It amazes me how many people tell me that they don't read- or even own a book. I can't relate to these people. Hell, I can't even date them. If I had a dating profile, the first line would read 'Must love books'.
My mom had a book plopped into my hands before I even had the dexterity to turn the pages by myself. By the time I was four, I could manage the simple ones- 'See Spot run', Sesame Street, etc. She instilled a love affair with the written word that has only deepened as I've grown older.
My mom has never been a novel reader, but she loves cookbooks, books on crafting and digital art. Whereas I prefer novels, short stories, unusual trivia, even an occasional graphic novel. My point being that none of these are better than another- as long as you are reading you are learning and broadening your horizons.
I have no idea how many books I own (hundreds, I'm sure) or how many books I have read (my library trips always involve a stuffed backpack). I have never read something because it was expected- the exception being the classics shoved upon us in high school. Some were good, some bad, and some were edited by our school before we were allowed to take the book home- which, in my mind, negates the purpose of reading the text.
I am by no means a literary scholar. I don't engage in debates about Byron or the content of e.e. cummings prose, but I can give you a lively arguement about 'Dracula' and 'Nosferatu' versus 'Interview With a Vampire' and 'Twilight'. Bram Stroker and Henrik Galeen would be turning over in their graves if they saw the prissy vampires of today...
But that's a topic for another day.
I suppose my love of reading is what lead me to write. The ability to create worlds and shape them any way I choose has always appealed to me. Being able to create a character that a reader can empathize with is a wonderful gift. My favorite books are the ones that have made me laugh, cry, or even turned me on.
Find a book like that and you will be hooked for life.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
How to Write a Dirty Story and Get it Noticed
Dragging your dirty, yummy thoughts onto paper can be a daunting task for any erotica writer--newbie or pro. Here's how to do it and hopefully get noticed.
1) Write your story. (Short stories here are king. If your idea starts running novella-length or longer, consider splitting it into chapters- each with their own erotic outcome. Your reader may only read one chapter per day, but it will keep them coming back for more.)
2) Look at your rough draft and consider your market. (Generally, men seem to prefer the take off your clothes and screw like bunnies method, where as women like the seduction before the dance.)
3) Tailor your story to the above-mentioned idea. (If you are writing for a male-dominated market, don't switch between graphic sex and lines of flowery prose.Using the word cunt in one sentence, then referring to her swollen center of pleasure in another can be jarring to your reader. Unless the situation calls for it, I would avoid the switch.)
4) Edit, edit, edit. (You are writing sex, not a romance novel. I doubt that your reader cares about your character's entire personal history. If it doesn't add to the story or takes away the steam of the moment- delete it.)
5) Polish it until it gleams. (Make it pretty, make it hot, and make it real. Even if your short story is involves two elves hooking up, will it excite your reader? If you have a hard time picturing the action, so will whomever reads your naughty work.)
6) Spell check is your friend. As is a properly formatted manuscript. Use them wisely.
7) Find the appropriate market to submit your work. (If you are writting your story for a contest or chose a magazine or website beforehand- Congratulations, you can skip this step. If you don't know where to place your story, research your little heart out. Wherever you choose, make sure to follow the publication's guidelines carefully. It would be a shame if you submitted a historical erotic tale to a sci-fi publication and got rejected simply because you didn't read their rules.Your time is valuable--as is the editor's--don't waste it.)
8) Create a brief cover letter, if asked for. (Make it polite and to the point. Unless an editor asks for your life story--which they won't-- don't send four pages of unneccessary information. Again, read the publishing guidelines carefully.)
9) Email (or snail mail) your story.
10) Wait. (Don't send 20 emails asking if the editor received/reviewed your work. That's just rude.)
11) Repeat steps 1-10 as often as you like.
Have fun, flesh peddlers :)
1) Write your story. (Short stories here are king. If your idea starts running novella-length or longer, consider splitting it into chapters- each with their own erotic outcome. Your reader may only read one chapter per day, but it will keep them coming back for more.)
2) Look at your rough draft and consider your market. (Generally, men seem to prefer the take off your clothes and screw like bunnies method, where as women like the seduction before the dance.)
3) Tailor your story to the above-mentioned idea. (If you are writing for a male-dominated market, don't switch between graphic sex and lines of flowery prose.Using the word cunt in one sentence, then referring to her swollen center of pleasure in another can be jarring to your reader. Unless the situation calls for it, I would avoid the switch.)
4) Edit, edit, edit. (You are writing sex, not a romance novel. I doubt that your reader cares about your character's entire personal history. If it doesn't add to the story or takes away the steam of the moment- delete it.)
5) Polish it until it gleams. (Make it pretty, make it hot, and make it real. Even if your short story is involves two elves hooking up, will it excite your reader? If you have a hard time picturing the action, so will whomever reads your naughty work.)
6) Spell check is your friend. As is a properly formatted manuscript. Use them wisely.
7) Find the appropriate market to submit your work. (If you are writting your story for a contest or chose a magazine or website beforehand- Congratulations, you can skip this step. If you don't know where to place your story, research your little heart out. Wherever you choose, make sure to follow the publication's guidelines carefully. It would be a shame if you submitted a historical erotic tale to a sci-fi publication and got rejected simply because you didn't read their rules.Your time is valuable--as is the editor's--don't waste it.)
8) Create a brief cover letter, if asked for. (Make it polite and to the point. Unless an editor asks for your life story--which they won't-- don't send four pages of unneccessary information. Again, read the publishing guidelines carefully.)
9) Email (or snail mail) your story.
10) Wait. (Don't send 20 emails asking if the editor received/reviewed your work. That's just rude.)
11) Repeat steps 1-10 as often as you like.
Have fun, flesh peddlers :)
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