With sexual writings, there's a distinction between slightly erotic scenes added to a story or book (usually romance), erotica, and pornography.
How to Approach Sexual Writings
Sexual writing style really depends upon the context.
Simplest Breakdown: Regular Story Versus Erotica
The easiest way to decide if your sexual writings fall into the erotica category is to ask yourself a few questions. Could my plot survive without the sex? Are the sex scenes so intertwined with the plot that the whole book would vanish without them?
- Regular writings with a few sexy scenes: The "sexual" parts here aren't very detailed or explicit. There's generally a hint of what's next, followed by the aftermath. The goal of this type of writing is not primarily to turn the readers on, but to tell a romantic story.
- Erotica: This is where the plot heavily depends on the sexual encounters within, but it isn't strictly sex. There is still a relatively complex story involved. The sexual writings here are very explicit. This type of writing is based on the senses and feelings involved in a plot and a sexual encounter, rather than explicit images alone. Erotica's goal is to turn on its readers, but the overall story should consume the audience. By involving readers in the story, you heighten their pleasure when they read the explicit parts.
- Pornography: The plot doesn't tend to be terribly developed here, but it definitely cannot exist without the very explicit sex scenes. It's more straightforward, with very little lead-in time or sensual description.
The Language
You can make the language in your writing as dirty as you'd like. If you prefer "cleaner" terms and they make you more comfortable, by all means, use those. If going all out with the naughty talk works for you, that's fine, too. Just as language preferences vary from writer to writer, they vary from reader to reader, as well. Write what you're comfortable with.That being said, you still need to make sure your dialogue is believable. If you can't imagine yourself or anyone else saying what you want your character to say, don't type it. Distracting dialogue will remove your reader from their sensual experience. Keep the language true to your characters.
Find Jobs Writing Erotica
Jobs that include sexual writings aren't as hard to come by as you may think. Even if you're not ready to set out on your own in an attempt to get an erotic book published, you can practice your hand at sexual writings.
First, make sure you have what it takes:
- A vivid imagination
- An interest in reading erotica
- A thick shield against boredom, because you may find yourself writing within someone else's guidelines-or following similar plotlines quite often
- The interest to keep going-because erotica fans always demand more, more, more!
- While you can remain anonymous in this field if you wish, you still should be comfortable with the subject matter, of course
- Most job postings of this nature mandate that you be 18 years of age or older
Where to Look
Erotica Magazines: These are no-brainers. Check the following:
- Tight Magazine for men
- Clean Sheets, an online magazine
- Nerve, which accepts erotic essays and photographs
- Scarlet Letters, which accepts short stories, poetry, nonfiction, and photography
Job Boards: These are collections of jobs for all sorts of writing positions. They're any freelance writer's haven when they're looking for new projects because they take the legwork out of finding new prospects. All you have to do is figure out which listings fit your experience and submit what the job poster requested. Boards that have included erotica listings in the past:
Craigslist: Simply sift through the writing jobs listed there to see if you can discover any jobs writing erotica. Craigslist isn't just for buying and selling used furniture!
Payment can range anywhere from "gratitude and a link to your Web site" to $1 per word. If you're most interested in publishing an erotic book, the process is the same as with any other type of book. Research, write, find an agent, and work on getting published.
Steps for Success
The steps to successful sexual writings are simple:
- Determine whether or not you would feel comfortable within the genre by reading a few short stories or books, then practicing weaving your own naughty tales.
- Seek out those publications or clients which offer jobs writing erotica. Remember, pay will vary.
- Decide if you would prefer to use a pseudonym.
- Be ready to write and write some more because your fans will be ravenous.
