Devoted to publishing, publishers and to those who craft the written word

How do you decide if your characters swear? If they swear, how do you write it?

These questions have haunted writers for centuries. Despite the fact that novelist can write whatever the **** they want, many journalists still worry about it.

Over at MediaBistro, Claire Zulkey asked a whole bunch of Metafilter writers how they do it--generating a pretty useful discussion about how journalists can think about profanity. Check it out.

Here's my favorite answer from writer Saundra Mitchell...

"Sounds pithy, but when I'm writing about teenagers on the edge or homicide cops, neither are going to say, 'Dang it, get your patootie out here.' When I'm writing about pastor's wives and five year olds, 'Oh f*** me, I dropped the ***ing casserole!' is completely inappropriate."