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I'm writing a story that I'd like younger readers to pick up. I and they know and understand that some situations are far better expressed with one f-word than a thousand milder ones. I'm keeping my narrative clean, but when I write the dialogue, I don't know what to do.

Should I:

1. describe, as in:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. Charlie exploded with profanity that pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

2. or should I use made-up terms, such as frak from Battlestar Galactica:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "FRAK" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

3. also, I could use a milder word like crap, shoot, and the likes.

4. Alternatively, I could replace with a place holder, as in:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "< EXPLETIVE >" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

Note I've read answers like this one ("you have to eat before you [defecate]".) But that waters down the expression a lot for what I want.

I'm writing a story that I'd like younger readers to pick up. I and they know and understand that some situations are far better expressed with one f-word than a thousand milder ones. I'm keeping my narrative clean, but when I write the dialogue, I don't know what to do.

Should I:

1. describe, as in:

   Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. Charlie exploded with profanity that pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

2. or should I use made-up terms, such as frak from Battlestar Galactica:

   Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "FRAK" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

3. also, I could use a milder word like crap, shoot, and the likes.

4. replace with a place holder, as in:

   Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "< EXPLETIVE >" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

Note I've read answers like this one ("you have to eat before you [defecate]".) But that waters down the expression a lot for what I want.

I'm writing a story that I'd like younger readers to pick up. I and they know and understand that some situations are far better expressed with one f-word than a thousand milder ones. I'm keeping my narrative clean, but when I write the dialogue, I don't know what to do.

Should I:

1. describe, as in:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. Charlie exploded with profanity that pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

2. or should I use made-up terms, such as frak from Battlestar Galactica:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "FRAK" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

3. also, I could use a milder word like crap, shoot, and the likes.

4. Alternatively, I could replace with a place holder, as in:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "< EXPLETIVE >" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

Note I've read answers like this one ("you have to eat before you [deficate]".) But that waters down the expression a lot for what I want.

I'm writing a story that I'd like younger readers to pick up. I and they know and understand that some situations are far better expressed with one f-word than a thousand milder ones. I'm keeping my narrative clean, but when I write the dialogue, I don't know what to do.

Should I:

1. describe, as in:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. Charlie exploded with profanity that pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

2. or should I use made-up terms, such as frak from Battlestar Galactica:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "FRAK" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

3. also, I could use a milder word like crap, shoot, and the likes.

4. Alternatively, I could replace with a place holder, as in:

Tommy slammed the door on Charlie's fingers. "< EXPLETIVE >" Charlie exploded. The eruption pierced their mother's ears downstairs.

Note I've read answers like this one ("you have to eat before you [defecate]".) But that waters down the expression a lot for what I want.