In the spring, I joined Threads, and what a vibrant literary community that app has! Shortly after joining Threads, I encountered a lively debate there regarding the use of “fuck” in fantasy and whether it was anachronistic. Some replies argued that in fantasy, you can do what you want, which sparked counterarguments about respecting genre rules. It’s been a few months since this debate, but I have thoughts on this that I couldn’t fit into a Threads post, and I wanted to weigh in!

As is often the case, my stance is somewhere in the middle. One of my favourite aspects of the fantasy genre is the freedom to be creative with your decisions. In many ways, your imagination is the limit in fantasy, but I also feel that you owe readers believability within the world you build. This may mean avoiding anachronisms…but it may not.

I think of the lamppost in Narnia, for example. Perhaps that’s anachronistic, but it works within the world. If it’s conscious, deliberate, and justifiable within the world’s logic, perhaps there isn’t a problem.

To me, other elements are more important than whether you include or avoid certain cursewords or lampposts. I think readers can forgive certain quirks, especially if you, the author, have a reason for them. Less forgivable are flat characters, unbelievable plot lines, or clunky dialogue. 

And in terms of the original debate over “fuck,” that word actually dates back to the fourteenth century, according to Merriam-Webster, so sometimes readers perceive certain elements as anachronistic even if they aren’t. You can’t please everyone, so I think it’s better to make strong world choices and commit. 

Personally, I have no problem with “fuck” in fantasy (and if you’ve read Into Shadow, you’ll know I have used it myself). I feel that language my audience connects with is the best language for me to use.

I also feel that fantasy can be inspired by a particular era without being ruled by it. If you write historical fantasy, this may not be the case, but in epic fantasy, I think it’s very fair to pick and choose from different eras. The goal is not to accurately reflect an era, but rather to build a believable world from a variety of influences to make your point and serve your story. If that includes some anachronisms, historical accuracy was never the point, really.

So, I’m not totally against anachronisms in fantasy. If an anachronism is logical within the story and serves the story, I think it’s fine! However, in fantasy, rules matter within the context the author builds, so while you make the rules, you also need to follow them. This may be something difficult to judge by yourself, and if you consciously include anachronisms, it’s important to listen to beta reader and editor feedback. I think all authors want to create a good reader experience, so if it stands out to your readers as not working, then maybe you should rethink the anachronism. But if your anachronism serves your world and it works for your early readers, I think it can be okay.

What are your thoughts on historical accuracy in fantasy? Comment below!