Is it acceptable to use the n-word in creative writing?

Hey guys, hope you all are having an amazing day.<br><br>I’m a black woman in my early 20s, and I’ve been writing since I was about 8 years old (thanks, mom!), and one of my favorite things to write about are historical fiction and the transatlantic slave trade.<br><br>In my book, I have many conversations take place between the black characters, and sometimes they use the n-word to refer to each other, which has always been an okay thing in the black community in real life, but I’m not sure how it’ll play out in my book.<br><br>Is there a way to use it that doesn’t offend people? Can you use it without offending people? The reason I’m so confused is that if you have white characters, it’s obviously a huge no to use racial slurs, but is it different when it’s a part of black culture and heritage? <br><br>TL;DR is there a way to use racial slurs in your writing without offending people, especially when it’s a part of the culture and heritage of the characters you’re using it for?