I would say it depends on the context. I've written roughly fifty stories on the site and in only one of them do I have more than an instance or two of swearing. It happens to be the story I'm currently posting on the n-side, so I've taken a little umbrage at some of the statements made above.
I warned readers up front that it would contain strong language, and I've posted a caution at the top of each part, because I worry that someone is going to get offended. I agree, in the broadest general terms, with the assessment that swearing is uncreative. In RL, I very seldom swear, and, even then, I use words that the censor bot wouldn't blink at.
But not everyone lives in that kind of world. Specifically, if the bad guys in my story were real, they'd use the mother of all swear words as a noun, a verb, an adverb, and adjective, an interjection, and pretty much every part of a sentence. They won't do that in the story, because it would be offensive and pointless to beat readers over the head with it. I'm not including that word for shock value. It's there for the sake of verisimilitude.
In the end, it comes down to whether the writer can make me believe in the story. If they can sell the swearing, I'll buy.
An individual that needs to resort to profanity and vulgarity is demonstrating that they have a fundamental lack of command of the English language.
I hope that the fifty other stories I've written show enough command of the English language that people won't think it's the only way I can express myself.
If you can't express something without resorting to that style of writing, you shouldn't be.
Obviously, I disagree. :p
I would never tell someone else how to write their story or that they're doing it wrong. There's more than enough room for all different flavors on this site. It's one of the reasons I've stuck around for so long. I've never come across a more supportive and generous group of people anywhere else. I very much appreciate that there are readers out there who are willing to let me take risks without castigating me for trying.
