I seem to be coming across talk about this kind of thing a lot lately. I wrote about something similar on my own blog some time ago and since then I seem to be seeing it everywhere.
As someone who will often preface a thought with the phrase "Well shit" I greatly enjoyed you're essay. Very well thought out. I'd love to see more like this.
A most excellent piece of work.
Other Phrases made better by swearing:
"Hey, you! PIGFUCKER!"
"I WILL FUCKING END YOU!"
"Originally, I might have spared you. But for what you have done, I will spill your blood by the barrel, take your head, and send your soul to the depths of hell!"
Okay, the last one wasn't so much augmented by swearing but whatever.
I've been working on some fics with swearing in them. It feels like a risky zone, but this article helps clear up the gray areas.
How on earth do you guys put the black bars on there? lol....I have no clue. I agree..sometimes it fits, and sometimes it doesn't. But you did have me lost on the Ichigo part. Maybe because I have mouth like a truck driver/sailor in real life, whatever he says must seem mild to me, and I tune it out : )...now, Nnoitra, I can see the bad lingo coming from him.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way about swearing in fan fiction. I agree about everything you've said. Swearing can be effective if used correctly, but overuse does make it awkward and will probably make me (and probably others) exist out of the page and look for a better fan-fiction xD; I'm an avid Harry Potter fanfic reader and I cannot TELL you how many fic's I've sen that have dialogue like this:
"God dammit Weasley, you mother fucking ass!" Draco said angrily, burning up with fury.
"Well fuck Malfoy, its not my damn fault!"
Or the characters, when they're surprised, startled, or angry, they'll always shout our favorite little gem "FUCK!"
Its in like...every sentence, and makes it really awkward and annoying and my respect for that writer goes down a little bit. Cursing can work well if used well, artistically, in a minimal way.
Thank you for writing this, hopefully it'll get to some fic writers and help them realize that their over use of swearing isn't the best thing to spice up their work after all : ]
lol this was really a good essay, and you placed some very good points.
i personally think swearing within stories should kept within the dialogue and the thoughts of the characters, not within the actual text (as i've seen some do, unfortunately), and i agree, certain characters need it (like hiruma, from ES21, in both versions, in the japanese he'll called kurita a fucking fatty or in the english he's been known to call him fatass or god damn fatass so either way there's profanity that is linked to his character) but i do think the vice versa is also just as important. a cute, lolita character (female or male, but in male it would be shota) wouldn't go around screaming swear words, nor would a little kid. so yah, i guess i just reiterated ur paragraph, oops! lol
pax et agape
Otakuite | Posted 10/08/09 | Reply
I seem to be coming across talk about this kind of thing a lot lately. I wrote about something similar on my own blog some time ago and since then I seem to be seeing it everywhere.
As someone who will often preface a thought with the phrase "Well shit" I greatly enjoyed you're essay. Very well thought out. I'd love to see more like this.
Markus wolfe
Grand Otaku | Posted 04/18/09 | Reply
A most excellent piece of work.
Other Phrases made better by swearing:
"Hey, you! PIGFUCKER!"
"I WILL FUCKING END YOU!"
"Originally, I might have spared you. But for what you have done, I will spill your blood by the barrel, take your head, and send your soul to the depths of hell!"
Okay, the last one wasn't so much augmented by swearing but whatever.
I've been working on some fics with swearing in them. It feels like a risky zone, but this article helps clear up the gray areas.
Faeorain
Otakuite+ | Posted 04/01/09 | Reply
How on earth do you guys put the black bars on there? lol....I have no clue. I agree..sometimes it fits, and sometimes it doesn't. But you did have me lost on the Ichigo part. Maybe because I have mouth like a truck driver/sailor in real life, whatever he says must seem mild to me, and I tune it out : )...now, Nnoitra, I can see the bad lingo coming from him.
Kaerlyn
Tea pixie (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 03/07/09 | Reply
I have to say that you had me smirking at the screen with 'Nit Tibbles' ^^
SoraIIIX
Senior Otaku+ | Posted 03/07/09 | Reply
I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way about swearing in fan fiction. I agree about everything you've said. Swearing can be effective if used correctly, but overuse does make it awkward and will probably make me (and probably others) exist out of the page and look for a better fan-fiction xD; I'm an avid Harry Potter fanfic reader and I cannot TELL you how many fic's I've sen that have dialogue like this:
"God dammit Weasley, you mother fucking ass!" Draco said angrily, burning up with fury.
"Well fuck Malfoy, its not my damn fault!"
Or the characters, when they're surprised, startled, or angry, they'll always shout our favorite little gem "FUCK!"
Its in like...every sentence, and makes it really awkward and annoying and my respect for that writer goes down a little bit. Cursing can work well if used well, artistically, in a minimal way.
Thank you for writing this, hopefully it'll get to some fic writers and help them realize that their over use of swearing isn't the best thing to spice up their work after all : ]
haseo luver92
Otaku Legend | Posted 03/07/09 | Reply
lol this was really a good essay, and you placed some very good points.
i personally think swearing within stories should kept within the dialogue and the thoughts of the characters, not within the actual text (as i've seen some do, unfortunately), and i agree, certain characters need it (like hiruma, from ES21, in both versions, in the japanese he'll called kurita a fucking fatty or in the english he's been known to call him fatass or god damn fatass so either way there's profanity that is linked to his character) but i do think the vice versa is also just as important. a cute, lolita character (female or male, but in male it would be shota) wouldn't go around screaming swear words, nor would a little kid. so yah, i guess i just reiterated ur paragraph, oops! lol
once again, great essay.
はせお