The Writer's Resource - A Compilation of Helpful Writing Guides

A Guide on How to Write a Southern Character

❀ The guide below is for anyone who is trying to write a Southern Character and isn't quite sure how. It includes, common phrases, actions, and how not to portray your southerner. This has guide has been written by a southerner.If you have a suggestion or something you think should be added to this guide, please leave a comment. ❀ 

❀ This guide was found on tumblr, and was created by scarredsurvivior ► http://scarredsurvivor.tumblr.com/post/70514328518/how-to-write-a-southerner-slang-and-accents , Information from section "Consider the Varieties" is from commenter ►Anonymous4321 ❀ 

Being from the Southern U.S., I often see people trying o write southern characters but not doing it…correctly. Often times, either someone tries a little too hard with writing the accent or they don’t show it enough. There is rarely a perfect medium for that. So I’m here to help you out and give you a big ol’ guide on how to write characters that live in the South, talk with a good ol’ Southern ‘twang’, and at the end of the day - do it all the way it should be done. Under the cut you will find everything from slang terms and how to write our accents to what the terms mean.

Hopefully none of this sounds too trite! Also if you have problems with this little guide - message me and tell me what your issue is. Remember, I’m from the South myself and only wrote what I know and have experienced first hand.

✦  Let’s begin with slang terms and phrases commonly used ✦ 

◊ The term "Bless your heart!" is one I hear a lot. Basically, it can be used as a way of saying you feel bad for someone or it can be used sarcastically. Sometimes it’s a nicer way of calling someone an idiot if used sarcastically. Otherwise it’s a term used for showing pity and sympathy. It’s said frequently here in the South but not so often that people hear it every single day so don’t over do this one! 

◊ "Y'all" is plural, first and foremost so only use it when your character is speaking to more than one person at a time. It literally means "you all" and is just a shorter way of saying it.

◊ “Ain't" is another word that basically is another way of saying "isn’t". This one just sort of rolls off the tongue and is used in large quantities. Another one that should not be over done though since a lot of people in the South actually use proper English skills. 

◊ “Over Yonder" is another way of saying "over there" and is a phrase I hear from time to time. Depending on who I’m talking to but it’s not something everyone says so, depending on just how Southern you want the character to be, use it more or less frequently. Used in a sentence: "The kid left his ball over yonder and now I have to go get it."

◊ "Know what I'm sayin'?” is another way of saying “Do you agree with me?” or “Do you understand?” I say this a lot to my family and real life friends. This is a good phrase to use! 

◊ "Redneck" is a slightly offensive term that, to some, can mean bigot or ignorant. However, some people take this as a good term meaning they’re nothing more than a "good ol' boy"  type. "Good ol' boy" types are just men that are proud of their Southern heritage and they show it.

◊ "Holler" or "Hollerin" means to shout at someone or something. It can be used in a sentence like this "Quit hollerin' at me! You're gonna make me go deaf over here!"

◊ "Fixin" means you’re getting ready to do something. That or it could be used in reference to side dishes. Used in a sentence: "I'm fixin' to go out and run some errands."

Outside of using little phrases and some slang terms; we tend to speak perfect English. Sometimes it can come off as a little bit broken but we try. We do. So my advice would be to spell out words as they are and toss in a few phrases, slang terms, and drop a g or two from time to time. But don’t go overboard. You can make things too difficult to read and that can scare off writers if they don’t understand. Also, keep in mind that we’re not all stereotypes that you see on TV. We’re not all like the guys of Duck Dynasty or the characters on King of the Hill. We’re just like everyone else except we have our own slang and accents.

Speaking of accents, ours are nothing like what you will see on television. Not all of us sound like Blanche Deveroux (The Golden Girls), Hank Hill (King of the Hill), or even like the characters on The Walking Dead. Accents can vary from state to state, even county to county, so one person could sound like they’re from Texas and another could sound like a southern belle from Georgia. And they could both be from the same state. It helps to actually look up people from where your characters are from!  

✦ Consider the accent varieties! ✦ 

Appalachian, Gullah, Bayou, Tidewater, etc. Each has its own quirks and regional phrases, and if you're trying to write one accurately, I'd spend some time with literature featuring  characters who speak that dialect. Moreover, you find great socioeconomic variety in accent and vocabulary across the South, depending on whether the accent in question is seen as a handicap or a regional badge of belonging. For example, an Atlanta native might sound more or less southern, but odds are the urbanite won't have as deep an accent as, say, someone from out in the sticks. You also need to consider age-- an old Montgomery native might sound like an extra from To Kill a Mockingbird, while a younger person from the same city who has had greater exposure to the "standard" American accent might exhibit much less of a southern accent.

✖  If you have a term, phrase, or something else you think should be added to this guide leave a comment! ✖