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Confessions of a Craft Freak: The Elements of Short Story Structure

by | March 15, 2013 | | 6 Comments

In this entry I propose to offer you:

  • The Definition of a Structured Short Story
  • The Two Basic Forms of Short Stories
  • An Introduction to the Elements of Structure, including –
    • The Exterior Elements of Structure (Narrative Arc)
    • The Interior Elements of Structure  (Character Arc)
  • The Artistic Challenge in Balancing the Exterior and Interior Structures for a Specific Effect

This will not be a pep talk. This is a music lesson.

You’d be right for wondering “He’s just showed up, who the hell does this hot dog think he is?”  Well.  You don’t have to be Chopin to give music lessons. Allow me to step forward with the frank and noble stride of a grenadier to exclaim that there are way more prolific and successful writers on this list that have way more talent and experience than I do.

This is of course the advantage I have had from the beginning.

Not having had all that much of my own talent to rely on, I’ve had to fill that abysmal abyss with hard study and dogged practice and asking people dumb stuff.  That’s what I bring you.  I’ve read a lot of craft books.  Most of them say the same basic things, but some of them have had a profound influence on me that helped me around my limitations.  Think of all this as a gesture of gratitude to all the people, including some individuals on this list who have helped me and continue to help me.  My opinions aren’t that interesting anyway, so instead let me share what I know for sure is true about the endless artful journey of storytelling.

The Definition of a Structured Short Story
A structured short story is a scene or a series of scenes during which a Deciding Character experiences   an initial Causative Event,  instilling in this Deciding Character a specific desire or a specific problem to pursue, and with the Deciding Character’s Governing Characteristic influencing the Deciding Character’s decisions, this person attempts to solve the problem or satisfy the desire.  After an escalating series of obstacles the story proceeds to a plausible conclusion.

Listen to the guy telling you about this big fish he caught, or how his boss screwed him over at work.  There is structure there.  Listen to a little kid tell you about something that has just happened to him.  Dig up some old Bill Cosby records and listen to the Coz tell stories about his childhood.  Listen to his perfect pacing, dialogue and characterization.  It’s all right there.  We’re born with this stuff, the rest is typing.

Okay.  So.

The Two Basic Forms of Story
Most modern short stories can be divided into two forms – the Vignette or Lyric story, and the Plotted story.

A vignette follows the basic form of the structured short story except that it is confined to one impressionistic scene or event.  Most flashers are vignettes.  Edgar Allen Poe, who wrote both forms of story, defined a short story as having all elements strictly combine to form “a unique and single effect”.  That describes a vignette.  A one scene, one act story where the exterior and interior elements combine to produce a single focused dramatic effect.

You could care about this if you’re submitting to a publisher who is looking for stories of a restricted length, as most vignettes will be under 2000.  Writing a vignette will mean that you’ll be writing something like a prose poem, with a limited budget of words, character arc and narrative arc.  A lot of what is being said will be buried under the surface or off stage, the way Ernest Hemingway does in his vignettes “A Clean Well Lighted Place” and “Hills Like White Elephants”. The pacing will usually be immediate, moment by moment, without sub plots or jumps in narration.  If you try to do the pacing differently, you’ll be working in a form closer to  traditional fairy tales, which are usually plotted stories dwarfed into little bonsai trees with broad pacing and very thin character development (“The  princess languished in the high tower for ten years.  One fine day, a handsome prince was riding by and glimpsed the princess waving to him from a window in the tower.”)

A well crafted vignette can pack the emotional wallop of a gunshot to the face if it is based on a strong image or a unique premise.  My two personal favorites are Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” and Chuck Palahniuk’s “Guts”, both of which I plan to reverse engineer here some day in a future entry.  “Masque” is a strong image story that begins with broad pacing which very quickly narrows down to the minute by minute events of a single evening.  It has essentially only one character of substance, Prince Prospero, surrounded by a nameless crowd and eventually a red figure with no speaking lines.  It is a masterpiece of description and atmosphere.  It perfectly achieves Poe’s ideal of a “unique and single effect”.  “Guts” has a unique premise it presents through a single narrator, telling a series of short vignettes, ending in a vignette of his own experience.  “Guts” is one of the most notorious short stories ever written, known for causing audience members to faint in horror during public readings – even when read aloud in foreign translation.  You can read either story in the time it takes to drink a Tall Latte at Starbucks.  In the case of Guts, you may not be able to finish your latte for other reasons.  “Guts” is a masterful example of pacing and description also.   The descriptions are sparse, reported as dryly as Hemingway and yet you’ll soon find yourself cringing.

You can read “Guts” for free courtesy of Chuck Palahniuk at his web site:

http://chuckpalahniuk.net/features/shorts/guts

For an example of a vignette, I will also volunteer my own poor stuff, because that is the easiest for me to access.  Here is an example of a vignette I wrote from the ERWA Treasure Chest called “Fidelis”:

https://erotica-readers.com/treasure-chest/fidelis/

A plotted story follows Aristotle’s classic three act model of a beginning, a middle and an end.  Each act has a defined responsibility it has to accomplish before moving on to the next.  Most popular genre  novels and most movies and TV shows are variations of plotted stories.

FIRST ACT:

The opening scene of a plotted story and to a lesser extent also of a vignette must establish roughly 11 items as quickly as possible:

  1. Time and Place
  2. Light
  3. Purpose of Scene
  4. Five senses:
    1. Sight
    2. Sound
    3. Taste
    4. Touch
    5. Smell
  5. Deciding Character
  6. Governing Characteristic
  7. Causative event

The first scene should draw the reader into the action.   It introduces the Deciding Character, reveals his governing characteristic, provides a panoramic view of the situation, eventually unpacks the causative event and presents the first obstacle or attempt by the deciding character to respond to this event.  That first obstacle usually marks the end of the set up and the first act.

For example, try this exercise.

Imagine standing inside of an old barn.  Look at the barn, and describe the barn.  Now describe the barn from the point of view of an older man or woman who has just walked in.  That’s the deciding character.  Now – have the character describe the barn during a passionate sexual experience – that is a causative situation interacting with a governing characteristic, depending on how they feel about sex.  Voluntary?  Rape?  Describe the barn from the view of walking in after the deciding character has received the news minutes ago, that a son or daughter has just been killed.  Sex.  Death.  Same barn.  Very different view.

My Favorite Hookers
One of my all time favorite hookers is the beginning of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”, that old thing they shoved down your throat in high school.  The first sentence goes:

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty four days now without taking a fish.”

Now that dry little sentence is one hard working hooker.  Break it down.  In stark sweeping lines like a Zen ink and brush painting he has given you the deciding character (“He was an old man) with a governing characteristic (who fished alone in a skiff) a panoramic view (“in the Gulf Stream) and a problem and a desire (“he had gone eighty four days now without taking a fish.”).

Here’s the beginning of Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita”, my favorite novel of all time:

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.  My sin, my soul.  Lo-Lee-Ta:  the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth.  Lo.  Lee.  Ta.”

I defy you to read that and not want to know what happens next.

MIDDLE ACT

he middle act begins immediately after the causative event that ends the action of the first act, and the deciding character has been set into motion with a specific desire or a specific problem to overcome.  And there must be one, whether it’s a vignette or a plotted story.  Hear me.  A desire.  Or a problem. Or even better – both. By the end of the first act of a plotted story the reader must know what the deciding character is after and why.  I’ve seen so many stories up for crits in ERWA’s storytime that had an interesting premise but the deciding character was weak either because he/she wasn’t up against something or he/she was passive, acted upon instead of acting.  The deciding character doesn’t have to be the narrator, the deciding character doesn’t even have to be likable but the deciding character is the one who drives the narrative arc forward starting from the causative event.  I come from the old school of pulp fiction, along with many of my literary heroes.  With Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E Howard the story always came first, and it had to come at you two fisted and fast.  The hero/heroine had to definitely be after something in a manner that kept you turning pages.  Whatever genre you write in, if the deciding character is passive or unmotivated, that story will fall flat.

Coming to Death or “Would you like cheese on that McGuffin”?

The middle act will usually begin by the deciding character trying to achieve the object of desire.  Alfred Hitchcock had a generic word for this thing, a “McGuffin”.  A McGuffin is whatever the deciding character is chasing after.  It could be his kidnapped wife and daughter, a briefcase with nuclear codes, a piece of ass, true love or just a little peace and quiet, but the McGuffin has to be there somewhere and someone has to be chasing it.  The middle act is about the McGuffin and the changes that are occurring to the deciding character and the people around him, including the villain, in their mutual pursuit of the McGuffin, whatever that is.  The obstacles and the scenes ideally should build in a rising crescendo of tension with increasing difficulties with the last obstacle leading into a very special moment.  Romance formula writers call this “The Come to Realize” or “Black Period”.  Adventure and thriller writers often call it the “Coming to Death” (no jokes please).  It’s that moment when everything is lost.  No hope.  Kaput.  Honked.  The two lovers hate each other’s guts beyond words.  The hero is fatally wounded.  The McGuffin is beyond any hope of reach.  It’s all failed and gone to shit.  That’s when act three begins.

ACT THREE

Act three pivots on the turning point that ended act two.  The two lovers will “come to realize” that yes, they do love each other.  The hero will say “Yes, we’re going to die – but wait – what’s this button?”  Something happens, something legitimate, something plausible.  That’s why plotted stories are often hard to write well and easy to screw up at the ending.  A legitimate ending has to rise organically from things that have gone before.  You can prepare the readers but you can’t cheat them.

For an example of a plotted story I would like to offer “The Lady and the Unicorn”, again from the ERWA Treasure Chest.  This is a fairly long story that captures all the elements I have just described:

https://erotica-readers.com/GD/TC-EF/The_Lady_and_The_Unicorn.htm

The Exterior Elements of Structure
When I read a story I notice the elements, an exterior shell or presentation balanced against the interior world or soul of the story.  This is where Poe’s admonition that a story should have a focused effect begins to mean something.   The exterior elements of a story generally gather around the narrative arc.  A narrative arc is just that, an arc of rising action reaching a peak and then dropping down.  A narrative arc is based on a balance of creative choices, like paints in a paint box.  These would include:

  1. The POV – first person or third person omniscient?  Is the narrator also the deciding character?  Why or why not?
  2. The pacing – moment by moment present, or broad stretches of time including jumps in pacing.
  3. Where should the story begin?
  4. Where should it end?
  5. Is there a back story?
  6. The tone – funny or sad?
  7. More telling or more showing?  (Don’t be so sure)
  8. Vignette or plotted?
  9. Premise and Designing Principle
  10. Is there a villain?  What is his/her purpose?

The Interior Elements of structureI often don’t know what the soul of a story is until I’ve overhauled it from the bottom a few times.  The interior of a story, the soul of it, generally gathers around the character arc.  Many stories fall down at the character arc.  Even a vignette, with all of its technical limitations should have a minimal character arc.  A character arc means that the character is not aloof to the events that she is going through.   The exterior elements are pushing the interior elements through a journey of change.  The interior elements are responding, yin and yang, driving the exterior events that cause that change.  The decisions she is making are changing her way of thinking, making her a different person at the end than at the beginning.  More than any other thing I am convinced this is what gives dimension to a character.  As a general thing – not always, but generally – the hero of a story distinguishes themselves by their ability to be changed and arrive at the end as a different person in some way.  As a general thing the villain, the Antagonist, does not change.  Batman may be damaged but wiser by the end of the movie but the Joker goes out as unrepentant as he came in.

  1. How is the Deciding Character changed by the end of the story?
  2. Is there a self-revelation after the Black Period?
  3. Is there a moral decision by the time the final obstacle is encountered?
  4. Are there wounds?  Weaknesses?  Secrets that drive his/her decisions?
  5. What is the McGuffin?  What does this person want?
  6. Are they behaving actively or passively?  Acting or acted on?

These orchestral elements are creative decisions that you balance in proportions to each other to create an intentional result.  If you want tension caused by sensual desire or mortal danger you’ll make deliberate decisions about pacing, depth of description and point of view.  Next time you watch a thriller or horror movie see how the director slows everything down to a tight focus on detail when The Very Bad Thing is about to happen to somebody.  Think of the shower scene in “Psycho”.  It’s a very short scene, just under a minute.  But it seems to go on and on.  Hitchcock once described the art of suspense this way:“Imagine a restaurant where there’s a ticking bomb under the table, and we in the audience know it’s going to go off in fifteen minutes. Now imagine one of the characters knows it as well, but can’t reveal it. With this, the suspense ratchets to another level. Not only are we aware of the impending explosion, we share in the character’s anxiety to get away and the excruciating effort of acting totally unconcerned even as the bomb ticks down. The emotional connection we have to a character for whom this situation is a matter of life or death makes the suspense we feel that much greater.”

An exploding bomb you didn’t know about is a surprise.  A ticking bomb you know about is suspense.  That is a creative decision.

I had really wanted to go into some serious detail but this is already getting pretty long.  Let’s do this.  Next post will be “The Exterior Elements of the Character Arc” and it’ll have more detail.  The next post after that will be “The Interior Elements of the Character Arc” and then the next post after that one will come on that foundation as “The Narrative Arc” and the next post, by golly, on the foundation of those will be something like “The Art of the Critique”.  Right.  That’s my plan.  Unless the world gets hit by an asteroid.  You never know.  It happens.

As the Irish say, if you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.

Or as my Aunt Myrtle used to say when I was a little kid and told her my big plans –

“Well bless your heart, dear.”

Till then, bless your heart too.

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The Thistle In The Kiss

by | March 13, 2013 | | 7 Comments

Roland Barthes: Total Perv & Handsome Devil

The title of this post comes from the Dylan Thomas poem “If I Were Tickled By the Rub of Love“.  I went looking for it again, after many years, because I’ve been spending a lot of time these days thinking about language – its imperfections and the way it resists us when we need it most.

When I was in secondary school, I had the most marvelous English teacher. He was obliged to take us through Hamlet and the Merchant of Venice, Pride and Prejudice, and all sorts of poems which are undoubtedly wasted on anyone under about 35. We had to read T.S. Eliot and Dylan Thomas and, of course, most of the poems made fuck-all sense to us at the time. It wasn’t until I got older that I understood that most of the great poetry of the 20th century requires a hefty dollop of life-experience on the part of the reader, before it really communicates anything to you. Nonetheless, my teacher gave me a gift: a gift that would make little sense until I unwrapped it as an adult. He said, “Look, don’t try to reach for the poem. There’s no ‘getting’ a poem. There’s only absorbing it.”

Thirty-five years later, it was the assonance of the title I would remember. Not its message – because, with a good poem, the meaning changes subtly each time you read it – but the liquidity of the language. Its hidden whisperings between the cracks of the words and its sting of ear and heart. Its ‘thistle in the kiss’.

In his book “The Pleasure of the Text,” Roland Barthes talks about the pure hedonistic bliss of reading certain books. He differentiates between ‘texts of pleasure’ and ‘texts of bliss.’ When you read ‘texts of pleasure,’ he says, you are aware you are reading. You might stop and think how clever the writer is, how witty, how wise, but you are still dwelling in the culturally dominated world while your enjoying the book. With ‘texts of bliss’ you get so utterly lost in the process of reading, you are kidnapped, ravished, metaphorically fucked. Of course, it’s fair to point out that Barthes was French and the French can be relied upon to find the eroticism in practically anything. But when in doubt, I always feel it’s wise to take things on face value. When it comes to reading erotic fiction, there are texts of pleasure and texts of bliss. And the irony is, that for me, as a reader, some of the most blissful texts have not been the most explicit. 

For me, two things contribute to offering a text of bliss. One is a story that disorients me. Being constantly reminded of wealth, physical buffness, and name brand products anchors me in the order of the everyday. Characters who have jobs that are alluded to – he’s a stock broker, she’s writes ad copy – but never actually take you deep enough into the world of what they do to overwhelm your assumptions, can never offer me more than pleasure. They can’t transport me. For bliss, I need enough detail to shake me from my rational moorings of what I assume a stockbroker does, to a place where he’s seeing patterns in the data or feeling the almost genital thrill of watching a stock price suddenly take off and go crazy. (Yeah, I know, you’re sneering at my choice of example, but I assure you, I’ve chosen it on purpose). But what I’m trying to express is that everyone’s life, when examined in detail, is a foreign land –  a place of disorientation. It is only when we’re forced to assume generalities that we feel grounded and safe.

The second element that offers me bliss is language. We use language on so many levels. Despite what Derrida says, its worked for us very well as an everyday tool to get information across from one person to another with surprising levels of accuracy. Read any newspaper article: there is a very definite structure to them. What, where, when, who…sometimes how and why.  And yes, we get it – it’s factual.

At five o’clock on Thursday, September 5th, in the city of Buenos Aires, three diplomats were seen masturbating each other in a public cafe.
(Okay, so I got carried away there). 

 Then, of course, there is narrative language, which carries an perspective and subjectivities with it.

It took Melissa a moment to realize what she was witnessing. Three men in suits, all seated around the marble-topped cafe table, nonchalantly stroked each others’ exposed cocks. Did the laws of Argentina allow this sort of thing? Was this the Buenos Aires version of the Cocktail Hour?

It’s more engaging. I could take pleasure from this text, but I’m still situated in the everyday world. Melissa’s reaction is civilized. The scandalous nature of what is happening is pointed out to me, so I can agree. My feet are still firmly on the ground here.

The language of bliss is not something any writer – or any reader. for that matter – can tolerate for long stretches. It is disorienting, uncomfortable, disruptive. It intrudes on the structure of our ordered minds.  It lies to us, misleads us, sets up irreconcilable polarities.  It sequesters us to a place of otherness, just for a moment, while somehow making it all about that moment.

Antonio’s soft, spitslick mandarin’s hand tightened around my cock. Hot, fat fingers muffled the sounds of the cafe. Each downward stroke sloughed away another layer of the world until the singular pleasure of the tug was the universe entire. A cockfisted climb towards the airless void. All the way up, I fed on shutter-clipped mental images: the arterial spray that would scald my face and spatter the wall if the bastard dared to stop stroking before I came.

I’m not suggesting this is a brilliant example. Just having a go at it myself.

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Seven M.Christians: Number 3 – My Mission In Life

by | March 10, 2013 | | 7 Comments

The thought of that makes your blood run cold, doesn’t it? Well, rest assured, there’s no reason to be scared … well, maybe not that much of a reason to be scared…

The thing is I haven’t really talked a lot about myself for a while so I thought it would be a fun little experiment to post a series of essays about little ol’ me: where I came from, my professional journey, being an editor, being a publisher … and even my hopes and dreams for the future.

Hope you like!

Being a writer – or, to be a bit more precise, the way I became a writer – has really affected how I view the writing life … well, actually any kind of creative life. Part of it, of course, is that it took me a long time to actually become a professional — but more than that I think it’s the transformation I went through during that far too lengthy process.

Like a lot of people, when I first began to write with an eye to actually getting published, it was a very painful process: the words just didn’t come, I was always second-guessing my stories, felt like my characters were dead-on-arrival, and doubt was around much more than confidence or even hope.

But, as we read in our last installment, I kept with it and was able, finally, to step into the word of professionalism. But an odd thing happened during those years: I actually began to like to write.

Shocking, I know (and, yes, that was sarcasm), as that is what writers are supposed feel, but when I wrote like I should have said loved: sure, the words were still clumsy, the plots a struggle, the characters stiff and uncooperative, and I thought more about being out-of-print than ever getting into-print, but somewhere during those years something just clicked and I began to look forward to losing myself in my own tales, having fun with language, playing with characters … I began to see the joy in actually telling stories.

But, more than that, I began to see the magic – which gets me, in a rather convoluted way, to the title of this little piece. Working on my stories, before and after being a professional, I developed a real appreciation for what it means to be a creator. Distilling it down a bit, I began to see writing – or painting, music, etc – as very special: what a creative person does is truly unique, incredibly difficult, and immeasurably brave.

Think about it for a second: how many people out there, milling about in their lives, have ever even considered doing what a creative person does. Sure, they may think about it, dream about it, but very few actually take even the simplest of shots at it: a creative person is a rare and special treasure. Now consider this: not only are creative people one percent (or less) of the people walking this world but they are willing to actually get off their day-dreaming clouds and do the work – often against overwhelming odds. We hear of the successes, of course: the award-winners, the ‘names,’ the celebrities – but we don’t hear about millions of others who tried their very best but because of this-or-that they just weren’t in the right place at the right time with the right creation. Lastly, even the idea of stepping into a creative life – especially a professional one – is awe-inspiringly courageous: not only do we do the work, struggle with every element, fail and try and learn and fail and try and learn but, despite it all, we keep going.

I call this installment “My Mission In Life” because I’ve been there, I know the pain of rejection, the struggles of trying to create something from nothing and so when I work with, talk with, or teach – though my classes – anyone doing anything creative I always remind them of their rarity, their dedication, their courage.

I once wrote a little piece that kind of got me into trouble – especially with other writers. In it I laid it on the line: you will never be famous, rich, or have one of your books made into a movie, no one will ask for your autograph … but, if you remember that what you are doing is rare, special, and brave then some of that might actually happen. The trick is to remember the magic, to forever hold onto the pure enjoyment that comes from creating something that no one has ever seen before.

I don’t use the word magic lightly: when it happens just right, when we put it all together, what creative people do is transport people into another world, show them things that they may never have ever considered, and – if we are very lucky – change their lives. If that is not magic then I don’t know what is.

So, “My Mission In Life” is (1) remember my own lessons and not lose sight of the joy in creation, the specialness of what I am trying to do, and the courage I have in sending my work out into the too-often cold and uncaring world; and (2) to tell as many creative people the same exact thing.

Sure, some of us might be ‘known’ a bit more than others, sell more books, make more money and all the rest of that crap – but I sincerely believe that anyone who has dedicated themselves to creation, of any kind, deserves support and respect. No one who creates is better than any other person who creates: we all face the same difficulties, the same ego-shattering failures, the same Sisyphian tasks of trying to get out work out there and noticed.

What writers do is magic — pure and simple: we are magicians using only our minds, imaginations, and lots of hard to work to use only words to transform, enlighten, transport, amuse and maybe even enlighten.

As a writer, an editor, a friend, and now as a publisher, it is my heartfelt “Mission” to remind anyone who creates that they are truly special: published or not, ‘successful’ or not, rich or not, famous or not, we are all magicians – and that we are all in this together and that there is absolutely no reason to make an already tough life tougher through needless competition, arrogance, conceit, or just simple rudeness.

We magicians should stick together – and never forget why we are all here: to experience the joy in telling stories.

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Writing Exercise

by | March 6, 2013 | | 3 Comments

 by Ashley Lister

 The Triolet

My fingers slip between your thighs

You part your legs and beg for more

Desire burning in your eyes

My fingers slip between your thighs

And as I listen to your sighs

And feel you dripping from your core

My fingers slip between your thighs

You part your legs and beg for more

The triolet is a one stanza, eight line poem with a
distinctive rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB. Usually it’s written in iambic tetrameter
(in other words, it typically includes eight syllables per line). Note here
that the capital A and B refer to refrains: lines that are repeated later in
the poem.

My fingers slip between your thighs

You part your legs and beg for more

Desire burning in your eyes

My fingers slip between your thighs

And as I listen to your sighs

And feel you dripping from your core

My fingers slip between your thighs

You part your legs and beg for more

A

B

a

A

a

b

A

B

In the above example we can see that the refrain lines are:

My fingers slip between your thighs

and

You part your legs and beg for more

That the poem keeps returning to these lines gives them a
sense of gravitas and importance. This helps to give the triolet a hypnotic
feel that adds to the appeal of this often overlooked form. Note also that the musicality
of the form can help writers to include par rhymes, as with the example below:

You kiss the riding crop’s flat tip

And promise not to err again

You licked the leather on the whip

You kiss the riding crop’s flat tip

You swear you didn’t mean to slip

And beg me for your punishment

You kiss the riding crop’s flat tip

And promise not to err again

As always, feel free to post your triolets below.

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Erotic Lure Newsletter: March 2013

by | March 1, 2013 | | 3 Comments

From the Erotica Readers & Writers Association
By Lisabet Sarai
_______

Dear Lascivious Leprechauns,

Welcome to the March edition of the Erotic Lure, your personal guided tour of the smuttiest and most sinful sections of the Erotica Readers & Writers Association website. Although I’m not Irish, I’ve always loved the tipsy exuberance of St. Patrick’s Day. I’ve donned my shamrock-colored corset, bowler and boots for the occasion. If you’re lucky, I just might lead you to the fabled sexpot of gold.

Let’s start in the Gallery, where once again our editors have assembled an astonishing collection of original fiction in every mood, from playful and humorous to chillingly dark. We have cherry-hued Dior lingerie, a sexy Irish barrista complete with swoon-worthy brogue, an MILF who learns a thing or two from her young conquest, a visitor from the future with a sex ray gun, a man haunted and warped by his past deeds, and a reanimated Goth beauty with an insatiable appetite for both sex and horror. You’ll also find a raft of clever flashers – full stories in 200 words or less – and exquisite erotic poetry. If you like your erotica smooth, surprising and unapologetically hot, spend some time with the incredibly talented authors of ERWA.

Read your way to release:
erotica-readers.local/story-gallery

And how did our authors get so darned good? Visit the Authors Resources pages for some clues. Follow our link to the ERWA blog to read posts from veteran authors on a wide range of topics related to erotica, writing and publishing. Visit the archives for fabulous articles on the business and craft of authorship, dating all the way back to 2006. Then browse our calls for submissions list to find the inspiration for your next story or novel. This month’s listings include anthologies on the themes of “campus sexploits”, “sex with sporty queers”, zombie lust, cowboys, knights and men in kilts. Check out the guidelines for new erotic romance house Scarlet Petals Press and webzine Peaches magazine, which is seeking both fiction and non-fiction.

Get off your butt and get published:
erotica-readers.local/erotica-authors-resources

Whether you’re an author or not, you’re bound to be inspired by our Books for Sensual Readers. This month we feature Joan Price’s groundbreaking anthology AGELESS EROTICA, a collection of tales by authors over fifty that celebrates mature sex. Violet Blue edits VORACIOUS, a typically transgressive collection of tales about women hungry for carnal delights. Don’t miss Jean Roberta’s bawdy historical tale FLIGHT OF THE BLACK SWAN, featuring an all-orientations cast of horny pirates. Laura Antoniou takes a break from the Marketplace to offer up THE KILLER WORE LEATHER: A S/M MYSTERY, in which a lesbian police detective goes underground at the Mr. and Ms. Global Leather competition to ferret out the fetishist who murdered last year’s winner. BARBAROSSA’S BITCH, gay erotica from Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks, is a post-apocalyptic tale of passion and submission. L.T. Marie’s THREE DAYS centers on a lesbian Vegas wedding and the two guests who can’t afford to gamble with love. And I’ve added THE FEMINIST PORN BOOK to my personal wish-list – an intelligent and provocative collection of essays by female directors and authors of adult film including Nina Hartley and Candida Royale.

All these fabulous titles and dozens more can be yours faster than you can say “cornbeef and cabbage”. Just click on our links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance Ebooks and browse to your heart’s content. Every penny you spend helps keep ERWA alive and kicking.

Expand the horizons of your imagination:
erotica-readers.local/books

What do sex toys have to do with St. Patty’s Day? I think someone missed the boat by not featuring green lube this month. Anyway, you don’t need a holiday to enjoy the delightful implements showcased in the Sex Toy Playground. Our regular Sex Toy Scuttlebutt column keeps you well-informed about the latest developments in erotic technology. Honestly, sex toys get more exotic all the time – check out the Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator if you don’t believe me. Then there’s Mr. and Mrs. Toy’s review of the Verspanken Masturbator and Water Weiners. It does come in green…

There’s always time to play:
erotica-readers.local/sex-toy-playground

Oscar winners, eat your hearts out. Our top billing in the Adult Films section goes to “Wasteland”, directed by Graham Travis. This gorgeous, emotionally wrenching tale of a lovers’ one-night reunion won an amazing seven awards in the 2013 AVN competition, including Movie of the Year, Best Actress and Best Screenplay. Also of note is Stormy Daniels’ couples flick “Unfaithful”, a cautionary story of love and deception, and “Against Her Will”, a smutty extravaganza of Sapphic dominance and submission. The 1978 classic “Easy” follows the adventures of Kate (Jesie St. James), a woman whose sexual desires are truly insatiable. And if you like to mix a bit of education in with your sex, check out “Jessica Drake’s Guide to Wicked Sex: Anal Play for Men”. Bend over, baby!

We’re not just teasing you with all these great movies. You can buy anything that piques your interest from our reputable affiliates. Just click, and come.

Live your dreams on the silver screen:
erotica-readers.local/adult-movies

Inside the Erotic Mind this month, our members take about faking orgasms. You’ll find some fascinating differences between the male and female perspectives on this question. To add your thoughts, click on the link labeled Participate.

There are no limits inside the erotic mind:
erotica-readers.local/inside-the-erotic-mind

Our featured web gem this month is legendary erotica and romance publisher Ellora’s Cave.
www.ellorascave.com

Ellora’s Cave was established in 2000 and remains at the vanguard of both the erotic romance and digital publishing revolutions. The company works hard to retain its leading edge by continually discovering fresh talent, blazing new genre trails, and paying some of the highest royalty rates in the industry. With books in six languages and authors and editors around the world, we are truly an international publisher.

We accept both agented and unagented manuscripts, and as an author-owned company are very author-friendly. For submission guidelines and calls for submissions, visit
www.ellorascave.com/write-for-us

Authors, editors, fans, aspiring authors, Caveman cover models and other industry professionals from around the world gather at our annual convention RomantiCon for fun, inspiration, education and networking:
ecromanticon.com

It’s time for me to wrap this up. As usual, I’ve only hit the highlights of the ERWA site. Have fun exploring all the back alleys! As for me, I’m going out for a green beer, hoping I’ll meet someone with the gift of blarney – you know what I mean, someone with a really talented tongue…

Tipsily,
Lisabet

Visit Lisabet Sarai’s Fantasy Factory
Check out Lisabet’s blog
Join Lisabet’s List

Write, learn, and play on ERWA. Details at:
erotica-readers.local/erwa-email-discussion-list

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Self-Publishing And Promotions – An Experiment

by | February 28, 2013 | | 6 Comments

Elizabeth Black writes erotica, erotic romance, and horror, and she lives on the Massachusetts coast. See her bio at the end of this article.

—–

It seems everyone is self-publishing these days. More authors are jumping on the self-publishing bandwagon when they read about success stories like J. A. Konrath and Amanda Hocking. Why pay a publisher most of your earnings when that publisher (especially if it is tiny and for the most part operates out of someone’s kitchen) does little of the work? Authors who are published by large publishers these days must do most of their own promotions. Some authors must distribute their ARCs to professional reviewers on their own because their publishers don’t send books out for review. It’s even tougher to find readers to review your works on reader blogs. So lots of people self-publish, hoping to repeat the successes of Konrath and Hocking.

Not all of them succeed. In fact, cases like Konrath and Hocking are rare. From what I understand, most self-published authors barely sell fifty copies of their books in the book’s lifetime. You don’t hear much about that.

As an experiment, I self-published two erotic fairy tales, “Trouble In Thigh High Boots” (erotic Puss In Boots) and “Climbing Her Tower” (erotic Rapunzel). Like so many small press authors, I was tired of working my ass off promoting and writing and taking home only about 40% of my book’s worth. I wanted the 70% I could get from Amazon, especially since I did most of the work myself anyway. Far too many small publishers are really self-published authors operating a start-up out of their kitchen. They add a dozen or so authors (often new authors) to their catalogue to give the appearance of professionalism. These are people with little to no publishing and/or marketing experience. These publishers provide editing and cover art – and that’s about it. Since I did most of the work including promo as opposed to most of my publishers promoting author’s works, I wanted to see if I could make a go of self-publishing.

It’s much harder than most people think. Granted, I’ve been self-published for only four months. It’s too soon to say whether or not I have been successful.

I choose to avoid Kindle Select. I wanted my books to be available on as many distributor sites as possible, so I opted for Kindle Direct, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Sony, Apple, and a few others. I never made it to AllRomanceEbooks although I should list the books there. I’m still figuring out Calibre. Now that I’m considering Kindle Select for a three month trial run, I’ll forgo ARe for the moment. I’ve also chosen only ebooks for the moment, since I can’t afford to release print books.

One big problem many writers face is that their books are lost in a sea of millions of books, especially on Amazon. This is especially true of self-published writers. How do you get noticed? That’s where creative promotions come in. The Holy Grail is to find readers rather than promoting to other writers. Here is some of what I’ve tried so far:

Professional editing and cover art: I hired a cover artist and an editor. That was the first thing I did. They put me back several hundred dollars for both books, but the expense was worth it. My books are professionally edited – something all self-published writers should strive for. One valid complaint of some self-published works is that they are full of errors and are presented in an unprofessional manner. My covers are beautiful and easy to read. I’ve seen some self-published authors and even small presses skimp on the covers. There’s more to making an effective cover than choosing free or low cost stock photos and slapping some text on them.

Professional and Reader Reviews: Some small presses don’t even send out books for review. I sent my ARCs to review sites and individual reviewers myself. Good reviews drive books further up in the ranks, but they can be hard to come by. Amazon recently removed what it considered questionable reviews from author’s books, including perfectly legitimate four and five star reviews. Hit-and-run one-star reviews that serve no purpose other than to attack the writer remained, driving the overall rating of the books down. Reviews can be gamed. Sock puppets were a big problem. Like so many writers, I was disturbed to learn some best-selling authors (most notably self-published wünderkind John Locke) had paid online services several hundred dollars to write positive reviews of their books to artificially boost sales.

Social Media Sites: Facebook and Twitter are mixed bags. Facebook’s new algorithm allows for only less than 100 of your friends to see your posts at a time, therefore you lose a great many potential readers. You must be careful promoting on multiple groups because Facebook may ban you temporarily or permanently for spamming. Even seeking friends who are possible readers is risky, since there is a new item below friend requests asking if you know the person outside Facebook. Ignore that feature. If you click on “no”, that person’s account may be penalized for up to a month.  Despite all that, Facebook is one of my favorite places to be, especially when it comes to networking with other writers and publishers, and finding submission calls. I do see results from my promoting on various reader groups, so Facebook is worthwhile. I’ve heard from writers who get plenty of mileage on Twitter, but I’m not as active on Twitter as I am on Facebook.

Reader Forums: Forums such as Kindle Boards and Goodreads are great places to find readers. The problem is writers are discouraged on most reader forums from plugging their own works. If they plug, they are sometimes flamed and attacked. I’ve run into many writers who have had bad experiences with Goodreads. According to Hocking and Konrath, rather than endlessly advertise your books, you must engage readers. I agree with that. So go into these forums with the intention of talking about your favorite books. Join in the crowd. Get to know people. A big problem with this approach is that it takes an incredible amount of time and it’s not guaranteed to get anyone interested in your books. Time that could be spent writing is spent hanging out in reader forums hoping to get lucky. I used to post on Kindle Boards but I’ve since slowed down. I’ve never had much luck with Goodreads.

Live Chats: I highly recommend live reader chats if you can find them. My favorite live chat is the Night Owl Romance Live Chat. I’m a member of an online writer’s organization that meets with readers on Night Owl every two months or so. Plus I have set up my own individual chats on Night Owl. These chats are scheduled a year in advance so if you’re interested in participating, keep an eye on the forum towards the end of the year to sign up.

Contests: Giving away a book for free is a great way to get noticed. I’ve found initially I’ve given away more books than I’ve sold. It takes time but there is a payoff. Everyone loves free stuff, and people will come out in droves for a chance to win a free book. Just be careful of the collectors – those who are in it only for the freebies. These people have no intension of actually reading the book or buying your other books. They collect free stuff for the sake of having it. Hosting contests on your blog or Facebook page, for instance, is a great way to lure lurkers out of the shadows. Ask a contest question that requires more than a “yes” or “no” answer so you get some personal information about your contest entries. Then, engage them briefly. A little attention goes a long way. Plus you may make some friends doing this.

Loop Chats on Yahoo Groups: Yahoo groups are a mixed bag in similar ways that Facebook and Twitter are mixed bags. A big problem is that most groups are promo dumping sites readers don’t visit. So it’s all an echo chamber of writers promoting to each other. Yes, writers read but the purpose of posting to Yahoo
groups is to promote your books to readers who aren’t necessarily authors. I participate in live loop chats on the Love Romances Cafe Yahoo group several times per year. An advantage of loop chats over live chats is that readers don’t have to be present during your chat to benefit from it. There is an archive of your posts so readers who drop by hours later have written material they may view at their leisure. This includes blurbs, excerpts, and buy links. You can’t post long excerpts in live online chats. You’ll end up with a case of TL;DR.

Blog Hops: I’ve had great results from blog hops. A blog hop is where a number of blogs with a common theme are linked on one web site, most often to celebrate a holiday. For instance, there are Valentine’s Day, Christmas, and Halloween blog hops. I’ve done both romance and horror blog hops. You register your blog on the blog hop page and have a post prepared for the day(s) of the blog hop. Some requires a contest giveaway of a book or other swag. Want to try a blog hop and you write romance? Sign up for the July 4th romance blog hop at The Blog Hop Spot: http://thebloghopspot.com/sign-up-here/

Blog Tours: There are companies that will set up blog tours for you, but I’ve found it easier to simply set up my own. I contacted writer blogs and reader blogs, and asked if I could put up a guest post. Everyone I contacted said “yes”. It helped that I already knew most of the people from Facebook. I often swap with them – I’ll host them on my own blog. I set up a three week blog tour, running Mondays through Thursdays.
Blog tours are a great way of getting exposure to a wide variety of people in a short period of time. If this sounds too overwhelming for you to do on your own, there are plenty of companies online that will do it for you, for a fee.

Radio Shows: I’ve co-hosted romance and horror radio shows on Blog Talk Radio with Marsha Casper Cook. Radio is a great format for you, your interests, and books in general. Plus it’s interesting to put a voice to a name. Radio shows make you seem more real and human.

Special Sales And Free Books: One way to attract attention is to lower your book’s price to $0.99 for several days as a promotion. An even better way to attract attention is to make your book free for a few days. Think of it this way. Your free book is downloaded on Amazon by 1,000 people. 100 out of those people actually read it. 20 of those people chat up the book with other readers because they liked it. Then those people buy and read the book, and pass on their own views of it to their friends. A snowball effect occurs.

These are the two books I have self-published.

TROUBLE IN THIGH HIGH BOOTS
Erotic Puss In Boots
Amazon US

Tita is a Puss In Boots with a little something extra. Being a magical creature, she shifts from a kitty into the form of an alluring, ginger-haired woman when the situation demands it. And what a situation she finds herself in! Her new master Dylan is a poor man who needs a boost in the world. Sly Tita uses her seductive wiles to pass him off to the villagers and the king as the Marquis of Carabas in order to help both of them gain their fortunes. Her plan is not without its problems. Dylan’s malicious brother, Zane, lusts after Tita, and he wants her all to himself, but she refuses to succumb to his treachery. Being a cat first and foremost, she purrs in the arms of her many lovers but her heart belongs to only one man – the king. She hopes that in ensuring Dylan his lofty place in the world the king finds a place in his heart for her. Her life becomes an erotic adventure in reaching her goals.

CLIMBING HER TOWER
Erotic Rapunzel
Amazon US

Rapunzel has never known life outside her tower. She has never felt the company of a human being other than Mother, and she has never been in close contact with a man – until Prince Richard of Norwich climbs into her tower one dark night and sweeps her off her feet. Prince Richard introduces Rapunzel to erotic pleasures beyond her wildest dreams, and she wants more! In order to make her both his wife and his sex slave, Prince Richard needs to spirit her away from that tower, but Mother stands in his way. Prince Richard and Rapunzel begin a tantalizing and dangerous adventure in order to be together as one. And “let down your hair” takes on an entirely new meaning in their fevered embraces.

ABOUT ELIZABETH BLACK

Elizabeth Black writes erotica, erotic romance, speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror. She also enjoys writing erotic retellings of classic fairy tales. Born and bred in Baltimore, she grew up under the influence of Edgar Allan Poe. Her erotic fiction has been published by Xcite Books (U. K.), Circlet Press, Ravenous Romance, Scarlet Magazine (U. K.), and other publishers. Her horror fiction has appeared in “Kizuna: Fiction For Japan”, “Stupefying Stories”, “Zippered Flesh 2: More Tales Of Body Enhancements Gone Bad”, and “Mirages: Tales From Authors Of The Macabre”. An accomplished essayist, she was the sex columnist for the pop culture e-zine nuts4chic (also U. K.) until it folded in 2008. Her articles about sex, erotica, and relationships have appeared in Good Vibrations Magazine, Alternet, CarnalNation, the Ms. Magazine Blog, Sexis Magazine, On The Issues, Sexy Mama Magazine, and Circlet blog. She also writes sex toys reviews for several sex toys companies.

In addition to writing, she has also worked as a gaffer (lighting), scenic artist, and make-up artist (including prosthetics) for movies, television, stage, and concerts. She worked as a gaffer for “Die Hard With A Vengeance” and “12 Monkeys”. She did make-up, including prosthetics, for “Homicide: Life On The Street”. She is especially proud of the gunshot wound to the head she had created with makeup for that particular episode. She also worked as a prosthetic makeup artist specializing in cyanotic blue, bruises, and buckets of blood for a test of Maryland’s fire departments at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport plane crash simulation test. Yes, her jobs are fun. 😉

She lives in Lovecraft country on the Massachusetts coast with her husband, son, and four cats. The ocean calls her every day, and she always listens. She has yet to run into Cthulhu.

Visit her web site at http://elizabethablack.blogspot.com/

Her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/elizabethablack

Follow her at Twitter: http://twitter.com/ElizabethABlack

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Ecstasy For All or Hell on Earth

by | February 26, 2013 | | 10 Comments

by Jean Roberta

In about 450 BCE (Before the Christian Era), give or take a few years, a jolly Greek playwright named Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata, a comedy about a woman leader who ends the war between Athens and Sparta by persuading all the other married women of Athens to refuse sex with their husbands until they stop fighting. (Meanwhile, Lysistrata’s Spartan counterpart Lampito is doing the same thing on her side.) By the end of the play, all the men are so horny that they agree to a peace settlement, to be followed by a feast and an orgy. And the women are as horny as the men.

The logic of the play is unassailable. If you had to choose between killing “enemies” in a war while risking mutilation and death or enjoying every kind of physical pleasure, which choice would appeal to you more? If you, as a non-warrior, had to deprive yourself of sex temporarily in order to pressure the warriors into a lasting peace, wouldn’t it be worthwhile?

Centuries later, in the 1960s, the protest movement against the American war in Vietnam (re-)invented the slogan “Make love, not war.” This command, as compelling as it seemed, was about as effective as Aristophanes’ play. (In the real world, the war between Athens and Sparta caused massive damage to both sides and ended the “golden age of Greece.”)

In fantasy, any activity that creates sexual pleasure can solve most personal and social problems. Sex is a form of exercise that burns calories, it enables two or more people to transcend their basic human loneliness, at least temporarily, and it increases the participants’ knowledge of themselves and each other. It is earthy and spiritual at the same time. Being desired is good for the self-esteem, and having one’s own desire satisfied is an antidote to negative feelings of all kinds. The hippies of the Counterculture of the 1960s and ‘70s proposed orgies and “free love” (sex outside the bounds of formal, committed relationships) as an alternative to materialism, the profit motive and organized violence.

We all know how that revolution turned out.

Ideas for erotic stories are not hard to find. I assume that sex fantasies are part of every person’s stream of consciousness. Utopian fantasies about ideal societies seem closely related to fantasies about satisfying sex. Erotic romance, with an emphasis on an evolving relationship between soulmates who live happily together ever after, seems like a logical component of utopian fantasy.

So why do I often have trouble completing either a work of erotica or of erotic romance in which all the characters get what they want? Because real life messes with my imagination.

In the real world, several decades after the advent of “Second Wave” feminism in the industrialized world (circa 1970), sexual harassment, gang-rape, and forced prostitution are rampant in countries once classified as “Third World,” and there is no evidence that these traditions are disappearing in the “First World.” I am well aware that my currently privileged life (secure job with good income, equal relationship) is an exception to the way most women live.

Lately, when I try to imagine a delightful scene of “ménage,” formerly defined as “group sex,” my mind’s-eye flashes on a scene of gang-rape on a city bus, committed by a group of male buddies who apparently assumed they would get away with forcing increasingly violent forms of penetration on a young woman who clearly didn’t want it, wasn’t ready for it, and hadn’t invited it.

Religious and cultural traditions in which all females are defined as worse than males in every sense obviously have an effect on male-female interaction, but violence against women is only part of the problem. Dread of sexual “perversion” results in homophobic persecution, and while same-gender couples in Europe and North America increasingly have the option of getting legally married, violence against unmarried non-heterosexuals, especially those known to be transgendered, is still widespread.

Deteriorating economic conditions for the majority of the population all over the world seem to intensify existing hierarchies of power. A man who doesn’t think he could be thrown in jail for beating his wife is more likely to take out his frustrations on her when he loses his job. An unemployed racist who blames immigrants (legal and illegal) for his poverty is likely to attack them one way or another.

The Athenians blame the Spartans, and the Spartans hate all things Athenian. The feast has been cancelled, and the orgy has been transformed into a massacre. After the most aggressive humans have killed off all the rest, the ultimate earthquake or tsunami is likely to swallow up the “winners.”

The part of my mind that could be labelled “Leftist Puritan” warns me that thinking about sex when the world is on fire is self-indulgent at best. How can I think about tempting bodies when so many people lack the necessities for healthy survival?

The answer to Leftist Puritan comes from Physical Self. My skin, my sensory organs, my clit, my orifices, my spine, my fingertips all remind me that a desire for touch that leads to orgasm can’t really be separated from the experience of living in a human body. Puritan disapproval tends to separate my consciousness from the body it lives in. If I want to stay in touch with reality, trying to function as an ego floating in space is not the way to do it.

So, when looking for an erotic story idea, I bounce from fantasies that are hard to hang onto because they seem unbelievably good (or childishly naïve) to a joy-killing awareness of human violence and misery. And I’ve been writing long enough to know that reality can never be completely ignored, even when I’m describing a fantasy world. If a feast and an orgy on some distant planet (Pelopponesia would be a good name) are to grab the imaginations of earthlings, they have to be fleshed out in realistic detail.

For the sake of my sanity, I should probably limit my exposure to world news, and other writers should probably do the same. Yet if we want to write honestly about sex, we need to be aware that it is a language that can convey many messages, including some that seem paradoxical (whips and bondage to express fierce love or pride; sexual abuse or sexual rejection to express contempt). Sex is literally used to create life, to enhance life, or to destroy life.

In an earlier post in this blog, Lisabet Sarai claimed that real sex can be as good as our fantasies, and I believe her. I’ve been there too. Yet so much of what passes for reality convinces too many to give up hope. As sex-writers, we’ve taken on the mission of keeping the faith. It’s a challenge.

——————–

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Writing This Novel IV

by | February 24, 2013 | | 14 Comments

by Kathleen Bradean

The end is near! 

The last two chapters took longer
to write than the rest of my novel. Usually, writing the ending is easier than the
beginning because as you near the final chapters the story should be converging on the event
horizon, collapsing on itself like a black hole, and the ending should be
inevitable. Right? It will seem that way to the reader. It isn’t that simple
for the writer.

What if you didn’t end up telling
the story you meant to tell? That isn’t always a bad thing, but that means there
are choices to make. You can follow through with the ending that seems to flow
naturally from what you’ve written or you can force the story back on track in
the final chapters. I’m not a big fan of forcing for the sake of plot, but if
you feel strongly about it, do it. (because later you’re going to rewrite the novel in such a way that the forced ending seems to flow naturally, but more about that next month.)

For Night Creatures, I chickened
out and wrote a weaker, albeit happier, ending. My beta reader wasn’t
impressed. He felt cheated that everything pointed to a darker conclusion. I
should have known better. Considering the extremes of the rest of the story,
the end was no place to play it safe. I promised to fix that in the next draft.

If you’re a complete pantser, you
might not have any idea how your story should end. But as a storyteller, I’m
sure you have an instinct for the natural conclusion. Quest completed? Goal
achieved? Character transformation complete? Congratulations, you’ve reached
the end of this tale. Don’t linger too long after the big climax but do give
the reader a sense of closure.

Please, don’t wrap up all your
loose ends in the final two paragraphs. Those should have been woven into the
story as you were nearing the ending. Twist endings take a deft hand so be
cautious with them. Have you ever seen the play/movie Murder By Death? At the climax,
the protagonist yells at the assembled detectives, “You’ve tricked and fooled
your readers for years. You’ve tortured us all with surprise endings that made
no sense. You’ve introduced characters in the last five pages that were never
in the book before. You’ve withheld clues and information that made it
impossible for us to guess who did it.” Don’t be that writer. (On second
thought, since he was accusing parodies of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple,
maybe you should. Even the Doctor carries an Agatha Christie book with him in
the TARDIS.)  

So… Now you have a completed first
draft. Congratulations! That’s a huge accomplishment. Be proud of yourself.
What’s next, you might be wondering. Send it off to a publisher?

Don’t. Don’t even think about that
yet.

I used to think that if I were any
good at writing my first draft would be perfect. *rueful chuckle* Then I read a
quote that changed my mind. I wish I knew who to attribute it to. “Even F.
Scott Fitzgerald wasn’t F. Scott Fitzgerald in the first draft.” Wait! What?
Stories didn’t just flow from his fingers perfect and wonderful? He didn’t type
The End at the bottom of his first
draft then drop the manuscript on his publisher’s desk?  Holy smokes! So the work of writing isn’t simply
the physical act of typing the words? Who knew? 

Apparently everyone knew except me. Ernest Hemingway stated, “The first draft
of anything is shit.”  That might be a bit harsh, but I’m not about to argue that succinct comment with
him. (I’m aware that he couldn’t win a debate with a flower at this point, but
I meant hypothetical him. You knew that.)

You’re going to have to write a
second draft. Even if you didn’t force the ending. Even if you never made a
typo. Even if you ruthlessly polished every word before you finished your first
draft, you’re going to have to do a second one. I can hear you groaning from
here. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. And I sympathize. I truly do. I’ve
always hated reading my work once I finished writing it. Telling the story is
fun. (Let me dream here that the first draft wasn’t a pain in the butt.) Fixing
the first draft is the same work without the creative fun. This is
the craftsmanship level of writing. This is where you put in your time.  

BTW – here’s an excellent discussion of rewrites and if they’re necessary.

So – onward to the second draft,
right?

Sorry. No. I have some advice that
I hope you’re ready to hear. This is one of the biggest secrets of writing.
It’s probably the most important trick up a writer’s sleeve. Are you ready for
the big reveal?

Patience.

Boo. That’s no fun. I know. It
sucks. It’s a virtue, fer chrissakes, and I’m not exactly a virtuous person. I
hate it and part of me wants to rebel against it, but I’ve learned how
important it is.

My novel needs all the breathing
room I can give it. Yours does too. A couple months is ideal, but at least give
it a few weeks. The longer the work, the longer the break. Don’t open the file
and don’t touch anything for a while. Time will make you more objective and
you’re going to need that distance.

 ~

Do you have problems bringing your
story to a close? Do you know before you start how it will end? Has the ending
ever changed while you were writing your novel? Share your tricks for wrapping
it up.

Next month, we’ll talk about the
second draft.

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The Allure of Sex at Work

by | February 23, 2013 | | 3 Comments

By Lucy Felthouse


When Tiffany Reisz decided to make her joke about an
office-supply erotica anthology into reality, I was very excited. I, like many
writers and creative types, adore stationery. I love to go into Staples and
Ryman (UK stationery chain) and wander around, looking at things, even if I
have no intention of buying anything! Also, back when I was at college, many,
many years ago (*feels very old*) I actually used to work in a one of the shops
belonging to aforementioned UK stationery chain, when it was still called
Partners. It was just a weekend and day-off-college job to earn me some cash
which I was supposed to spend on my education, but inevitably spent on booze,
clothes and, of course, stationery! So, okay, I did kind of spend it on my
education, then 😉 I enjoyed the job, and many years later it provided the
inspiration for my story in Felt Tips, A
Stroke of Peach.


And now I’m getting to the bit about the allure of sex at
work! Back then, I sadly did not have sex on the premises of the stationery
shop. Thinking about it, I’ve never done the deed of the premises of any of the
places I’ve worked, and I work from home now, so that opportunity has been
lost. Damn. Anyhow, the allure has always been something I’ve been aware of,
and it is a very popular fantasy amongst males and females alike, so when I
thought about my potential Felt Tips story, I was leaning towards the topic of
sex at work very quickly. But I wanted to do something a little different from
sex in the office, and that’s when I decided to pull on my experience of
working in the stationery store.

Just like any other kind of workplace, having sex there
would be risky, forbidden and guaranteed to get you fired. And therein lies the
allure—whether or not someone will actually take that risk, if it’s something
that floats their boat, they’ll think about it, fantasise about it. Their boss,
a colleague, someone else altogether… everybody loves a little bit of the
forbidden, don’t they?

So if this is something that appeals to you but you don’t
want to run the risk, then why not grab your copy of Felt Tips quick-smart and
check out A Stroke of Peach? You can
live vicariously through the characters, and as far as I know, you can’t get
sacked for doing that!

Happy Reading! x

*****

Shoshanna Evers, Kelly Jamieson, Karen Stivali, Karen Booth, and forty other authors share their office-supply-inspired fantasies in Felt Tips, an eclectic anthology of erotic literature. This collection is edited by bestselling author Tiffany Reisz, who contributes “Teacher’s Pet,” a brand-new Original Sinners short story. All proceeds from the sale of Felt Tips will be donated to an organization that helps struggling schools supply their classrooms.

More info, excerpt and buy links.

*****

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and
erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy
publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best
Bondage Erotica 2012 and 2013, and Best Women’s Erotica 2013. Another string to
her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies.
She owns Erotica For All, and is book
editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join
her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her
newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

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Another Revolution

by | February 21, 2013 | | 14 Comments

By Lisabet Sarai

Most people have crappy sex lives.

All right, I will admit that is an
overstatement, intended to get your attention. Furthermore, I suspect
it is less true for the readers of the ERWA blog than for the
population in general. However, the claim is not too far from the
truth. The Durex Sexual Well-being Survey for 2007-2008 found that of
nearly 19,000 sexually active adults from 26 countries, only 44%
reported that they were fully satisfied with their sex lives. 38% of
women surveyed experienced orgasm “only sometimes”, “rarely”
or “never”. Although more than 60% of all respondents reported
having sex at least weekly, the average time for foreplay plus
intercourse was less than 20 minutes. Almost half of the respondents
said they would like to engage in some sort of sexual activity other
than their current practices (though the reported interest in
specific activities such as oral sex, anal sex or BDSM tends to be
around 10% per practice – supporting the old adage about different
strokes).

The statistics above tend to confirm
what I’ve heard over the years from friends and lovers. Men feel as
though they never get the sex they need. They’re amazed and delighted
when they meet a woman who’s sexually relaxed, assertive and
experimental (like me). Women report that men are selfish or
incompetent lovers who leave them feeling frustrated and used.

Personally I’ve been extremely
fortunate. Through a combination of luck and courage, I’ve had a
wonderful sex life – exciting, diverse and enlightening. I’ve been
blessed with intelligent, sensitive, adventurous partners who weren’t
hung up on the virgin/whore dichotomy, who respected me even when I
shared – or acted on – the filthiest of my desires. I’ve tried
everything on the Durex list of “other” activities, and quite a
lot of other items not on their menu.

On the flip side, I’ve had very few
really bad sexual experiences. Of course I’ve had ho-hum sex, and
I’ve had my heart broken once or twice, but I’ve never been raped or
abused. On the occasions when I’ve ended up with a bastard in my bed,
I’ve known enough to walk away.

For me, sex has been a path not only to
pleasure but also to self-knowledge. Some of my liaisons, of course,
were no more than hot and heavy romps with few metaphysical
implications. What I remember, though, are the encounters that
changed me – experiences of communion, insights into who I was and
what I really wanted, glimpses of spirit peeking through the veil of
flesh. As C. Sanchez-Garcia wrote a few days ago, sex is more than
just instinct or entertainment. The urge to couple and connect is a
fundamental aspect of our humanity.

Because of my personal history, I tend
write erotica that focuses on good sex – joyful, fulfilling,
empowering, and transformative sex. The underlying message in much of
my work is simply that sex can be good for you – both for your body
and for your soul. I want my readers to know and believe that the
sort of experiences I describe are not just some fantasy ideal. They
too can enjoy their sexuality, not just vicariously by reading my
stories, but by being willing to reach out and grab some of that
goodness for themselves.

Earlier this month, Remittance Girl
suggested that both porn and romance are in some sense damaging to
their consumers because they “ultimately leave people constantly
yearning for a reality that cannot exist”. Although I appreciate
her point (as well as its elegant expression), sexual and emotional
happy endings do in fact exist in the real world – not
forever after, of course, but for longer than the brief moment of
climax.

My erotica frequently explores this
territory of sexual fulfillment. It’s a far more complex landscape
than one might imagine. Perhaps the critical difference between my
work and the more stereotyped instantiations of either porn or
romance is that satisfaction is never guaranteed. It is, however,
possible. I fervently want to convey that truth.

Remittance Girl notes that refusing to
definitively choose either side of the Apollonian/Dionysian dialectic
is a revolutionary act. I agree. One should not compromise truth for
neatness.

On the other hand, I personally think
that writing about good sex that ends well is also a revolutionary
act. Many forces in society broadcast the message that if you have
sex, you’ll suffer later, partly because giving in to lust can in
fact undermine the stability that is the “civilized” ideal. A
number of past posts on this blog have commented that for a book to
be categorized as “literature”, sex must be portrayed in a
negative light. Those who indulge in carnality must be punished, by
misfortune or ostracism.

Well, guess what? In the real world, it
doesn’t necessarily work that way. My own life demonstrates that
fact. Considering the way I behaved in my twenties and thirties, I
should be totally miserable – damned, ruined, ravaged by disease,
saddled with feeble illegitimate children, scorned by society.
Instead, I’m solvent, healthy, childless by choice, moderately
productive, a respected member of my community, and in a loving
relationship. Oh, and I’m still close friends with a number of my
former lovers. My mother told me I was destined for hell, and perhaps
she was right, but in the meantime, I have no complaints.

I do write darker erotica sometimes.
Some encounters are destined for tragedy. A number of my stories
conclude with the deaths of the protagonists. A woman is burned at
the stake as a witch. Star-crossed lovers commit suicide rather than
be parted. A jaded sex addict is consumed by an exquisite tentacled
monster. I have played in the interstices between Eros and Thanatos.
Even in those tales, though, there’s some sense of transcendence. On
the verge of death, there’s a weird joy that comes from surrender and
acceptance – a kind of afterglow. I don’t think any of my tales are
likely to leave you feeling depressed.

I enjoy thinking about sex, writing
about sex, dreaming about sex. I suspect this shows in my work.

If the people who read my stories come
to believe that sexual happiness is possible, I’m delighted. If they
want more for themselves – all the better. Maybe that will stir
them to try something new, to move past their fears, to be more
honest with their partners.

That would be the sort of revolution
I’d be proud to support.

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