Reading YA, Writing YA, and Being Totally Awesome discussion

I find it realistic too. I mean, a YA book without any swearing is unrealistic; teenagers swear thus there should be profanity in YA books.

I don't know--my view on that subject is that words are just words--nothing more. I honestly don't get how calling someone the 'n' word can get you put in jail. Well at least I think it can. That's preposterous in my opinion. It's just a freaking word.
Granted it may be mean but it's not malicious enough for jail. I don't know, to me, words are just words. Well not just words because without words we wouldn't have these s'mazing books to read but.

I don't mind it in books, well not too much anyway, but I don't swear myself, never have done but it doesn't bother me as long as there isn't swearing on like every page :/

That's true Atlantis

Atlantis wrote: "Francis wrote: "I don't know--my view on that subject is that words are just words--nothing more. I honestly don't get how calling someone the 'n' word can get you put in jail. Well at least I thin..."

Trust me, I know. Words can hurt but at the end of the day they are just words. I've been called many 'o things but I'e learnt not to care about what people think anymore. As long as I like me, then I'm set.

Swearing doesn't bother me. I'll be the first to admit I'm a total offender of swear words (not every other word, but they do get used.) However, even younger when the worst I would ever say was "damn," swearing just did not bother me. It's annoying if misused, out of character, and/or overdone; however, if it is suitable for both the books and the characters, it doesn't bother me.

Atlantis wrote: "yah but ur reason alone shows that people do not know how to use them and that they are not just words. they hurt u, and yet u say u dont care what people say but i no it still hurts at the end of ..."

That's because I just stopped caring and thus they didn't hurt me anymore. But what I fail to see is how swear words are offensive?

I also thinks its realistic. Teens swear A LOT in the real world and it seems realistic for it to be in books. I hate it though, when F-bombs are dropped in every sentence. That's just plain ridiculous to me.

I don't mind since most teens curse. I know some people don't like to read a book full of curses. But for me curses are just like any other word.

Aisha wrote: "I don't mind since most teens curse. I know some people don't like to read a book full of curses. But for me curses are just like any other word."
Agreed

Yep to above

I only care about swearing if it becomes a crutch in dialogue. Otherwise I feel it authenticates and adds humor to reactions.

I like the way Robison Wells deals with the issue in Variant and Feedback. If a character swears, the narration says "he (or she) swore", then describes the manner in which he or she swore (sharply, angrily, with a gasp, etc.). That way, no reader is going to come upon language in the book that's going to give them a bad feeling about reading.

Francis wrote: "I don't know--my view on that subject is that words are just words--nothing more. I honestly don't get how calling someone the 'n' word can get you put in jail. Well at least I think it can. That's..."

Yeah, the words aren't the problem--it's the meaning attached to them. Still, this sort of DOES make the word the problem because after so long associating it with that meaning, we can no longer associate it with anything good.

I think the swearing is technically realistic, but just because it's realistic doesn't mean it's good for us.

swears are good in YA like someone up there said, teenagers swear, so why shouldn't teenaged book characters?

I think it's important to point out that some teenagers swear, but many do not. I've never used bad language, and I never hung around anyone who did. It gives me an icky feeling. So one benefit to not using salty language in one's book is that is doesn't exclude readers who feel the way I do about profanity.

I don't think it's a big deal. Like, that's what teens do, and when authors add it to the novel it just makes it seem more real