See here
: Gratuitous profanity is frowned upon, unless it's quoting stuff in works or the like.
Try to avoid vulgarity in general unless you're quoting. "Scared shitless" likely isn't vulgar enough that it would be changed (we also have rules against bowdlerizing), but it's unnecessary to word it like that in the first place.
Don't worry about it, though. We're pretty lax when it comes to language as long as you're not being a dick.
edited 10th May '14 1:16:01 PM by Unknownlight
Lost in Space
I wouldn't worry about that particular phrasing. We're more concerned that articles not become a Cluster F-Bomb.
edited 10th May '14 8:35:20 PM by Fighteer
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Just consider the purpose of a Precision F-Strike (although never link to THAT trope while doing so), does the use of the swear word enhance the meaning of the sentence or is it just vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity?
For example, "He stood there with a 'Holy Shit' look on his face" conveys the meaning a little stronger than if you substituted a less intense word. On the other hand "He stood there with a 'Holy Shit' look on his goddamn face" leaves less of an impression, and starts to get into troper ranting.
No, the other one.
I generally find that if it's descriptive it's fine, but if it's to add emphasis it's just Word Cruft. "Scared shitless" and "a 'Holy Shit' look" describe the example, and without them it wouldn't describe the same thing. If it's to add emphasis it's in the voice of the editor, which should always be avoided.
Most of the time you can still use a different word, no matter which type it is, although tone can be important. "Terrified" and "aghast" work, but they may not have the right tone. And sometimes it's just better to have a simple but vulgar description rather than a more obscure word. Something like "fucking scared" is still just emphasis as well, and emphasises the voice you're writing with, rather than the actual description.
Probably not as clear cut as it is in my mind.
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Dragon Writer
^ It is true that sometimes only a This Is for Emphasis, Bitch! carries the proper tone.
An Ear Worm is like a Rickroll: It is never going to give you up.
Are they?