Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Cursing in YA

[jackiekessler]

I'm working on a new YA dark fantasy novel, and as I'm getting to know the main character, I realize she's a hell of a lot darker than the protagonist in my first YA novel, Hunger. She's angrier. And she reacts to that anger in many ways...including cursing

Comments

[cathellisen]

Some teenagers swear, some don't. I say go with what feels right for your character. If your ed feels it's excessive, she'll get you to tone it down.

But pleas please please - made up swear-words (unless they work for a particular setting) are so lame - don't do this. My suspension of disbelief only goes so far, and made-up curses tend to trip me.

While it's not fantasy, I know Hannah Moskowitz's Break (a YA novel coming out soonish from Simon Pulse) has somethign like 70 uses of the f bomb - and it's only about 50k. So there you go.

[jackiekessler]

Thanks. I'm not making up any new curses (that I know of). The MC is very emotional and very dark, and we're in close third.

[moonwolf23]

How will the cursing effect school or libraries buying it?

Honestly, if I were reading it and there was excessive cursing, I'd probably put it down.

Would it work if you used the word Freaking instead of the fbomb?

[jackiekessler]

The only reason why "freaking" isn't a good substitute for the MC is because she's called a "freak" and loathes it. For her, "freaking" would be more excessive than the other f-word.

[skysailor]

"fricking" is also a sub for f-bomb. As is "effing".

[lesleen]

I read Lili St. Crow's Strange Angels and she had lots of cursing (f bombs, etc.). It didn't bother me and if I had a teenager I wouldn't hesitate to give it to her or him to read. I would however express that I didn't want her to talk like that. I do have a problem with using the p word (p*ssy) and c word (c*nt) but the fbomb and sh*t and such like that, SOB, are fine especially if it fits the character.

[jackiekessler]

It's interesting how some words are more...offensive?...than others. I personally despise the c-word, so other than the erotic novella (in which the c-word and p-word were more part of the story vernacular), I rarely use it...and when I do, it's only when the situation calls for it. (IMO, of course.)

[lilifae]

I remember when I first started reading YA when I moved to the UK I was stunned when I picked up Tithe by Holly Black and OMG!! there was swearing in it. I felt shocked because I'd not ever seen it before but then I thought...why not!? My neighbour's teenage son swears like a trooper, so do I when I'm angry, why not have a main character in a novel use rough language? It is descriptive and can indicate stress and anger much better - show not tell, remember!

So, if she cusses, then do it - as long as it is not gratuitious, which most readers will pick up on pretty quickly, it should be okay.

[jackiekessler]

LOL -- I just read TITHE for the first time the other week, and I was blown away. That got me to start thinking more about cursing, which until then I'd thought was probably limited to s*** but not f***. Shows what I know!

[jhetley]

I didn't write SUMMER COUNTRY as a YA. The central character uses "f******" as a universal adjective. Made me wince a bit, being old-fogy, when Library Journal reviewed the book for YA audiences . . .

[jackiekessler]

Heh. Yeah, I can see that. I did a ROAD TO HELL reading when the book came out...and there were two kids in the audience. Reading an emotional scene with certain words substituted with "bleep" sort of lessens the impact. But it's a great comedic tool...