidebook. And, if you refer to Urban Dictionary to see what terms mean, please for the love of God remember that teens write fake definitions sometimes hoping someone takes the bait. I have to admit it is extremely funny, but just be warned! Good luck in your endeavors.

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