Proper time for profanity?

I think you should start by writing things as you'd say them, and go from there.

If the result is moderate, leave it alone.

If the result is so vile and disgusting that outlaw bikers would cringe, it needs moderation.

Tell that inner censor to shut the feck up.

I agree with Johnrobinson on this one... Write it down and edit if necessary.

I have to add, when I write LSW if I'm cursing like a sailor for one reason or another, I may just write that I cursed like a sailor rather than putting down exactly what I said...

For example, if I stubbed a toe or something, I'll write "I stubbed my toe and spit out a few choice words that would make my gram blush if she heard me." That sort of thing. Rather than "That F-ing stupid... blah blah blah".

Of course, my LSW is more or less related to humorous stories about my kid, so cursing is kept to a minimum for more impact... but I can see how in other LSW it would be appropriate to have a lot of cursing.

Maybe you should try to get creative with the cursing. Instead of using the infamous F-word all the time you could find other words of 'power'. There are plenty, and fun to use.

Just like cooking for company.

Pepper your language to spice it up -- to the tastes of your audience. Boys Life and Reader's Digest is going to be much more adverse to language than Men's Health or The Atlantic.

When I submitted by memoir to my publisher, I had a whopping ten or twelve f-bombs, which is perhaps a lot for a parenting memoir. When I submitted the final edit two weeks ago, it was down to a crucial three.

Remember that in the case of profanity, it's not just an issue of "how much is too much", but also sometimes "less is more". Do you want your audience to become numb to the profanity? Perhaps that's appropriate, if you're writing a gritty story that takes place on rough streets. Or maybe you want to use them sparingly, so that when they come, they arrive like a slap in the face.

Write your manuscript, work without your internal editor turned on, and then when you are doing your endless re-reads, you'll ask yourself, as with any other word choices, if your choices serve the story you're telling. But I agree with others. Tell that story first.

Heh, I had to tone mine down from my actual language. I am apparently a nasty man.