Getting Started in Erotica Writing

Erotic fiction has been around for centuries but, in recent years, has enjoyed a surge in popularity. If you have every toyed with the idea of writing erotica but don’t know where to begin, here are a few tips to help get you started on the road to writing bedroom fiction.

Get with the genre

Though both deal heavily with the subject of sex, pornography and erotica are two different animals. Erotica follows the basic rules of writing in that there must be interesting characters and a plot surrounding the sexual elements. Porn, on the other hand, deals strictly with the act itself. If there is a plot or even interesting characters, it’s purely coincidental.

It is important to know the difference therefore immerse yourself in the writing of published erotica authors such as Katy Terretaga and Erica Jong. There are also many websites that offer a library of free stories by both professional and amateur writers. I assure you, you’ll quickly get a sense of what is and what is not erotica.

Using A Pen Name

Daniel Handler wrote a book series called ‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’ the last of which is set to publish October of this year. He…What’s that you say Daniel Handler didn’t write those books but a guy named Lemony Snicket did? Of course Daniel Handler published that book. You see Lemony Snicket is Daniel Handler’s pen name.

Pen names have been used by authors for as long as the art of storytelling has been around. The list of reasons to do so go on for miles. Women writers such as JK Rowling and Mary Ann Cross used masculine pseudonyms to neutralize the sexism associated with their genre of writing. Political writers wrote their diatribes under witty monikers to avoid persecution and sometimes assassination. Although erotica is moving up from the slums of poorly lit adult toy stores to the posh book shelves of Borders and Waldenbooks, the general public is still slow to accept those who ‘peddle flesh stories’. For the erotica writer, the pen name is the author’s shield against public censure and discrimination.

The Truth about Erotica, Romantica, and Porn

So I’ve been doing stuff. What kind of stuff? The kind of stuff that pays the bills. I’ve had to crunch my time extra hard these days so I could have money to thoroughly take advantage of the after Christmas sales. Although I plan on hitting a few stores, most likely I’ll be blowing all of that cash at Target.

I have had a little bit of free time, though. I’ve played on Twitter a little bit, started reading my novel, worked on a few short stories, and watched some porn.

That’s right. I watch porn.

What To Charge For Your Writing

There are many ways you can charge for your time and skills. It all depends on what works best for you and your client. The most common way to charge is either by the word or by the project. However, you can also charge by the page or by the hour. Each option has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.

For instance, charging by the word may seem like the best option until you run into the problem that many writers have of publishers only paying for each published word. So that 1000 word article you slaved over for days gets edited to 750 words and at $0.10 per word that’s a $25 difference. Enough for a week’s worth of lattes. Shameful!

The way I came up with my rates is I decided how much I wanted to make per hour and then provide a quote based on how long I thought it would take me to complete a project. While possibly the simplest and easiest method to figure out a rate scale, it really doesn’t take into account the whole picture. Other costs of doing business, such as tax obligations, the cost of healthcare and office supplies, should be factored in.

The best way to come up with rates is to first crunch all the relevant numbers so that you end up with a yearly total. For example, say you want your freelance business to replace your current job in which you are being paid a yearly salary of $36,000. Since your plan is to leave your job, any health insurance benefits you are receiving from your employer will have to come out of your pocket, so add to that total an estimation of the cost of insurance premiums for a year.

You’ve Found the Perfect Writing Job, Now What?

Finding a writing job is only half of the equation. Just like in the corporate world, you have to put forth an effort to secure the job as well. While there are many great opportunities available both online and offline, only those that are the most prepared will get the job.

To get the job

1. Research the publication

This is perhaps the most important step in the process, however, you would be surprised (or maybe not depending on your experience) at how many new writers fail to do this.

Researching the publication provides you with several important pieces of information that will help you nab that freelance job successfully. First, it will provide you with the contact information for the publication. This will allow you to personalize your query as well as make sure it gets to the right person.

Secondly, getting to know the publication will help you market to them better by understanding their reader demographics. A writing style that works for thirty-something business professionals will not transfer well to the teen market.