How Do You Feel About Writing Curse Words In Your Fiction?

I don't f**king cuss a hell of a lot. :unsure:

Actually, I quit doing that as a regular thing. Found I could express my feelings with other words. And in my part of the US, it's just not common in public. Gets one a lot of public condemnation.

That said, in dialog that's fine if that fits your character. Otherwise, I feel it is a lack of imaginative writing. Also, the actual words chosen need to reflect the setting. Nothing is more jarring than to hear a medieval character call someone a motherf**ker". And I have read or heard that before.
 
<in surfer dude voice> It feels good man. Feels good.

More seriously, when I read or watch a movie, it gets in my way, so I avoid it in my own writing. In my WIP there is one place where the MC does think in cuss words, but that's in a situation where they have time and think they are going to die and they are angry that they have failed in an important thing. I thought that was the time to go all four letter.
 
It's a strange one -doesn't bother me and I never really notice cursing. I try to write (and do standup comedy) 'clean' but cursing just slips in there. Leaving it out seems forced or unnatural. Am working on what is probably a sort of kids story so might go back and do a find/ replace with fiddlesticks and the likes, which always sound better '...that's all well and good but engine failure this far out means we're fiddlesticked.' (y)
 
Guttersnipe said:
More specifically, in dialogue? As for me, I usually leave it to whom I deem coarser characters when spoken. Do you use expletives in your stories, and, if so, when? Do you feel it detracts from, adds to, or has a neutral effect on the story?
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I was at a writing group where I read out a chapter of my novel which used the words 'sh*t' and 'lucky bitch'. The indirect responses cause me to remove them. Mind you it was mainly older generation ladies who I write 'proper' prose!
 
So it appears the forum AI alters some words! A bit old fashioned?
 
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