Comments on: Swear Words in YA Fiction 2.0

By: Mariah

Mariah — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:33:24 +0000

I happen to be a teenager so I have a little more exposure to the real language used by teens. Especially when not being hounded by overprotective parents. I myself don’t swear to excess, but I’m the exception. Even I, who’s nicknamed “saint” in school, drop a curse word if I’m upset or wish to punctuate my point. I also suggest you stop comparing yourself to teens today. It’s a new world and generation. Curse words are losing their taboo status. It’s ridiculous to say that you can write around a word correctly. Honestly. You’re not being true to your character so why even bother to continue writing? You obviously don’t like the character you’re writing for. It messes the flow up and fractures the thought process of the reader. I, for one, am left for at least five paragraphs after that ruminating over the actual word that would authentically be there. As for you parents, I’m honestly sorry to say, but your kids are going to hear them anyway. It doesn’t matter how hard you strong arm them and monitor them. They ARE going to see it, hear it, and say it at some point. The point of growing up is being exposed to things and then learning how you want to implement that into your own life. By limiting you child’s world they aren’t going to be prepared when faced with it. My opinion is. Grow the flying monkeys up please. (see my point?) Cursing is a part of life and sure it’s going to turn off some readers, but if used correctly in most cases it will be read by without a thought. Have a little faith in your children and the way you’ve raised them or they will eventually start to resent you… So I restate my point. Grow the fuck up please…your children and readers will thank you.

By: Kris Dinnison

Kris Dinnison — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:35:57 +0000

I have been a person who works with kids and a person who writes for kids. I know that putting swearing (or sex, or drugs, or violence, or religion, or….) in a book may mean some people won’t buy it. But if the swearing feels more true to a character than not swearing, I leave it in.

By: Kate Ternus

Kate Ternus — Sat, 01 May 2010 13:53:14 +0000

Sometimes, an occasional hell or damn just flies out of a character’s mouth. Call it heat of the moment, or natural to that character, there it is. Even so, to clean it up and substitute a euphemism makes it still a swear word…and, if it’s quite obviously a substitute, well, it’s an even bigger swear word since an adult has obviously tried to pain it out like grafitti on a wall.

By: Erica Olson

Erica Olson — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:18:53 +0000

Bongo – If you’re still around, I’m adding the “Erica is all-knowing” part to the bio of my query. Thanks for it.

By: Toni

Toni — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:44:05 +0000

P.S.: Though I didn’t specify swearing as the bad behavior, my opinion is that if the shoe fits your character they must wear it.

By: Toni

Toni — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:39:08 +0000

Mary, your post has come in the nick of time. As someone who has worked with kids as well as written for kids, I struggled with this issue in my first published novel as well as the writing I continue to create. The MC of my MG gives her father “gator powder” so that he will fall asleep, giving her the opportunity to run away (he’s abusive and works as a gator wrestler in the Everglades). Though I thought I’d catch lots of flack for this, countless students who have read my book (it’s taught in my district) have never metioned the gator powder once when I go in to do a book talk with them! Neither do the teachers who teach the book. Instead, the kids key into my main character’s feelings of abandoment and helplessness and her ultimate victory.

By: Bongo

Bongo — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 21:52:07 +0000

Surely there should be a limit to how many Marys can contribute to one blog. There’s only one Bongo, Franz and Erica.

Yes, I’ve decided: The Marys should definitely discuss this and one of them must change her name. I’m partial to Mustafa. But perhaps this should be put to a vote.

Or, since Erica is all knowing, perhaps she should decide the new name. Crapper perhaps?

By: Erica Olson

Erica Olson — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 21:36:00 +0000

Mary – I don’t know why I’m adding to the Bongo discussion, but FYI – there was a post in the previous swearing discussion by someone named Mary who referenced her two children. I’m sure the rest of us knew it wasn’t you by the absence of the kidlit icon and the fact that you could click on her name and go to an entirely different blog. As for the post, I commented in the last discussion. Swear words are what they are. No more, no less.

(Oh yeah, Franz – I think I not only heard that Crapper invented the toilet, but I’m pretty sure I’ve contributed to spreading the rumor. Shit.)

By: Bongo

Bongo — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:51:14 +0000

Dearest Mary,

Ahhh, that’s the fire that Bongo so loves! So no kids, huh? That is a relief. What about the minivan? That could still be a deal killer for me. I do have an image to uphold.

By: Amy

Amy — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Mary, I usually hate this, but I feel compelled to clarify –

My “your” as in “your pro-swearing slogan” refers to Mary. But then I switch to “you” later as in “maybe you think” – and that’s a general “you” — SOMEONE is bound to think I’m too restrictive with my current policy with my children!

This always reminds me of the importance of reading your ms in a different way — i.e. on a printout, or a different computer. Things always pop out at you that didn’t when you proofread in your original software!