Think of how empty our lives would be without the intimacy that makes our most important relationships meaningful, powerful, and just plain fun. It’s true that we tend to think of intimacy in a sexual context. And let’s face it; the sexual aspects of intimacy are pretty high on the list of things that bring energy to our primary relationships.

Intimacy, however, is much more complex than that. Intimacy is about sharing a touch, a whisper, a poem. Intimacy is about sharing a dream, a hope, a whimsy. Intimacy is about sharing problems, fears, and doubts. It’s about relying upon someone’s kindness and trust. It’s about knowing you can be yourself with someone and all your flaws are not only acceptable, but cherished.

So what, you might ask, does this have to do with fiction? Simply that the best fiction is built upon layers, just as intimacy is. If sex is the first thing that comes to mind when someone utters the word “intimacy,” story is probably the first we think about in a good piece of fiction. We think second perhaps about character and those faces that populate our story. But what about setting? Where is often as important as what in storytelling. And what about dialogue? If the words our characters speak are not real, then you can say goodbye to a character the reader will truly be invested in. And how about that little trick we call foreshadowing? Good fiction leads the reader along, tempting them, enticing them, surprising them.

Like intimacy in a sound relationship, good fiction does not deceive. It does not mislead simply to be clever. It does not settle for contrivance any more than intimacy would false pretense. And now that I think about it, a great piece of fiction is one of the most intimate things a reader can experience.