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/lit/ - Literature

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9632299 No.9632299 [Reply] [Original]

How does /lit/ feel about using curse words in literature?

>> No.9632302

If heads need to roll to stop it, so be it.

>> No.9632304

You stay away from those cursed books kid

>> No.9632306

I think it can be used appropriately, especially in dialogue since it can serve as characterization. I feel edgy when I use it narrating though

>> No.9632318

>>9632299
Unless the author/narrator themself is a character, they should be used only in dialog naturally as the character would day them. Generally, the broader your audience, the less swearing is encouraged--unless in stories where excessive swearing is expected. But if you're writing's good enough, it doesn't matter how much you swear so long as the initial two guidelines stated above are met.

>> No.9632329

I think it's a natural/necessary part of language but it has to have a natural flow to it. My characters (including the first person narrator) curse a lot because that's what's normal in the milieu I write about. It'd just feel forced not do use swearing.
It breaks the immersion for me when you can tell a writer is deliberately avoiding bad words, especially on TV. It just seems forced.

>> No.9632333

>>9632329
God damn it I used the same sentence twice again, that's so exemplary of my writing
gross

>> No.9632339

>>9632333
Then slow your roll. You're not racing to write.

>> No.9632342

it imbues the prose with emotion and impotent rage, which is not somehting you want to transmit if you're trying to be taken seriously

>> No.9632355

Greatly reduces the value of the literature. It is almost always unnecessary. Much like in the average blue-collar conversation it only produces inappropriate low-brow filler.

It was appropriately used in Catcher in the Rye, but other than that I can't think of any other appropriate uses I have read.

>> No.9632394

>>9632339
This

>> No.9632411

>>9632355
Ulysses and quite a few Hemingway novels had some effectively used profanity.

I do agree with you, Catcher In The Rye is probably the best example of well use of excessive profanity.

>> No.9632427
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9632427

>>9632299
this cat is best cat

>> No.9632494

Sometimes it works, especially in dialogue. Almost always sounds edgy though.

>> No.9632519

I wrote a book and only used profanity once. It was the main character saying "damnit" silently to himself after he made a small mistake

>> No.9632576

>>9632329
>It breaks the immersion for me when you can tell a writer is deliberately avoiding bad words,
I don't think I've ever noticed this

>> No.9632597

>>9632576
The narrator of Choke refers to his dick as his dog and says frigging instead of fucking, that's probably the most annoying quirk I've ever seen in a character. I almost physically winced every time I came across that. I have no idea what Palahniuk hoped to achieve with that one. I know his main characters tend to be dweebs, but I just don't get it. It doesn't even help the characterization, it's just plain weird.

>> No.9632918

>>9632597
Palahniuk is a shit writer

>> No.9632936

>>9632299
It depends on the language. Latin, for example, can use them without sounding artificially vulgar.

>> No.9632965
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9632965

>>9632936
go bad to reddit pseud

>> No.9633163

>>9632918
homophobe

>> No.9633170

Just don't do it the way Stephen King does it, unless you're writing for edgy teens.

>> No.9633225

>>9632299
I failed an essay in high school because I let one of the characters curse. He said "shit".