Crazy for Young Adult Books discussion

Hello everyone!

I was wanting to pose a question to all concerning bad words in young adult books...

I know there are a lot of books out there with naughty words in them, but do the majority of readers mind bad words? Does it make a book more interesting? Does it throw the book off for you? Does it make the characters seem cool? Can there be a "cool" young adult book without the hardcore cuss words?

What are your opinions? Cuss words, mild once in a while cuss words, or none at all for young adult books? c:

great question. It's funny, because I've had this conversation with my teen.

so, I'm an adult - I can pretty easily skim over bad words and I tend to not notice if they are really bad.

but my teen dislikes it. A lot. She will actually stop reading a book if it's too bad.

is always our example. I didn't even notice all the swearing. My daughter, however, didn't like the book because there were swear words all over and for no reason!

I don't mind bad words in books for the most part I don't even notice them.

I agree with Trisha. I am able to skim over any words that bother me too much. I actually find it easier to do this in books as opposed to movies...

I have 1 kid it bothers and one who ignores it as I do!

I get thrown off! Like I have to get used to it, when I see a bad word in a book I just stare at it lol :) I can deal with it though there are a lot of kids in my school who pass me notes with curse words in it so I'm used to it but it does throw me off a bit

I think it makes some books more real, I mean I had a foul mouth by ten years old, but I have three uncles that are college baseball coaches and learned a lot from dugouts...I think if it fits the story, it's ok... My first book my character Timothy doesn't like to curse so whenever he thinks it or says something he says Bleep or bleeping instead, then it's all in the imagination... I don't condone kids swearing and I try not to in front of them and I cringe when I hear parents do it especially those more vulgar words... But again, if it fits the bleeping story so bleep it lol :)

Trisha wrote: "great question. It's funny, because I've had this conversation with my teen.

so, I'm an adult - I can pretty easily skim over bad words and I tend to not notice if they are really bad.

but my tee..."

Thanks for your comment, Trisha. I agree with your daughter and you...I hardly notice cuss words, I am use to them, but if they are used overly, like on every single page, it would get very annoying for me.

Amanda wrote: "I don't mind bad words in books for the most part I don't even notice them."

I hardly notice them either, Amanda. I do start noticing them though when they are on every single page.

Thanks for the comment.

Trinity wrote: "I get thrown off! Like I have to get used to it, when I see a bad word in a book I just stare at it lol :) I can deal with it though there are a lot of kids in my school who pass me notes with curs..."

Thanks for your comment, Trinity. I know what you mean, I still get thrown off by the really bad nasty cuss words. But for the most part, I am use to them because throughout my teenage years, I have been surrounded by that kind of talk, especially in school. It is unavoidable to an extent.

Gino wrote: "I think it makes some books more real, I mean I had a foul mouth by ten years old, but I have three uncles that are college baseball coaches and learned a lot from that...I think if it fits the sto..."

Thank you for your comment, Gino. I agree that parents shouldn't use that kind of language around real young kids. Teens on the other hand get it from school and friends. I know I had a foul mouth too. And in books, I think it is a good idea to not use the really nasty words, small cussing is okay, becuase like you said, it makes it seem real. c:

Thanks Miss Nina I didn't think that comment posted :)

I am an adult, and it depends for me. If it is only like 1 or 3 words every few pages, then I don't mind. Is it every page 5 or more curses, then I get thrown off. I will probably read the book, but I won't rate it high, and will mention the overuse of cursing in my review. Sometimes I will even drop the book.

I don't think cursing/using bad words is necessary, you can write a good book, without it having a whole lot of cursing, you can even make a book without cursing.

Gino wrote: "Thanks Miss Nina I didn't think that comment posted :)"

You're welcome. I have computer problems sometimes,so I know how aggravating it can be. c:

Mehsi wrote: "I am an adult, and it depends for me. If it is only like 1 or 3 words every few pages, then I don't mind. Is it every page 5 or more curses, then I get thrown off. I will probably read the book, bu..."

Thanks for your comment, Mehsi. I like that you mentioned how people can make a good book without using extensive curse words and even one without any curse words.

You're welcome. :)

As someone who writes YA books (not for a living. I wish!) I don't think bad language is necessary. In my first novel (The Tower, not a shill, just mentioning) I used the 'S' word twice and only in a rather intense scene. Other than that, I don't think it's necessary.

Yes, young people and older people curse, but ask yourself, is it really necessary to do so? My late father once said "If you have to swear to get your point across then you're not very bright." Made sense to me. I've used bad words very infrequently in my novels and usually write something to the effect of "he let out a string of curse words" or "the air turned blue with the F bombs" (or something like that), but if I have to read it ALL the time it's a little mind-numbing. Just my take on all this.

The cursing doesn't bother me if I think it somehow fits. I don't really like cursing, but I recognize that even those words have some sort of place in the language, so if it fits somehow into what is going on, then I'm okay with it. I do hate when those words are just thrown around like nothing.

Jesse wrote: "As someone who writes YA books (not for a living. I wish!) I don't think bad language is necessary. In my first novel (The Tower, not a shill, just mentioning) I used the 'S' word twice and only in..."

Thanks for your comment, Jesse. I agree with you that it can be mind-numbing if it is in a book all of the time. I also agree that it isn't necessary to use that language. It should be used only if the circumstances in the book call for it. Just like how you said you used a bad word in one of your books because it was an intense scene.

Marci wrote: "The cursing doesn't bother me if I think it somehow fits. I don't really like cursing, but I recognize that even those words have some sort of place in the language, so if it fits somehow into wha..."

Thanks for your comment, Marci. I agree with you on that, those words are in our language, it is a part of it even though most of us agree that it is a bad way to talk. I dislike it when people throw those words around all of the time...they make it an everyday part of their vocabulary. And I will admit, I use those words too...but only when I am really angry, or just having a bad day. I can't ever stand to let myself talk that way constantly.

I find swearing for the sake of it unnecessary. It's like some nasty little tween chav trying to be cool so swearing every other word. If this is the case I'll probably intensely dislike the book.

But sometimes it suits the character and sometimes it's right. It can make it more real.

I rarely swear, but I don't mind reading those words. It's hard to find a book without f words or s words these days anyway.

I don't mind as long as the words are infrequent and not the really bad ones. I just skip over them:)

I don't really mind them if their minor words, but when it's words like the f word and anything inappropriate I don't like it and it makes me uncomfortable to read a book full of bad language. So if their are lines and lines full of unnecessary curse words, I hate it soo much.

I don't mind reading swear words, but I do when it's frequent. I don't swear so it's uncomfortable to read a lot of them. Though I honestly don't understand the need for them.

It doesn't really bother me unless its excessive or in poor taste. Sometimes you also come across books where the writer isn't used to using swear words and they can come off as awkward or ill timed and that can sometimes throw me off. In a general sense though, its not something that bothers me if used correctly and isn't every other word.

For me, I like people to speak the way you’d expect them to in real life. I dislike it if an author goes out of their way to put ‘cute’ words in instead of swear words, but I also hate it when an author has a character (usually the lead male) swear nonstop because they think it makes them sound ‘tough’ and ‘sexy’…

Birdie wrote: "Sometimes you also come across books where the writer isn't used to using swear words and they can come off as awkward or ill time..."

Yes! I hadn't thought about that until recently, but it's so true. In a book I read last week the author had the male characters using the weirdest words in the weirdest places.
My first thought was, 'You're not used to this kind of thing, are you?'!

It's my opinion that the readers don't mind so much because, let's face it, it's reality. Same with a little experimental drug use or underage drinking.

I have found two types of publishers who have opposite views, it seems. I usually write my YAs with two versions--one is a Christian or sanitized version and the other pulls out all stops. It's the editors I have trouble with in the tone of my story lines.

In a few books they write that a person curse low, which irritates me because I really wanna know exactly what word they're saying. Maybe it isn't that big of a deal but I'm a curious person.
I don't mind bad language as long as it's used properly. Not too often, and not too extreme.

I write YA novels and rarely use foul language placed in the mouths of my characters. It really isn't necessary and as a reader I find it off putting.

I agree Lizette. "They swore softly under their breath" I don't actually want to know what it is, though. :-)

Michael, I hear you. But I would say it depends on the subject matter. If you're writing, say, about gangsters or drug addicts or some unsavory kind of person, they're not going to use the Queen's English. And most teens I know--I was a teen once myself (hard to believe, but TRUE!)--tend to swear. FWIW, I'd make it realistic, but not tossing the curse words in for the sake of cursing.

Recently, I submitted two novels for publication and both got accepted. Both of them featured a young male character and neither of them used any swear words unless you count "damn" as one. So you CAN get away with it. If, OTOH, I were writing about prisoners or something like that, I'd probably use curse words, but try to use them judiciously.

I have to agree with you, Jesse. It would be weird reading a about a prisoner or gangster who refuses to drop some f-bombs :D

I definitely agree with Gisbelle and Jesse!

I wrote a YA paranormal/fantasy trilogy - and this was the toughest issue when writing. The characters are freshman-juniors in college, and I know they use choice words at times...most of us do. I think, as with everything - Balance - is good.

BUT, My daughter and her friends are 12ish, and I knew they'd all be reading the books as well, so I tended on the safe side, which I think is okay for a YA book. I really didn't find it was necessary to use hard core swear words; although, I did use damn and hell a few times. It seemed to work, and I don't think there were any negatives for not using more bad words. In fact, there have been a few reviewers who commented that they were appreciative that the language was very mild.

Personally, I don't mind bad words in a novel as long as it's not overkill - sometimes it's distracting.