tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post8462488188076091930..comments2023-10-04T04:05:26.777-07:00Comments on Adventures In Writing: To swear or not to swear?Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04313619484424363895noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-91421612570984812542010-04-29T02:21:27.230-07:002010-04-29T02:21:27.230-07:00Thank you everyone for your amazing comments.
Tim...Thank you everyone for your amazing comments. <br />Time constraints are biting at my heels this morning, so I will get back to replying to them later tonight (I tried last night but laptop went crazy, lol).Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04313619484424363895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-51364720627324335352010-04-28T19:40:44.908-07:002010-04-28T19:40:44.908-07:00For me, I stay away from writing swear words. That...For me, I stay away from writing swear words. That doesn't mean I don't have slang or the occasional ... but I think readers can fill in the blank. It's like Karen said, people who like books with swearing will buy books that have it. Readers who don't like it will find authors who stay away from it. It's a big world out there and there's room for everyone. :)Kathi Oram Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11959149321213743448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-82935965116874014102010-04-28T16:16:08.868-07:002010-04-28T16:16:08.868-07:00I think parents who don't allow their children...I think parents who don't allow their children to read a novel because of a few foul words is just wrong. I think if they are used they should be used with caution.<br /><br />I have thought about using it in my YA novel, however if I can avoid it and don't have to then I won't. I think it has to do with what your character is like. My character is a free flowing teenager so a few slip-ups might happen... <br /><br />Great post, something we should all think about!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667521490706435608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-17959196638115048362010-04-28T13:31:23.457-07:002010-04-28T13:31:23.457-07:00People who are offended by the swearing will not r...People who are offended by the swearing will not read books by those authors. There are plenty of books to suit everyone. It is a personal choice of the author, and the publisher and ultimately the reader.Karen Jones Gowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01153821980625034810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-45027574565405727972010-04-28T12:41:26.365-07:002010-04-28T12:41:26.365-07:00I agree, I think it's all a matter of characte...I agree, I think it's all a matter of character. If it's something the character would say, then fine. And there are some situations where you need to use a swear word to get the emotion of the character across.Jessica Ann Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14131293013101275074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-6251245371161008072010-04-28T09:37:34.133-07:002010-04-28T09:37:34.133-07:000I think if it fits the character and the tone of ...0I think if it fits the character and the tone of the story, use it, but don't abuse it!<br /><br />Glad to find you, I'm a new follower! Hope to see you over at my blog some day too :-)Gailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00031330729309997361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-16775586274902018192010-04-28T09:01:06.761-07:002010-04-28T09:01:06.761-07:00I wholeheartedly agree with your post. Swear words...I wholeheartedly agree with your post. Swear words in YA equal swear words in real life. Not writing them doesn't mean they're not real, and writing them shouldn't be seen as a sign of bad judgment. <br /><br />I believe in story and characters. If both require good ol' f-bomb, so be it. My WIP has two, and they're meant to be funny. Guess we'll see if they are ;)Amparo Ortizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05751368034351196820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-77538085091079631652010-04-28T07:01:26.270-07:002010-04-28T07:01:26.270-07:00I'm with these guys. If it is something the ch...I'm with these guys. If it is something the character would do (regardless of age)...Go for it.Mayowahttp://www.penswithcojones.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-87626356314398473212010-04-28T06:44:24.430-07:002010-04-28T06:44:24.430-07:00In my first draft the toughest I went was hell and...In my first draft the toughest I went was hell and damn.<br /><br />Now I'm revising and switching to first person and to be true to character I have to make it a little dirtier. When I was the narrator it was okay to stay cleaner, but with the MC narrating that just doesn't work.<br /><br />My daughter is 14 and she tries not to swear in front of us but I know she swears.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-41728237380318455492010-04-28T06:26:05.731-07:002010-04-28T06:26:05.731-07:00I have teens and yes, they swear quite a bit, espe...I have teens and yes, they swear quite a bit, especially when there's a group of them. I don't try to stop it - my only rule is that they don't talk that way around me, grandparents, elders in the community, etc. Otherwise, they're going to do it and I have better battles to fight.<br /><br />My characters swear at times as well. Again, I don't try to censor them. If that's they way the would respond, then that's how they respond. I think it's more important to stay true to your characters than worry about offending someone. <br /><br />Let's face it, no matter what you write, someone somewhere will take offense - it's just the world we live in.Jaydee Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069805915071090479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-49829579390060956712010-04-28T05:33:03.142-07:002010-04-28T05:33:03.142-07:00There's swearing in my wip, but it's mostl...There's swearing in my wip, but it's mostly the guys who are doing it. I don't over do it, though. But it is believable in the given situation. It would be less believable if the teenage guy didn't swear.<br /><br />My 7 and 10 yo are driving me nuts with the swearing. They pick it up from school. Turns out they didn't realize that some of the things they were saying were actually swear words. At least that's their story.Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-65001735797464747512010-04-28T04:58:47.172-07:002010-04-28T04:58:47.172-07:00I don't really think about it. If it's rig...I don't really think about it. If it's right for a character or for the story, it usually happens of its own accord. And who am I to censor...er, myself or my characters when it's the right time for it.Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915603693944523761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6227786909099691933.post-66317712138089283652010-04-28T03:52:45.572-07:002010-04-28T03:52:45.572-07:00Interesting question! I think it all comes down t...Interesting question! I think it all comes down to tone and character. <br /><br />I wasn't much of a swearer either. In junior high it was daring of me to say "Oh my God" or "Hell". It just doesn't come naturally to me.<br /><br />I think it's tricky, but if you're going for realistic dialogue, in some instances it would be stranger not to include the odd swear word.<br /><br />I tell my 14 year old that I know she swears around her friends. It's good that she respects us enough to refrain in our presence. I fully encourage her to swear if the situation demands it. If someone is picking on her, for example.Vicki Rochohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07381089434014961076noreply@blogger.com