Writers have quite a way with words. It's kind of our thing, you know? Our stories' meanings often go much deeper than surface level and, for a lot of us, it's an accomplishment when we create an environment that encourages critical thinking and self-reflection for our readers.
Readers may also find their own understanding of our words or add new meanings of their own. They may notice things about our stories that we as the writer did not and view them differently from us based on their individual lived experiences. That's the beauty of writing. Everyone can come away from the same piece of writing with a unique, personal experience.
Sometimes, though, things might get lost in translation or misinterpreted, which can create some humorous situations.
That was precisely the case for me and the phrase, "Fuck around and find out."
Even though I'm online a fair bit, as most of us are, I'm rarely up to date with internet slang. These days, I tend to get the lingo secondhand, overhearing it in passing conversation.
My introduction to FAFO was via Etsy of all places. Specifically, this sticker from XrayGirlCreations. I was shopping for laptop stickers and came across this one, and it was an instant purchase for me.
Seriously, I love this thing so much I bought a second one when I had to replace my laptop.
There's something about the combination of adult language and pretty flowers that just speaks to me, you know?
Now, according to the Urban Dictionary entry, the phrase is typically used as a response to a threat. For example, if someone says they're going to kick you where the sun don't shine, you might reply with, "Fuck around and find out" as a warning. It's similar to "Go ahead and see what happens" or "Don't test me."
But did I know this upon placing my order? Of course not. I didn't even learn what FAFO is actually intended to mean until almost a year later!
So what was my interpretation?
To me, I understood "Fuck around and find out" as a celebration of experimentation. The notion of messing around (the "fuck around" half) and finding out what happens when you try something new.
As a Plantser, I don't always know what direction my stories are headed in, even if I do have an outline. I have a sense of who I want my characters to be but I'm often discovering who they truly are as I write them. Things change or come to me unexpectedly, and I do my best to roll with it.
It was honestly giving Ms. Frizzle vibes. Like she always says, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.” That's what writing is all about. It's a process of trial and error.
And, as Ms. Frizzle also said, "If at first you don't succeed, find out why." AKA, if something isn't working in your story, figure out what it is and rework it.
I won't lie. I'm sure that anyone who knows me in real life would not expect me to have a "Fuck around and find out" sticker on my laptop, regardless of how floral it may be. At least, not in its original context.
But it's not always about what is intended by something, but what you interpret it to be. You decide its meaning.
The same goes for writing. We can weave in any themes or messages we want with the hopes that our readers will pick up on them, but we cannot guarantee the work will be received as we intend. We all pick up books with our own lived experiences and perceptions of the world, which in turn impact how we experience the work and what we take away from it.
Like Samuel Johnson once said, “A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.”
So, no, I don't have the FAFO sticker for its original context. Instead, I got it with my own interpretation in mind. Whenever I open up my laptop to write, I'm reminded to take a chance on a new idea and see what happens. To fuck around and find out as a writer, but to also have fun with it.
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