Note: This article concerns high school writing in a public forum.
With the exception of personal reflective writing (like a journal or personal notes), writing is intended to be shared. Yet not all writing is meant for all audiences, and some topics and content, while fine for most people, can make others uncomfortable. These topics include obscene language, graphic depictions of sex, rape, abortion, drug use, self-harm, suicide, violent act against people and animals, and tragic death scenes, especially those involving children.
So wait... I can't write about these topics?
You certainly can, but remember that there are bounds of good taste. The goal of good writing is to get in the hands of as many readers as possible, a goal that will not be reached if the writing is not acceptable for a majority of people in your intended audience. A grisly violent death scene of disgustingly vivid sex scene my get your piece attention, but it will be overwhelmingly negative attention. Remember PULSE: if a story turns a reader off, they will not find utility in it, nor will they be enchanted by it. You can tackle uncomfortable topics in elegant and accessable ways, but there is a line where you cross into bad taste.
So where's the line?
That's hard to say. It depends on your audience. Let's take obscene language for example. The phrase "arrogant bastard" would never make it into a children's picture book, but it would be at home in a war memoir or best-selling crime novel or even a political speech. It might even be tame in an R-rated Sam Jackson film, where harsher curse words would surely be more abundant.
I know this answer isn't too terribly helpful, so let's narrow it down to the main users of this site: high school writers writing for a high school audience. What's okay and what's not? Again, it's hard to establish hard and fast rules as certain communities set certain expectations for teens. I've seen writing from the Bible Belt where "God damn" is considered too offensive for students to read or use, and I've seen writing from inner city schools where every four letter word is acceptable. So here's my line of good taste, which I use with my students, to give you a good average. I'll break down decency by task: formal writing, narrative, and reflective.
I know this answer isn't too terribly helpful, so let's narrow it down to the main users of this site: high school writers writing for a high school audience. What's okay and what's not? Again, it's hard to establish hard and fast rules as certain communities set certain expectations for teens. I've seen writing from the Bible Belt where "God damn" is considered too offensive for students to read or use, and I've seen writing from inner city schools where every four letter word is acceptable. So here's my line of good taste, which I use with my students, to give you a good average. I'll break down decency by task: formal writing, narrative, and reflective.
Formal writing
This includes essays, speeches, and formal presentations. These projects should have an academic tone, meaning no cursing from the author. Even if a quoted source curses, the obscenity is usually eliminated and replaced with [expletive]. NOTE: this rarely happens with "hell" or "damn," as replacing them makes the sentence seem more obscene than the original. Other language that is not obscene but is not academic are slang words, contractions, syncope, and vague social words like "okay" and "iffy." As far as race, religion, and gender, make sure you use person-first, group preferred terms.
As far as content, first check if the topic suits the assignment. If the assignment is to examine a great inventor of the 20th Century, an essay on Timothy Leary, inventor of LSD, would not be the most appropriate topic. However, a speech on a current topic in American politics very well could be on legalization of marijuana, late term abortions, or suicide prevention measures and still be in good taste. Should you be writing on a divisive and possibly uncomfortable topic, remember to use clinical and accurate terms regarding the human body. Do not go into vivid or specific examples of violent or sexual acts, but focus on statistical evidence, motivations of perpetrators, and rights of victims. The general rule here is to be respectful, not to "be politically correct," but to show respect to the stakeholders of all sides in these situations. Even something as innocuous as calling supporters of a certain political movement as "pinheads" hurts your ethos and is inappropriate in academic discourse. Don't be a loudmouth bigot--be an inspiration with airtight rhetoric.
As far as content, first check if the topic suits the assignment. If the assignment is to examine a great inventor of the 20th Century, an essay on Timothy Leary, inventor of LSD, would not be the most appropriate topic. However, a speech on a current topic in American politics very well could be on legalization of marijuana, late term abortions, or suicide prevention measures and still be in good taste. Should you be writing on a divisive and possibly uncomfortable topic, remember to use clinical and accurate terms regarding the human body. Do not go into vivid or specific examples of violent or sexual acts, but focus on statistical evidence, motivations of perpetrators, and rights of victims. The general rule here is to be respectful, not to "be politically correct," but to show respect to the stakeholders of all sides in these situations. Even something as innocuous as calling supporters of a certain political movement as "pinheads" hurts your ethos and is inappropriate in academic discourse. Don't be a loudmouth bigot--be an inspiration with airtight rhetoric.
Storytelling
Narratives, poems, and dramatic writing are thornier when it comes to the line. All narrative needs conflict, and what are causes conflict in real life? Death. Violence. Relationship struggles. Depression. Mental illness. These conflicts and their more specific variations (murder, losing one's virginity, child abuse, etc) are interesting to young writers; teens are old enough to understand the tragedies of adult life, but still young enough to not have experienced most of them personally. Reading and writing about these topics is a normal way for teens to wrap their minds around such topics; this is why a majority of teen bestsellers over the past two decades predominately deal with teens dying, teens fighting to stay alive, first love and heartache, pubescence, and mental disorders. Yet not all teen writings in this category are productive. So here are the rules I give my students:
NO VULGARITY. NO GORE. NO SMUT.
Vulgarity is different from obscenity. Something obscene is something that is not mentioned around children. Teens are not children, and can handle mild cursing (damn, hell, bastard, and similar words). In fact, teens are often beyond obscenity and are vulgar in their private conversations, using slang terms for bodily excretions, sexual organs, and sexual acts. These words should not be in their writing. There is no need for these words. As emotional intensifiers, mild cursing may give characters and conflicts dimension; vulgarity, however, skips a metaphorical spicing up of content and dumps in the whole shaker of cayenne. It's a cheap way to express thoughts, and I want my students to be better than that. Excluding vulgarity makes one rely on wit and euphemism to express the same meaning, which are much more advanced and accessible ways to write.
Vulgarity also goes beyond simple words but extends to the actions in the categories I mentioned above. For example, say your character is an eighty-year-old man, and you are describing his daily regimen:
Vulgarity also goes beyond simple words but extends to the actions in the categories I mentioned above. For example, say your character is an eighty-year-old man, and you are describing his daily regimen:
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VULGAR
But what Marty missed most of all was the simple ability to drop a deuce like a younger man. His butthole was unpredictable--some days, it was an impenetrable fortress where he had to spend an hour straining with his legs in the air for leverage; other days, it was like a chicory-colored fire hose, violently sloshing like a blender without its cap. Today was more of a drip coffee day. Marty sighed and pulled up his drawers, wishing he could be young again. |
ACCEPTABLE
But what Marty missed most of all was the simple ability to use the restroom like a younger man. His plumbing was unpredictable--some days, his bowels were completely closed for business; other days felt like a Black Friday rush. The irregularity distressed him, which of course made his problems worse. Luckily this morning, he was able to relieve himself with only mild disappointment. Marty sighed, wishing he could be young again. |
Both passages express the same idea, yet with different impacts. The brown is nauseating and, as a reader, I don't want to read any more. The green uses the same ideas but in a way that builds sympathy for Marty and makes me want to know more about him and his struggles with age.
The same principle goes for the distinction between violence and gore. Violence is defined as any situation where agency and choice is removed. Violence or threat of violence is the engine of many major conflicts, and even violence that results in death can be done tastefully. Gore, however, is vivid detail of the actual act and mechanics of the violence.
The same principle goes for the distinction between violence and gore. Violence is defined as any situation where agency and choice is removed. Violence or threat of violence is the engine of many major conflicts, and even violence that results in death can be done tastefully. Gore, however, is vivid detail of the actual act and mechanics of the violence.
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GORE
Courtney screamed as the cold steel ripped through her stomach and spilled her intestines like a demonic piñata. She knew this was the end. She vainly tried to scoop her insides back in, but her hands were too slippery with blood. She pointlessly gurgled for air like a fish on land as blood oozed into her lungs. Chuckles hacked away at her neck, drenching himself in a shower of her blood as his rusted saw slowly gnawed away, tearing flesh and chipping bone. |
ACCEPTABLE
Courtney felt the cold blade pierce her stomach, and twist. She tried to scream, but could only focus on the coppery taste filling her mouth. She knew it was the end. Her last thought was of Nick, and how wished she hadn't told Nick to stay home for the weekend. She lifted her eyes to her attacker. Chuckles just grinned as he quickly severed her head from her body. Blood spatters dotted the pale pancake on his face, and he methodically wiped each away. |
The red passage is far too vivid and visceral, with detail that only exists to make the reader squirm. In addition to inappropriate writing, this is poor writing: despite the specific, high-level verbs, the word "blood" is used three times, as it has no good synonym. The green passage, instead of filling the paragraph with blood, puts in a character moment that makes of empathize with the life being taken and not the act of taking the life. The hands-off approach to the mechanics of Courtney's death lets the reader fill in the gaps. We even get some details about the attacker in the right paragraph: we know he is very careful as he "methodically" wipes away blood. The appropriate approach ultimately does more for the story in less space.
Finally, there's smut, which is the more graphic version of intimacy. Intimacy is any sort of physical romance, and includes descriptions of kissing. As kissing is one of the most beloved pastime of teens, scenes of intimacy are popular. Yet if the scene starts getting into more lurid specifics, it becomes smut, which is only written to sexually arouse a reader.
Finally, there's smut, which is the more graphic version of intimacy. Intimacy is any sort of physical romance, and includes descriptions of kissing. As kissing is one of the most beloved pastime of teens, scenes of intimacy are popular. Yet if the scene starts getting into more lurid specifics, it becomes smut, which is only written to sexually arouse a reader.
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SMUT
Casey leaned in. She could taste every bud on Aaron's wet, flat tongue as she pressed closer. She worried that Aaron may not be as into it as she was, so she ran her hands up and down his muscular back. He suddenly broke away and, teeth bared, attacked her neck. As saliva dripped down to her spaghetti strap, she dug her nails into his back as waves of pleasures rippled up to her brain and then down lower. At that moment, she knew she wanted to bring him up to her bedroom and see what other surprises he had in store. |
ACCEPTABLE
Casey leaned in. She could taste the bittersweet wax of Aaron's chapstick. As she pressed closer and embraced him, she worried about her own chapped lips and how much she was sweating and a million of her other little flaws. As he pulled away, she trembled, hoping the kiss was okay. Then he surprised her. He swiftly landed a series of quick pecks on the nape of her neck, causing her to jump. Her insides started to flutter. Everything had felt right so far. Smiling, she cautiously invited Aaron in, unsure where all this might lead. |
The purple paragraph is very uncomfortable, as the details are too sexual; the last sentence even all but confirms the couple will have intercourse. The green paragraph still gives just enough detail to know physically what occurs between the two (two kisses and an embrace), but instead focuses on Casey's inner thoughts rather than the act. This makes the character seem more true to life-- even though both paragraphs show Casey's concerns that Aaron likes her, the right paragraph feels more accessible. Vulgarity, gore, and smut are not just inappropriate: they are bad storytelling tools, and a writer can create richer plot and character development through disciplined writing.
Reflective Writing
Reflective writing is just for the writer, which means it's no holds barred. The author can express himself or herself in whatever way they please. I sometimes collect student reflective writing and I don't judge the content at all. Now, if the writing makes me concerned about possible drug use, self harm, or plans to harm others, I do address that. Otherwise, a student's personal writing is just that: personal. And I have no right to censor what they have to say.
Practical question: Should a teacher censor student writing based on a parent request?
Adolescence is a time when teens start to decide their own beliefs and their own ways of expression. Occasionally, this flies in the face of how their parents believe they should express themselves. I'm often asked by students, parents, and other teachers about censorship: if a parent wants me to censor their student's writing, do I comply with their wishes and censor the writing?
No. That's not my job. It's theirs.
As a writing teacher, my job is to cultivate my students into writers that can express their ideas successfully. My job is to open up avenues of writing, not close them.
Parents should be reading what their students produce and have any conversations about content they feel is not appropriate -- their job is to set boundaries, not so they can close opportunities but to make sure their kids are making ethical decisions in line with their beliefs on how their child should be raised.
I see it this way: parents have the ultimate say over their student's behavior, but no two parents have the same views. For example, I've had a parent who forbid her daughter from writing about death and violence but had no issue with her daughter writing intimate romantic scenes; in the same class, another parent was okay with her son writing very violent horror stories but forbid him to curse in his writing. Since parental perspectives are so vast and varied, I would never be able to remember every parent's preference, and restricting all content that may possibly be offensive wouldn't work, as the preference of some parents is that their child has free expression with no boundaries.
So here's my compromise: I follow all the guidelines I outlined on this page (no vulgarity, no smut, no gore) and talk with a student when they cross that line (or if they promote drug use, gang activity, or self-harm); however, I leave additional limitations to the parents. It keeps parents involved with their child's progress as a writer, and keeps me from accidentally stepping on any toes. I'd advise all my colleagues to follow the same course.