[Discussion] Cursing in writing

So, I wanted to ask you guys if you use profanity in your writing.

Honestly, as much as I curse irl and on this forum, in my writing? I try to not use profanity anymore unless I feel it fits with the world/the characters.

When I wrote my novel in 2014, I only let the bad characters curse. I never let the main characters use profanity. I felt like, at the time, "only the bad guys are allowed to curse because they're villains." I just felt like it made sense at the time that only antagonist characters were allowed to utter profane language.

In the current thing I'm writing (it's a Genshin fanfiction) the characters in the game don't really curse, so I have chosen to not allow profanity at all in it. Like, it just doesn't make sense for the characters to curse in a Genshin Impact fanfiction if they don't curse in the actual story. It just doesn't feel right. I want to be as authentic as possible, so I've chosen to not use curse words altogether in my Genshin fanfic. This includes tame ones like "damn/hell/crap". Won't use those whatsoever.

Pokemon, too, I'm not sure if I'd use profane language in a Pokemon fic. Definitely feels wrong to me, but I would let a few characters if I were to write one say hell. That's probably it, though. I would never, ever use the f-bomb in a Pokemon fanfiction. For me, personally, I'd feel wrong doing it.

I do use "crude language" though like stupid, idiot, etcetera obviously these aren't curse words/profanity.

So, for me personally, it depends on the world and the characters. And the setting. Like, for example, if I were writing a story that takes place in Japan, I probably wouldn't use profanity. I'm very iffy about using bad language in storytelling these days. I don't know why. I definitely do not write stories aimed at children, my stuff is violent. I guess I just feel like "cursing would ruin the experience" so I try to never write profanity in prose anymore except for some of the tamer ones (damn/hell/crap/ass) and that's really it.

If anyone tells you that you should never use profanity in your writing, you should immediately disregard any and all writing advice they give you. If it makes sense for a character to use profane language and it is appropriate for your target audience, use profane language. When someone stands on a rusty nail barefoot, they aren't going to calmly say "Gosh darn it. Curse my misfortune this fine day" they're going to shout loudly and say "fuck."

Cursing is a language tool like any other language tool. If it fits the character, setting, and scene then it would be fine to include. I think oftentimes cursing gets a negative light because some fics are written by people in their "edgy" teenage phase who try and have as much variety in curse words with adjectives in a sentence (to be fair I was like that once).

Nowadays, I keep it in moderation. Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't so I don't see why my characters in my story would be any different given the circumstances. Now, variety in curses and what would be a curse defined is up to how the writer crafts the world and I find oftentimes more interesting than the classic ones we all know and love (and hate).

But yeah, like Gimmie said. It's honestly up to the work and character in question whether it's suitable or not.

Gonna repeat what the others said that it depends on the characters and their point of view. For instance, in Foul Play Nanu swears on occasion due to him being a hardened police officer and kahuna.

I've had characters curse up a storm because that's just how they are. One of my characters, Persephone, drops curses just as often in her narrative as she does in her spoken word. And then on the opposite end, I've had characters who never curse because they simply don't. My other character from a different work, Wilfred, never cusses, despite the setting of that story being war-ridden and gory. Annie very rarely curses, either, but she'll still cuss if she's injured or in great distress, whereas Wilfred never curses in those situations since he's trained himself to never use those words in the first place.

I would disregard any and all writing tips that include dictating the things your character is "supposed" to say. My writing buddy has a character called Frank that drops that f-slur, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be so offended that they'd say Frank should never use it. But it's in Frank's character to be rude, crude, and purposefully provocative and instigative. He'll drop that slur in front of his gay friend (and ONLY in front of him, not just randomly) with the express purpose of getting punched. Forcing Frank to change what he says, and thus later comes to regret, destroys an important part of his characterization. This goes with any slur or horrible word. If it serves a function within the story, is simply a part of your character, and isn't there just to be loledgy, then there's no reason to get rid of it.

I usually have characters who can curse up a blue streak when they're angry, but also characters who generally are more formal and refrain from swearing.

I think if it's fitting for a character then it's fine that they curse. I'm less inclined to include curses outside of dialogue though. I don't think I've ever used profane language in a story... yet.

It's funny; irl I can honestly be pretty bad-mouthy lol. But when writing? Even typing on Discord and forums and such? It feels more wrong. That carries over to my literary works, and I tend to not make my characters use very foul expressions unless it really does suit the char and situation. But I don't find myself writing such very often tbh.

it depends on the context for me, honestly!

when in casual conversation between two characters, i tend to use it as a way to show that the situation isn't in any way formal. but im like 90% sure that's just because i have a sailor mouth irl lmao

on the other hand, im actually not opposed to keeping language completely clean in literature, either. i especially don't mind when it is absolutely appropriate to do so, such as writing in regards to a fandom or topic that particularly appeals to younger people (i.e., pokemon, sonic, etc).

otherwise, it mostly just depends on whatever i feel is appropriate for that particular situation ¯\_(ツ)_/¯