tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post673373866748247044..comments2023-10-26T06:33:50.775-05:00Comments on E.J. Wesley, Author: Four Letter Words in YAAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00273059558675234923noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-38790964927980127162011-02-16T15:24:40.762-06:002011-02-16T15:24:40.762-06:00i read a book recently where the main characters c...i read a book recently where the main characters cussed and cussed and CUSSED and god, it was so annoying--it seemed to be just there, you know, not really serving any purpose?<br />so for me, it HAS to fit in with the character to be there. im not against it, i just dont like it being there for the sake of being there.Aleezahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16101220861428253407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-39069509282791111522011-02-08T00:50:56.658-06:002011-02-08T00:50:56.658-06:00When I write YA, I write for who I was at 16- a gi...When I write YA, I write for who I was at 16- a girl who had never uttered a curse word in her life. But that wasn't the norm 13 years ago, and it's not the norm now. <br /><br />I think it depends on the book, the subject, the audience. <br /><br />I think as authors, we also have to be prepared for the possible consequences of what we write. Whether ppl will say our work is too childish or too mature. <br /><br />I really wish they'd rate books. It would reduce banning books. Because a major argument by would-be bann-ers is that books with 'content' or 'language' shouldn't be where their innocent kids could see it. If a book has 'SOME LANGUAGE' stamped on it, then that argument goes out the window.Claire Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14354840714847021685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-68377747847990509502011-02-07T18:13:31.863-06:002011-02-07T18:13:31.863-06:00Hi fellow crusader. Cursing is okay in older YA, b...Hi fellow crusader. Cursing is okay in older YA, but for the MG level of YA, it's frowned upon. I've heard it from editors.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900383840255608898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-2103870614357508032011-02-07T17:25:01.124-06:002011-02-07T17:25:01.124-06:00My work's geared towards an adult audience, an...My work's geared towards an adult audience, and leans towards the violent side of things, but...<br /><br />I'll use cursing in moderation, where it's appropriate.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-47460605470061428952011-02-07T15:23:59.216-06:002011-02-07T15:23:59.216-06:00Hi EJ (from a fellow crusader!)
I dabble in water...Hi EJ (from a fellow crusader!)<br /><br />I dabble in water-colours and I can tell you that if I painted every brick when painting a house the result would, frankly look awful. The way to paint brickwork is to get the colour and shading right and you suggest a few bricks here and there. The same is true of swearing. The rough, aggressive, frightened or threatening way a person speaks is suggestive of swearing and you just need to drop a very few in - even the suggestion of a few and no-one is in any doubt about the fact that the character swears. <br /><br />There is a problem with saying "he burnt his hand on the stove and swore" in that it is showing not telling. You can't win sometimes!<br /><br />I do agree with Girl Friday that writing fantasy gives a real advantage (although not entirely exclusive to fantasy and scifi). My favourite fantasy curse is "dog-rotted" (c) ;P One of the most imaginative suite of curse words that fitted with the world that had been built that I can think of is Mordant's Need by Stephen R. DonaldsonDominic de Mattoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05171145945316152596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-80753553849205394352011-02-07T15:18:53.856-06:002011-02-07T15:18:53.856-06:00I'm ORIGINALLY from a small town. I never hea...I'm ORIGINALLY from a small town. I never heard a girl drop the F-bomb until I was 22. She about peed her pants laughing when she saw how shocked I was. <br /><br />Obviously, my stand on four-letter words is A LOT different from everyone elses. Where I'm from people just DON'T talk like that. So to put it in my writing...yeah, that still feels uncomfortable. <br /><br />Are there situations in my MS where four-letter words are used? Yes. But I think I can count them on one hand and they all start with S, H, or D. <br /><br />And Shelly, I'm with you 100 percent. Movies have ratings, books should too. I'm not going to take my five-year-old to a Rated R movie or let him watch PG-13 without seeing it first. I wonder if there is a coalition out there somewhere for that very thing...Becky Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02880501542510014819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-60719548371499115202011-02-07T11:09:56.548-06:002011-02-07T11:09:56.548-06:00Hello crusader!
I write YA and the idea of writi...Hello crusader! <br /><br />I write YA and the idea of writing "gosh darnit" just doesn't work for me. If my character has a potty mouth, then I write what they would say. There are a few choice words I refuse to use (just because I'm a prude that way, I guess), but if my character needs to swear, to just let it out, then I do it--if it further's my characters character (boy that sounded stupid, but I hope you know what I meant). <br /><br />Anyway, I'll follow you anywhere, except dark cold places, and places way up high :)<br />AngelaAngela Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12488555961691093024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-91007475843962231372011-02-07T00:10:40.510-06:002011-02-07T00:10:40.510-06:00That's an interesting question you present. A...That's an interesting question you present. As my writing is for a different audience it's not something I have to take into as much consideration. I do, however, use more poor language than I probably should both in speaking and writing and it's something I'm working on. :) Swears should have real stakes attached when used or else they'll lose their meaning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-85642389657513657312011-02-06T21:32:08.770-06:002011-02-06T21:32:08.770-06:00I think it's fine occasionally in YA, I mean, ...I think it's fine occasionally in YA, I mean, teenagers swear, why deny it? But I think it's a fun writerly thing to make up swear words, especially in anything speculative or for younger readers. In Artemis Fowl the fairies say 'D'Arvit' all the time :) Having said that, the Fantastic Mr Fox film annoyed the hell out of me with all the 'cuss this' and'cuss that', I think mostly because it was repeated so often. As for me, my characters do a lot of 'he kicked the door and swore' kind of thing, which i like because it sounds natural to me.Tatum Flynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00074228011847976820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-25625563371275102762011-02-06T19:32:55.571-06:002011-02-06T19:32:55.571-06:00I think as long as it is not over done it's fi...I think as long as it is not over done it's fine. If you can keep it clean, than of course try to. Also, a character can interupt another character before the words are actually spoken so the readers get the hint, but it's not in their face.<br />"What the--" is an example. With that said, I feel like it's only apporpriate to use four letter words in dialog in YA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-44554074579404578182011-02-06T17:40:54.078-06:002011-02-06T17:40:54.078-06:00My opinion, YA lit should be rated. Not only are t...My opinion, YA lit should be rated. Not only are there curse words but explicit sex scenes. Ever read the House of Night Series?shellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09596621767297173021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-72767427763045714122011-02-06T16:07:42.416-06:002011-02-06T16:07:42.416-06:00Good post. So glad you mentioned the Fantastic Mr ...Good post. So glad you mentioned the Fantastic Mr Fox because I marveled at how cleverly they'd done it when I saw it. <br />I agree with the posters who mention age. I think it can be appropriate for an older YA book, but at the same time I really notice it in print in YA books, no matter the targeted age and themes. Like any words, four letter bombs can be overused into meaninglessness.KatOwens: Insect Collectorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12228171304170449979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-6701782120521210492011-02-06T11:58:20.852-06:002011-02-06T11:58:20.852-06:00The one young adult book I pitched at a conference...The one young adult book I pitched at a conference got some strange criticism about how teens wouldn't like my story. So, I put it on the back burner and decided to grow it into an old person's novel at some point.Therefore, I cannot say I have any experience on this subject. I will say, that I personally would not have enjoyed the F-bomb because I knew it was a bad word. Great post. Intangible Heartshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05047040538015079182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-50899446398088137232011-02-06T11:45:03.316-06:002011-02-06T11:45:03.316-06:00That's a great point about the age range, Tris...That's a great point about the age range, Trish. That's one of the things that made me ponder the need for a ratings system.<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by, as always!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00273059558675234923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-80670656633336713672011-02-06T11:38:50.302-06:002011-02-06T11:38:50.302-06:00Hmm . . . I too have thought a lot about this. Wh...Hmm . . . I too have thought a lot about this. When I first started writing YA, I would purposefully shy away from four-letter words, not wanting to offend any of my potential readers. Not so much anymore. Now I look at my characters’ situations, settings, scenes, and emotions then use whatever word seems most appropriate. If that happens to be a four-letter word, then so be it. <br /><br />I also think we need to keep in mind that YA Lit. spans a huge age range – 14 to upwards of 20. That is a massive difference in not only maturity level, but also in content. I find that many YA writers are now targeting their manuscripts to fit within a certain age-range -- older YA vs. younger, cleaner YA.<br /><br />But you are absolutely right, E.J. – any four-letter word you use needs to be situationally appropriate!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10736441732672508192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-72409729884495430972011-02-06T11:37:01.900-06:002011-02-06T11:37:01.900-06:00I like that idea Misha except in cases where less ...I like that idea Misha except in cases where less equals more. Sometimes the impact of that single F word is like a hammer to the brain. (Much like the one you used in you WIP; if it impacted you that way, chances are your readers would feel the same.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00273059558675234923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-19117255309972921222011-02-06T11:15:09.968-06:002011-02-06T11:15:09.968-06:00I have thought about this too.
For me, the "...I have thought about this too. <br /><br />For me, the "He cursed under his breath" line can work pretty well in YA. <br /><br />Still, there is one place in my original draft where one character lets loose with the F-word. <br /><br />I was about as shocked that he used it as the character he used it on.<br /><br />Which is why, if that scene makes it to the rewrite, I would seriously consider to write that dialogue line for line...<br /><br />:-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000518581959626200.post-60002284514840784672011-02-06T11:06:04.898-06:002011-02-06T11:06:04.898-06:00What you've posted here is pretty much my phil...What you've posted here is pretty much my philosophy about cussing.Lisa Nowakhttp://lisanowak.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com