Table of Contents
Introduction - Why Erotica? 1
So how do I know if this genre is for me? 2
Writing Exercise: How do you define 'erotic'?
Chapter 1 What's In A Name? 5
Porn, erotica, or romance? Sub-genres 6
Writing Exercise: What's your Sub-Genre? 9
Adding Spice to any Genre Literary vs. commercial fiction and erotica 11
A Brief History of Erotic Writing 12
Chapter Overview 14
Chapter 2 The Stars of the Show 17
The Elements of Characterisation Heroes and heroines 22
Is three always a crowd? 26
Using Viewpoint to Convey Character 27
Writing Exercise: Lonely Hearts 29
Chapter Overview 31
Chapter 3 Drama and Conflict 33
Why conflict is essential to your plot Creating Drama 37
Writing Exercise: Creating Conflict and Drama Sexual Tension 101 38
Writing Exercise: Adding Sexual Tension 43
Chapter Overview 44
Chapter 4 Plot, Plot, Plot 45
Planning and plotting; your story arc Keeping the erotic essential: motive, outcomes and development 48
Writing Exercise: Recognising motive and outcome 52
Endings and begirmings and avoiding a saggy middle Writing Exercise: Aristotle's Three Acts 54
Chapter Overview 58
Chapter 5 Getting Down and Dirty 61
Creating realistic sex scenes Sensuality 63
Writing Exercise: Using the Five Senses 64
Erotic language and creating your own glossary 65
Going all the way vs. going too far 66
How not to do it - the Bad Sex Award 68
Connecting with the reader and getting in the mood 69
Writing Exercise: Write your own sex scene using memory 70
Chapter Overview 71
Afterword - From Pitch to Publication 73
Research and queries Writing Exercise: Write a query letter 75
Publishing and self-publishing 76
The short story market 77
The erotic e-market 78
Writing Exercise: Write your Mission Statement
Resources 80
General - Books
General - Online
Erotica Presses and Publishers
About the Author 82
