How To Best Use Cussing In Your Novel – 8 Tips

Cussing is a big part of many everyday conversations, movies, TV shows, and novels. It’s something most everyone is familiar with, but not everyone approves of. Today, I’ll be covering when it’s most appropriate to cuss in your novels, how to best use cussing in your novel if you do use is, and some alternatives to swearing for those who opt to avoid it. Without further ado, let’s jump in!

Should You Cuss In Your Novel?

First things first, let’s start by looking at whether you should cuss in your novels. The short answer is, of course, it depends. If you’re writing to a young or religious audience, you likely should not be cussing. If your audience isn’t one that would find cuss words inappropriate, then they’re probably fair game.

However, just because you can doesn’t always mean you should. Cussing just for the sake of it isn’t something I recommend. Everything you write should serve the story somehow. In many scenarios, using cuss words will indeed add something valuable to a given scene, character, or the story as a whole.

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If you read a scene or a piece of dialogue where you’ve added cussing and you think it could be just as effective without the cussing, you should probably take it out. If it can’t be taken out without changing the story, it’s likely justified. That said, let’s look at eight tips on how to best use cussing in your novel.

How To Best Use Cussing In Your Novel

1. Use Inversion

Inverting reader expectations can add a lot to a story, and it’s something you can do with cuss words. For example, maybe your antagonist or a “bad” character doesn’t cuss, but maybe the protagonist or “good” character does.

Think Annie Wilkes from Misery, who is insane, but won’t swear. Instead, she uses words like “Dirty Birdy.” This adds to her character by revealing that she considers herself a righteous person who is above using profanity.

All the while, as readers, we know how far she is from being a good person. Inversion of expectations like this is usually worth doing where it fits, and I’m a big fan of using language (and morality, for that fact) to do it.

2. Cuss At The Right Time

Love them or hate them, many curse words have a lot of emotion or power tied to them. When someone drops an f-bomb in an argument, you know it’s getting heated… Unless it’s something they say every other word. The same is true in your writing.

If you use profanity sparingly, it hits harder when it does come up. It will add more emphasis if a character doesn’t cuss like a sailor and then suddenly swears. If it’s everywhere, it kinda loses some of the power and therefore, perhaps some of the value too. So, don’t overdo it without a good reason.

3. Be Honest

People cuss. Naturally, this means some characters should too. Ask yourself how much cussing and of what type makes sense for the character you’re writing. You want to be sure that any profanity you include is honest and natural for your character.

Even if your character is warranted in the things they say, you should still double-check that they add something to the story or character. In times when they do contribute and it’s authentic to the character, don’t be afraid to include them. Most novels do, and readers appreciate honest writing.

4. Substitute For Fake Words

If you want the benefits of cuss words without being offensive, you can create your own words. This is good for PG books (where vulgarity isn’t appropriate) but also adds to a lot of world-building in fantasy and sci-fi, especially.

If your novel is set in a fictional world, it may have its own unique set of cuss words, slang, and insults. This allows you to avoid using anything that may be considered offensive, and flesh out your world in a unique and original way.

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My favorite examples of this come from The Wheel of Time series, where things like “blood and bloody ashes”, “mother’s milk in a cup”, “chit”, and “lightskirt” all pack quite a punch. If you’re interested in what these mean (and a list of many more), check out the swearing and Insults WOT fandom page.

5. Descriptive Work Around

At times, it works just as well to summarize the cussing without explicitly writing what is said. For example, “he uttered an obscenity under his breath.” You don’t want to go to the well too often with this one, but in the right situation, it works wonders.

Most times, you’ll achieve the desired goal (the character was upset or surprised, or elated) while leaving the actual words unsaid. So, you get to avoid filling a particular section with bad words that can be avoided, leave a little something to the reader’s imagination, and get your point across with fewer words.

Again, this may not be something you get away with multiple times without diminishing returns. But it’s an amazing tool to have in your back pocket for certain situations. When you’re writing/editing, keep your eyes out for times when a simple description of the tiraid works just as well as the words themselves.

6. Cuss With Humor

So far, I’ve mainly touched on the often heavy emotional weight of dropping in cuss words – People being angry, upset, insulting, etc. But let’s not forget about the humorous aspect of cussing, too. Assuming your audience isn’t offended by certain words in general, a comical element to cussing can be awesome.

Some possible examples could be someone speaking a foreign language and misusing certain words. Or if you’ve ever heard young kids cuss, you know they don’t always do it right or at appropriate times. Circumstances like this can make cussing more light-hearted, funny, and fresh.

Every novel might not be able to incorporate scenes like this, and that’s ok. It isn’t something you should (or could) force. But when it works, I find it works really well. So, keep in mind that cuss words don’t always have to be heavy or negative. As always, context is your friend when writing!

7. Social Class And World View

Much like the “be honest” tip at number three, this refers to using cussing as a way to tell the reader certain things about your character. Certain words can tell you a lot about where someone comes from and how they think.

For example, if I write a story and introduce you to a priest who not only cusses but uses profanity particularly offensive to the religious, that would tell you that he likely doesn’t practice what he preaches. Another strategic use of particular phrases like racial slurs or words targeted toward women or (a particular sexuality) will quickly paint a picture of that character’s views on certain things.

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Again, I have to mention honesty – It might be uncomfortable for some to use or read racist or sexist language. However, if you’re writing a racist or sexist character, consider what their worldview would be. Using a single word in dialogue can speak volumes about how that character thinks. In times like these, profanity certainly has its place.

8. Be Thematic

You’re likely starting to see the picture I’m painting – The use of profanity, when used well, tells readers certain things. So, if you’re conscious, you can use cussing in ways that highlight your story’s themes or message too.

For example, let’s say your story is about a character who was abused as a child. Maybe their parents swore at them using a particular phrase or word, insulting their intelligence anytime they messed up. Now that word or phrase has a thematic or symbolic meaning beyond the words themselves.

Again, context is everything. If that character were to hear those words from someone else (perhaps a spouse) or say them to their child later, it would be much more impactful because of their past. If you can tie a deeper meaning to certain language or words, you can use even the most vulgar phrases for thematic or conceptual purposes.

Conclusion

There you have it, my friends, my advice on how to best use cussing in your novels. Cuss words certainly have their place in certain stories. The key is to consider your audience, be intentional with how you’re using them, consider what specific language tells readers about your characters and world, and consider not using it when it doesn’t serve a purpose.

Now all that is left to do is get out there and write. If you don’t already use LivingWriter for your novels, check it out via the link. Voted the best writing app of 2025 – From story outlines to more unique characters, LivingWriter helps you reach your full potential.