Naughty Words for Nice Writers: A Romance Novel Thesaurus

I purchased this for myself (I edit romance novels) and love it so much I purchased copies for several authors I work for. Not only is it a great resource for synonyms (and keeps my Google history a bit cleaner), the writing advice in it is practical and on point. Definitely a great resource for genre writers.

Great source to help with the spicy scenes and help switch it up and make it more unique and less mundane.

I almost didn't buy this, but am so glad I did. Have used it several times more than I ever imagined - especially with writing poems or songs.

Not bad!

If you're considering getting this book, just do it.

Perfect for the writer's utility belt. This short guide is easy to use and informative. Bristol is generous with lists specific to various acts, body parts and more. There is also a helpful section on word choices that help improve your writing. Highly recommended for writers looking to improve their craft.

This book is titled a thesaurus, which it is good for, but the description of the text also says it is a writing guide, and as a writing guide I would rate it a 1 star.The text description also says it is useful for writers who intend to fade to black for the sex scene. Don't be deceived, this book does NOT cover the full spectrum of romance scenes, it is for graphic sex scenes.Also, and this is just a personal opinion, but the section on spanking (which is long) includes a selection of behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and after responses that when added together could basically write the following sentence, "He forced her over his knee, she cried in pain as he flogged her, she begged him to stop, attempted to run away, and afterwards hated him." To me, that is neither romantic or erotic, a sex scene that includes tears, pain, anger, begging to stop, and ends in hatred reminds me of a rape scene, and not a rape fantasy at that. For anyone who isn't interested in that kind of thing I would recommend only reading until page 132, when the spanking and BDSM take over. I don't consider myself a prude, but things that read like actual rape make me sick and angry, not aroused.

I write erotically charged fiction and this thesaurus has been incredibly helpful! The different words used for various words have immensely helped broaden my vocabulary and keeps me from being repetitive. There is also some very useful editing advice at the back of the book that I absolutely love, great tips on removing certain words that tend to be overused. Writing erotic scenes are exciting but sometimes, I feel a level of uncertainty and since using this book as a tool in my writing work, I've noticed I use certain words as crutches, words that Ms. Bristol has recommended be removed. Now, I'm seeing a boldness in my dialog scenes, more action and less 'telling.' Thank you so much, Ms. Bristol! This book reminds me of the best editing advice I ever received: Show, don't tell!!

But the tips on what words one shouldn't use in writing romantic novels probably make it worth the price of admission.

Bought for my daughter who is trying to write a novel.She found it helpful.Just a few ideas for love scenes in her historical romance. But she didnt want a very explicit book

This is a very helpful as well as insightful little book. It will assist beginners and advanced writers for sure. I found it a huge help, a lot of the words I knew already but I did not think of putting them in such context or manner. I have also learned a few things NOT to do when writing a book. Ah the art of sensuality, yes this book will definitely help you.

Really helpful book for someone who began writing. A lot of words and descriptions to choose from.Definitely a must have 🙂

Whatever type of love/sex scene you're writing this thesaurus is a must-have.