I am currently working on a story about 3 friends. One of the women has a son who's into a dark world with very shady people. The opening pages concern two of these people who are drug dealers/users. I would have to use the 'F' word several times, if not it wouldn't seem real. It definitely isn't gratuitous and does fit with that particular storyline. My question is, would it be out of line to post it on this site for feedback? I definitely do not want to offend anyone. Thank you.
Thank you Clare and Jonathan for your comments they are very helpful. The use of this language is minimal but it is literally on the first pages. I feel it is needed to portray the two youths who are using it accurately as they are real street-wise young men. I think if I do post this story I will definitely state on the top of my post about the offensive language, I feel this would be the best way to go. Thank you again.
There's an odd f word in at least two of my shared works Elsie, so to answer your question about it being out of line to post your work with offensive language, I'd say no. I know what you mean about the use of swear words, whilst considered lazy writing by some, it's sometimes difficult to write from a characters POV without using the language they would use. My MS as a whole is peppered with offensive language when it's from the antagonists POV as that is how he'd talk. I could think of different words, or convey his anger/ nastiness in other ways - but to be honest, I don't want to. If you're worried about offending people maybe you could state at the top of your post that it contains some offensive language.
I tend to disagree you couldn't make it real, but use it if you think it's absolutely necessary.
Bad language in novels is one of those things that might depend as much on the target audience as the writer. You wouldn't use a lot of seriously offensive language in YA stories, for example, whereas it'd probably be fine in adult horror.
Occasional use might be best in any case because swearing can get boring. I tend to cite Beverly Hills Cop (the film) as an example of an entertainment which could have been stripped of the majority of its many 'F' words without any detrimental effect whatsoever.
I write about early 19th century soldiers. The 'F' word has been favoured British Army invective for several hundred years at least and remains so to this day. I've not used it in two novels-worth so far, relying instead on what are considered milder expletives, and no readers have complained the language seems unrealistic.
We're writing fiction, even if it's grounded in fact, and maybe I'm old-fashioned to boot.