1. Style is about choices. Settle on a style that reinforces the identity you want your work or your publication to have–your own style sheet. But let it evolve as usage does, on the weather front where “standard” butts up against “nonstandard.” Same with dictionaries. A lot of our dirty words *are* in them. Pick one you like and let it be part of your style sheet. The Chicago Manual, among stylebooks, is excellent for giving a rationale for such decisions, a way of thinking rather than just a bunch of rules.

2. Compounds seem to evolve toward closed-up-ness. Back when I made my living as a copy editor–copyeditor?–this thing we’re writing on now was a Web site, even to Wired magazine. In Webster’s it still is; American Heritage gives website, and I’ll wager most folks now think that’s “right.” And really, back then, according to Webster’s, I was a copy editor, even though what I did was copyediting. Now, no doubt, I’d be a copyeditor. Or unemployed.

3. On the other hand, even though these words may be evolving toward a closed style, an open style is usually preferable if it conveys the meaning you want. Best not to litter your copy with hyphens.

4. Be guided by meaning–and, like poets, by the music of the words, the way they *feel*. Consider “I’m a word perv; reading about spelling gives me a hard on.” No, it doesn’t; it definitely gives me a hardon. Consider the difference between a “cock sucker” and a “cocksucker,” and certainly between a “mother fucker” and a “motherfucker.”

“Come” is always used as a verb.
Ex. I’m going to come in your mouth.

“Cum” is always used as a noun
Ex. There was cum all over her face.

1 blow job.
2 hand job
3 ass cheeks
4 doggy style
5 G spot
6 G string
7 cock slut, I like that one, it sounds dirty and things that sound dirty excite me. What can I say, Honey? I’m a Dirty Old Man.

8 bare assed, now on this one, my spell check, really gave me big balls! It doesn’t like ASSED!
I guess it wants us to use something less exciting. Well maybe you say something like this, “butt naked” That’s not too hot, but spell check didn’t break my balls about it either.

Or you can, just say to yourself, Screw it, and add it to your dictionary. That’s what I just did.

9 fuckfest this is another one, spell check doesn’t like either!

That freaking spell check thing, doesn’t like anything that sounds HOT.
Needless to say I like fuckfest! So Screw grammar and spell check!
I’m adding fuckfest to my Dictionary too.

10 butt plug

Thanks for the suggestion!

Variant spellings are the blessing and the curse of the English language. After reading your comments I think I’m going to take City Different’s advice and create a style sheet based on my own preferred spellings and stick with it. Such is the luxury of having one’s own publishing company—the House Style trumps all other styles. Muwahahhahahaha!!

I still don’t agree that “hardon” should be a closed compound. It just looks weird to me.

Laurel, I can certainly expand this list further if you like. I have a whole list of dirty words that I’ve complied since getting into the erotica biz (for copyediting purposes). Yep, I’m really making great use of that English Degree I paid so much for. My mother would be very proud.

(Also, I see “hard-on” more often than the alternative.)

Here’s my take:

1. blowjob
2. handjob
3. asscheeks
4. doggy-style
5. G spot
6. g-string
7. cock slut or cockslut < Both. Context dependent, imo
8. bare-assed
9. fuckfest
10. strap-on dildo
11. hardon but don't confuse it with hadron
12. butt plug