Good Writing is Like Good Sex: Sort of Sexy Thoughts on Writing 

Publication Date: March 31st, 2019 

 
Genre: Non-Fiction/ Writing Guide 

What makes a book sexy?

I’m not talking about erotica, per say, but what is the difference between a book you eagerly devour and a book you slum your way through?

While there are individual exceptions, the most objective difference between a good story and a downright terrible one is simple—it all comes down to the writing.

It’s either good writing, and we can forgive the technical flaws a little more easily, or it’s bad writing, and bad writing is just bad.

Good writing is more than just good writing.
Good writing is sexy.

If you’re a fiction writer looking to improve your writing skills, this is the perfect, provocative read to encourage you to get down to business and write your story.

Inside Good Writing is Like Good Sex, you will find:

• A titillating perspective on the writing process
• The secret to why your story is special, and how you can make it sexier
• Tips on romancing your readers
• How to write irresistible characters
• Basic writing and story concepts with advanced insights

… and all in a non-gratuitous fashion with a lot of innuendos. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 fairies

Review: First off, let me say this book is not what I was expecting, and it was amazing! I giggled and genuinely enjoyed reading this from cover to cover. An absolutely brilliant, cheeky, and fun guide to writing better. Great for anyone tired of bland writing guides.

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Excerpt

*CHAPTER 1*

* * * *

Good Writing is Like Good Sex

Intellectual Foreplay

What makes a book sexy? 

I’m not talking about erotica. What is the difference between a book you eagerly devour and a book you slum your way through? Sometimes you can see this in movies, too—what is the difference between a movie you can get excited about watching over and over again and a movie that’s more “meh,” or that you put in those “ironically bad” or “watch with friends while high/drinking/avoiding work” categories to make it bearable? 

While there are often extenuating circumstances or exceptional conditions regarding each book or individual film, the most objective difference between a really great story and downright terrible story is simple. 

It comes down to the writing. 

It’s either good writing, and we can forgive the technical flaws a little more easily, or it’s bad writing, and it’s worth every moment of our second-by-second break down of our all-encompassing contempt. 

Bad writing is just bad.

Good writing, on the other hand, taunts you, intrigues you, and calls to you; it pulls at your heart and slips inside your soul. It seduces your mind, letting its words grow into your vernacular, giving rise to new, previously unknown daydreams and desires. 

Good writing is sexy. 

And because of this, there are several parallels between writing and sex that can enhance the enjoyment of the other, but that is more dependent on you than me. This is good news for us who enjoy a good story and enjoy—or hope to enjoy one day after you get married—good sex. 

Sex and writing are both intimate acts of creation, acts which begin inside of us and extend outward to others. While one might begin on the physical level, and the other might begin in the mind, sex and writing both end up reflecting the essence of who we are and hint at the fullness and totality of our lives. These are purposeful acts, acts that have a distinct goal in mind—producing a form of pleasure—and just like good sex, the path to producing good writing actually starts long before you start. 

In my historical fiction novel, Kingdom of Ash and Soot, one of my characters — Lady Penelope, a spymaster for Queen Victoria — has a scene where she is telling Eleanora, my main character, why it is important for her to learn about sex and how to use it to her advantage as a spy. I enjoy this scene because Lady Penelope is very blunt and outspoken, despite the Victorian era’s modesty and Eleanora’s own obvious discomfort. And while the whole scene is meant to juxtapose their characters while also commencing Eleanora’s hero-transformation, what Lady Penelope says is very true: 

“Any simpleton can look at a painting or sculpture and know that it is art. But only a true and trained master knows how to create such a splendid pleasure.”

Michelangelo didn’t come into the world ready to paint the Sistine Chapel, Tolstoy didn’t write War and Peace just after puberty, and Beethoven didn’t just bang his head against the keyboard to write his Moonlight Sonata. Learning begins before doing, even if testing sometimes requires doing before learning. 

 
About the Author

C. S. Johnson is the award-winning, genre-hopping author of several novels, including young adult sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles, the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family. Find out more at http://www.csjohnson.me

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