5 replies to this topic

[Nadine]

Briana, I'm a new writer and, to be quite blunt , I don't know if I'll be able to write erotica and don't have any idea how my writing rates in terms of sensuality. Luckily, I do know a couple of your authors, and one has agreed to read my writing -- and I'm confident she'll say I room for improvement.

:question: In addition to reading and reading and reading some more and writing and writing and writing some more, what would you suggest I do to improve my skill in writing sensual romance or erotica?

Nadine

[Briana St James]

Nadine, on Mar 7 2005, 04:15 PM, said:

Briana, I'm a new writer and, to be quite blunt , I don't know if I'll be able to write erotica and don't have any idea how my writing rates in terms of sensuality. Luckily, I do know a couple of your authors, and one has agreed to read my writing -- and I'm confident she'll say I room for improvement.

:question: In addition to reading and reading and reading some more and writing and writing and writing some more, what would you suggest I do to improve my skill in writing sensual romance or erotica?

Nadine

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello, Nadine!

Welcome to the wonderful world of erotic romance!

Your best course of action is doing exactly hat you're doing. Reading and learning the market are such important keys to learning what makes an erotic romance. Critique partners and groups are a good thing as well.

Make sure the sexual scenes move YOU. You need to infuse passion into your sensual scenes before you can expect to move editors and readers.

Good luck

Bree

[Teresa in GA]

Briana, Thanks again for sharing with us. This has been really great. I have noticed the different levels of Ellora's Cave's books. Some rate an E while others S. I'm not sure if I'm going to phrase this correctly, but if you read a manuscript that is sensual and sexy but not quite there to be considered erotic, how do you approach these? What considerations are made in determining if revisions are made the book could be erotic rather than sensual? Did that make any sense?

[Briana St James]

Teresa in GA, on Mar 9 2005, 05:04 PM, said:

Briana,  Thanks again for sharing with us.  This has been really great.  I have noticed the different levels of Ellora's Cave's books.  Some rate an E while others S.  I'm not sure if I'm going to phrase this correctly, but if you read a manuscript that is sensual and sexy but not quite there to be considered erotic, how do you approach these?  What considerations are made in determining if revisions are made the book could be erotic rather than sensual?  Did that make any sense?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And yet others rate an X, which stands for X-treme.

With submissions that are almost to the S rating, we often suggest a revise and resubmit if the book is otherwise up to EC quality.

The distinction between our S and E rated books can be a matter of number of sex scenes or the addition of anything 'non-vanilla', meaning anything that strays beyond typical male/female intercourse. This can include BDSM, voyeurism, same-sex encounters, threesomes, etc. It is a very individual decision based upon the story length, the tone of the story, etc. Some books can be easily revised to make them E and others really need to stay S or risk ruining the heart of the story.

Bree

[Teresa in GA]

Briana St James, on Mar 10 2005, 06:28 AM, said:

And yet others rate an X, which stands for X-treme.

With submissions that are almost to the S rating, we often suggest a revise and resubmit if the book is otherwise up to EC quality.

The distinction between our S and E rated books can be a matter of number of sex scenes or the addition of anything 'non-vanilla', meaning anything that strays beyond typical male/female intercourse. This can include BDSM, voyeurism, same-sex encounters, threesomes, etc. It is a very individual decision based upon the story length, the tone of the story, etc. Some books can be easily revised to make them E and others really need to stay S or risk ruining the heart of the story.

Bree

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks! This helps me understand the distinction better.

[Briana St James]

Teresa in GA, on Mar 17 2005, 06:04 PM, said:

Thanks!  This helps me understand the distinction better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're very welcome! Good luck!