New to erotica. Do's and don'ts?

Mr Flibble

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OK, so I normally write romance. I've written a couple of sex scenes but they are very much focused on the emotion rather than the actual actions.

And now I've had this idea whallop me straight in the brain for a story. And, considering the sort of people it involves, it might well end up erotica. OK, it will. For sure. Which will please my hubby no end...

Anyway, any tips for a newbie? I've downloaded some books for research and reference, but anything you can tell me that you wish you'd known when you started?

For bonus gratitude and reps, anyone up on 16th - 17th century sexual slang?
 

scarletpeaches

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Don't be cautious. If it's a pussy (or a cunny) then say so.

No putting 'hardness' into 'wetness'. I hate flowery euphemisms. I do not have love-petals, a moist flower or a pulsing bud.

And please don't scrape the hero's finger along the heroine's clit. 'Scrape' is not a word I want anywhere in an erotica novel. :D
 
Mr Flibble

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Sadly pussy is 19th century so didn't exist as a word for snatch in teh period I'm going to be writing about ( it was used as a general word for women though)

I don't mind using any word - as long as it would be right historically. And researching that at work, when the look at your search history...maybe not :D
 
Adam

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DO do what Scarlet does.
DO do what thethinker42 does.

DO read both their blogs.

And mine, too, just for sh*ts 'n giggles. :D
 
Mr Flibble

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Thanks Lori, nice post - I think I'd got about 5 of those already, but you've given me a couple more to think about. And shy I ain't.

And if I sell it it's going under a penname ( because it's nothing like what I usually write. Don't want to have readers think 'Ahh, a romance, minimal sex'. And then get hot and sweaty pirates. With leather and....extras) so I don't have to worry about giving my mother another stroke...:D

Now for sureptitious researching of the right slang :)
 

ELMontague

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Best advice I can give is write what works for you. If you have to go back and work on it that's OK, but if it didn't work for you from the start, it won't work for anyone else either.

For what it's worth.
 
justinai

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IdiotsRUs said:
For bonus gratitude and reps, anyone up on 16th - 17th century sexual slang?
Click to expand...


Try looking at some of the works that use what is known as Thieves' Cant, a popular underworld slang from the 16th-17th century. Wikipedia has an article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thieves'_Cant and examples here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canting_Academy,_or_Devils_Cabinet_opened

If you're writing about pirates you may also want to look at a book entitled Under a Black Flag by David Cordingly, an amazingly interesting and realistic look at pirates, including some very naughty lady pirates.
 
Brindle Chase

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It depends on what you're writing. If your truly writing erotica... then SP's advice is perfect... dont deviate! If your writing romance, but adding erotic scenes... then you may want to reconsider. The blunt lingo does not sell big in romance, even the spicier titles. There you need to swash over your hot spots with lavender prose a bit. Most romance publishers dont want to see "crude" words used for genitalia. Tw... C... Pu...y.. etc... all not really well accepted in romance. The verbiage should be more and more blunt and less lavender as you step closer to erotica and away from romance.... at least that's been my experience from reading.
Like El says though, do what works for you... your market will be determined once you have a complete book! *s* ... hope this helps!
 
SFLP

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Brindle Chase said:
The verbiage should be more and more blunt and less lavender as you step closer to erotica and away from romance
Click to expand...

Like El says though, do what works for you... your market will be determined once you have a complete book! *s* ... hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Agreed. Though if you're *sure* it's going to end up erotica, as stated in the OP, I wouldn't go very...lavender. You might just want to do what EL says, write the darn thing and see where it fits.
 

scarletpeaches

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Brindle Chase said:
It depends on what you're writing. If your truly writing erotica... then SP's advice is perfect... dont deviate! If your writing romance, but adding erotic scenes... then you may want to reconsider. The blunt lingo does not sell big in romance, even the spicier titles. There you need to swash over your hot spots with lavender prose a bit. Most romance publishers dont want to see "crude" words used for genitalia. Tw... C... Pu...y.. etc... all not really well accepted in romance. The verbiage should be more and more blunt and less lavender as you step closer to erotica and away from romance.... at least that's been my experience from reading.
Like El says though, do what works for you... your market will be determined once you have a complete book! *s* ... hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Brief derail:

Would all AWers please stop agreeing with me. It gives me oogy-shivers up my spine.

Thank you.

/derail off.
 
Mr Flibble

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TBH I don't know as yet - hey I only got the idea on Saturday! But it's definitely going to be a lot more raunchy than my usual stuff. Will it be sexy romance or erotica? Don't know. Due to the time period, I can't use a lot of the more common er bluntnesses. I shall write it and see. In my head, it's erotica ( in that without the sex, the plot falls apart) but how that translates to the actual genres time will tell.

Though the book in my sig has a grand total of about four snogs, and Fictionwise lists it as erotica.....

It gives me oogy-shivers up my spine.
Click to expand...

Oh me too. You are sooooo right. I agree completely.

:D
 
Adam

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scarletpeaches said:
Brief derail:

Would all AWers please stop agreeing with me. It gives me oogy-shivers up my spine.

Thank you.

/derail off.
Click to expand...

I agree entirely with cluedo lady. Stop it people.

Snerk.
 

scarletpeaches

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Jersey Chick said:
**waiting for SP to coin a new, giggle-inducing phrase**
Click to expand...

As always, I am at your cervi- service. I am at your service.

Never use the following words:
  • Peen/peenslot for male/female genitalia
  • Dinkle/dinklebox for same
  • The aforementioned flowery references, such as petals, bud, flowering, stem, etc
  • If you say "Warm, wet heat," I will ensure you are incapable of writing or thinking about smex for the rest of your natural.
  • Shy away from the cliche of a woman having to be in love before she can have an orgasm.
  • Likewise with the 'you made me come, now put teh baby in meh' nonsense.
  • Most normal women do not get hard nipples when a man speaks disrespectfully to her.*
  • Just accept that no matter how hard you try, your erotica will not be as dirty as mine or thethinker42's.
*Unless he looks like Johnny Depp in which case all bets are off.
 
SFLP

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Brindle Chase said:
*lol* funny you should mention this. I just read a book alot like that... my wife was startled when I threw it across the room with a terse 'WTF'. *lol*
Click to expand...

Most of mine are ebooks. Unfortunately, my laptop probably wouldn't withstand a tossing around the room. The delete key, works, though. ;)
 
Mr Flibble

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Hmm let's see how I do...

scarletpeaches said:
As always, I am at your cervi- service. I am at your service.

Never use the following words:
  • Peen/peenslot for male/female genitalia WTF would I do that? Ugh!
  • Dinkle/dinklebox for same Watersports ain't my bag, baby.
  • The aforementioned flowery references, such as petals, bud, flowering, stem, etc I was think of maybe nautical terms...oh his big lovemast!!! Kidding, kidding.
  • If you say "Warm, wet heat," I will ensure you are incapable of writing or thinking about smex for the rest of your natural. I'm glad you live so far to the North. But I'll try, k?
  • Shy away from the cliche of a woman having to be in love before she can have an orgasm. Well that ain't gonna happen lol. Cos she's the one manipulating him into naughty positions for her own satisfaction :D
  • Likewise with the 'you made me come, now put teh baby in meh' nonsense. She's not the maternal type. Gods forbid, if she had babies they'd have snakes heads!
  • Most normal women do not get hard nipples when a man speaks disrespectfully to her.* Do men get hard nipples when women talk disrespectfully to them? Or is that only when you bite them? Cos there's a lot of that kinda talk. She has potty mouth. Anyway it's more fun when different bits get hard. * It is a pirate story.
  • Just accept that no matter how hard you try, your erotica will not be as dirty as mine or thethinker42's. Having not read your stuff...Yeah you're probably right. Those thoughts can stay in my head *cough* Until I feel up to that spanky story. But do I want it to be as dirty as yours? Dirty =/= sexy nescessarily. But I may well be grubby. Very grubby.
*Unless he looks like Johnny Depp in which case all bets are off.
Click to expand...

How am I doing so far?
 
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Don't compare boobs to cheese and you'll be alright.
 
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