What to do with @#$!*# swear words?

Chicken Warrior · 01-07-2006, 05:30 PM

Is it acceptible to have swear words in writing for kids/teens these days?

I'm currently writing a book (or two

) and I've never really been worried about there beeing a lot of profanity in them, but if I ever try and publish anything, this could be a problem.

Of course it's only in the dialogue, and no more frequent than it is in your average high school conversation, but that's still quite a bit, possibly to an extent that editors may consider excessive. I could always use the good old @#*%^s, but it kind of defeats the purpose considering I'm trying to be as realistic as possible.

What do you guys do? Do you have any magic solutions or experience with publishing anything with profanity in it? Kids hear it all the time anyways, so I'm not really sure why people are (and always have been) so picky. Ah well, that's (North) America for ya'.

**JEM** · 01-07-2006, 05:34 PM

I don't have any experiance with publishers, but I think that if the swear words are used for a reason, keep them. If you are using a "teenage" vocabulary, then of course you should use it. The only reason not to use swear words is if you just drop them in there for the fun of it.

Good luck.

Isis · 01-07-2006, 09:45 PM

Make sure there's a purpose. Maybe slim down on it more than you hear it in normal conversation. Maybe you limit the "normal" amount of swearing to one character, and that's just how that character is. Everyone else can just say "what the hell, man" or "sit your ass down!" as situations arise, but not consistantly.

Unwilling · 01-07-2006, 10:57 PM

Make the cursing sound real. personally, I can't imagine anyone going "OMG1 cursing1 what do I dooo?" when they read a curse. Like Isis, make sure there's a purpose to the cursing. You don't want to be like Shadow the Hedgehog and say "Damn" one too many times to the point where people parody it. Just don't overdo it; there's nothing worse then seeing a writing try to sound overly masculine or tough with cursing.

daz3026 · 01-07-2006, 11:07 PM

hey warrior. well idk if this post wil be of ne help. but though u could u words from a teen.

i will be in high school next year but even in jh everyone swears. ... u hear a lot of "****" "****" "god damn it" "ass" " mofo"
and .. I .. think that if u want to make ur book as realistic as possible..idk try putting urself in the diaologue and write wut u would say. .. well wait.. idk how old u are if ur and adult or a teen.. if ur an adult then try to go sumwhere where alot of teens are and pay attention to how they speak..

this post is prolly of no help but yea..
byez

daz3026 · 01-07-2006, 11:08 PM

hey warrior its me again, daz. well i noticed that teen lit covers swear words..... in ***'s but i think u prolly have an idea of wut words i was ging for like the f word, the shhhh it thing ...or the god da*** it.

Ameerah8 · 01-08-2006, 05:18 AM

But then in some places people just swear for every other word. I mean when your talking you really don't notice it but if your trying not to swear you notice that there is a LOT of it going around you. So I think that the ammount of swearing you put in you writting depends on what your writting about. some characters curse more than needed but thats their character, I think the publishers will understand that and respect that, and if the reader is to young to hear it then they won't read it.

Chicken Warrior · 01-08-2006, 01:49 PM

Yes, that's exactly the problem. Every second word a swear word IS, basically, their entire character (don't worry, they don't have a very big part anyways

). The main character even comments on their lack of creative swearing. Yet I'm convinced that publishers won't be too happy to see the F word a dozen times over two pages. Luckily, swearing is never a necessity

daz3026 · 01-08-2006, 01:51 PM

Very true, swear words arnt a necessity but they do make the character!

runnerkgirl · 01-09-2006, 09:44 PM

i think swear words are ok if its just a few in the diolaugue (can't spell) especially if it makes the scentence funny. Some times they can even lighten up a conversation and make the book more interesting.
just be careful about using the same swear word over and over again, i read this one book that said the D word (i know thats junior highish but other wise it would be edited out here) about 10 times just on one page.

Kayla

01-07-2006, 05:30 PM	#1
Chicken Warrior TeenLit Regular Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 40	*What to do with @#$!# swear words?** Is it acceptible to have swear words in writing for kids/teens these days? I'm currently writing a book (or two ) and I've never really been worried about there beeing a lot of profanity in them, but if I ever try and publish anything, this could be a problem. Of course it's only in the dialogue, and no more frequent than it is in your average high school conversation, but that's still quite a bit, possibly to an extent that editors may consider excessive. I could always use the good old @#*%^s, but it kind of defeats the purpose considering I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. What do you guys do? Do you have any magic solutions or experience with publishing anything with profanity in it? Kids hear it all the time anyways, so I'm not really sure why people are (and always have been) so picky. Ah well, that's (North) America for ya'.

01-07-2006, 05:34 PM	#2
JEM Administrator Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 424	I don't have any experiance with publishers, but I think that if the swear words are used for a reason, keep them. If you are using a "teenage" vocabulary, then of course you should use it. The only reason not to use swear words is if you just drop them in there for the fun of it. Good luck. __________________ Joseph Your Favorite Forum Community Leader

01-07-2006, 09:45 PM	#3
Isis Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 276	Make sure there's a purpose. Maybe slim down on it more than you hear it in normal conversation. Maybe you limit the "normal" amount of swearing to one character, and that's just how that character is. Everyone else can just say "what the hell, man" or "sit your ass down!" as situations arise, but not consistantly. __________________ http://www.intunemonthly.com/forums Please click above and help me make a living! Come chat about music at InTune. You want to. You know you do. Cheers!

01-07-2006, 11:07 PM	#5
daz3026 TeenLit Regular Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 44	coming from a teen! hey warrior. well idk if this post wil be of ne help. but though u could u words from a teen. i will be in high school next year but even in jh everyone swears. ... u hear a lot of "**" "**" "god damn it" "ass" " mofo" and .. I .. think that if u want to make ur book as realistic as possible..idk try putting urself in the diaologue and write wut u would say. .. well wait.. idk how old u are if ur and adult or a teen.. if ur an adult then try to go sumwhere where alot of teens are and pay attention to how they speak.. this post is prolly of no help but yea.. byez __________________ •\|--Daz--\|•

01-07-2006, 11:08 PM	#6
daz3026 TeenLit Regular Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 44	me again hey warrior its me again, daz. well i noticed that teen lit covers swear words..... in *'s but i think u prolly have an idea of wut words i was ging for like the f word, the shhhh it thing ...or the god da* it. __________________ •\|--Daz--\|•

01-07-2006, 10:57 PM	#4
Unwilling TeenLit Regular Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 67	Make the cursing sound real. personally, I can't imagine anyone going "OMG1 cursing1 what do I dooo?" when they read a curse. Like Isis, make sure there's a purpose to the cursing. You don't want to be like Shadow the Hedgehog and say "Damn" one too many times to the point where people parody it. Just don't overdo it; there's nothing worse then seeing a writing try to sound overly masculine or tough with cursing.

01-08-2006, 05:18 AM	#7
Ameerah8 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 214	But then in some places people just swear for every other word. I mean when your talking you really don't notice it but if your trying not to swear you notice that there is a LOT of it going around you. So I think that the ammount of swearing you put in you writting depends on what your writting about. some characters curse more than needed but thats their character, I think the publishers will understand that and respect that, and if the reader is to young to hear it then they won't read it. __________________ Birds of a feather flock together, And so will pigs and swine; Rats and mice can have their choice And so will I have mine.

01-08-2006, 01:49 PM	#8
Chicken Warrior TeenLit Regular Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 40	Yes, that's exactly the problem. Every second word a swear word IS, basically, their entire character (don't worry, they don't have a very big part anyways ). The main character even comments on their lack of creative swearing. Yet I'm convinced that publishers won't be too happy to see the F word a dozen times over two pages. Luckily, swearing is never a necessity

01-08-2006, 01:51 PM	#9
daz3026 TeenLit Regular Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 44	Very true, swear words arnt a necessity but they do make the character! __________________ •\|--Daz--\|•

01-09-2006, 09:44 PM	#10
runnerkgirl TeenLit Regular Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 38	i think swear words are ok if its just a few in the diolaugue (can't spell) especially if it makes the scentence funny. Some times they can even lighten up a conversation and make the book more interesting. just be careful about using the same swear word over and over again, i read this one book that said the D word (i know thats junior highish but other wise it would be edited out here) about 10 times just on one page. Kayla __________________ Be who you want to be, not who other's tell you to be...origionality is fun! I love green!!!!

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