5 tips by Kyoko Church
1.
Forget the world. I would say all fiction
writing, when it’s done well, is intensely personal but is there any that is
more so than erotica? The first thing I absolutely have to do when I write about
sex is to completely forget about the fact that anyone else is going to read
it. That’s a scary thing to do the first time! But if you believe that all the
best writing is born of passion and a compulsion to communicate that passion,
then it is essential that you not censor yourself. Write your truth. Worry
about what Aunt Velma’s gonna say when she reads about your secret penchant for
masturbating while wearing latex later.
2.
Well, maybe not the world. Okay, bring
back one person. Maybe it’s your lover. Maybe your best friend. Maybe it’s Aunt
Velma after all. Someone who you are 100% comfortable with and to whom you can
confide all your darkest, grittiest, private thoughts. And write to her. Two
things are possible when you write like this. As a reader I love when I get the
feeling the writer is letting me in on a secret, something I haven’t heard
before, like I’m eavesdropping on a private conversation or peering into
someone’s bedroom. This is the feeling you are able to conjure when you write
to one special person. You allow the reader that private, special glimpse which
is thrilling for her. The other thing that happens is you develop a rapport
with your reader. You want that. Treat your reader with respect. Time is
precious and she is taking time out of her day to sit down and read your words.
That deserves respect.
3.
Edit, edit, edit. And while I’m talking
about respecting your reader, let’s talk about editing. We all know that with self-publishing
now any Tom, Dick or Barbara can jot a few words down, throw them up on Amazon
and think she is going to be the next EL James, taking the unsuspecting public
by storm with her story about the time she let her boyfriend fuck her from
behind while she was wearing a dog collar and fantasizing about Taylor Lautner.
And it’s not that the dog collar thing is not a valid fantasy. Who am I to say
what fantasies are valid? But if you’re going to write it down and want me to
read and be entertained by it then do it or don’t but whatever you do, don’t do
it half assed! Make it your best. And part of how you do that is through
editing. And editing. And editing again. Like I say, it’s about respect for
your reader. As a reader, it’s one thing if I read something and don’t like it
but if it’s badly edited as well then I feel like, not only do I not care about
this, neither does the writer! Way to punch me in the stomach and spit in my
eye for good measure. Yes, outside of selfpub land mistakes will get caught
when the publisher gets their editors to go over it but the more you catch
yourself the less there is for later which means there will be a higher
possibility that what comes out will be perfect, or as close as you can get it.
4.
Take classes. If you are an avid reader,
like any good writer undoubtedly is, you might already have an instinctual
ability to tell a story. But in my opinion it is good practice and also good
fun to always be honing your skills. So take classes. Learn the technical
stuff: show, don’t tell, POV, goal, motivation and conflict, character arcs,
plot development, all of that. It’s inspiring, fun and educational all in one!
5.
Fantasize. What’s that you’re doing in bed there, KC, with that pillow between
your legs and the faraway look in your eye? Well since you asked, that, my friend, is what I like to call
research and development. Yup, it’s all part of the job. Nice work, if you can
get it. Now go away. I’m busy. Ignore the buzzing.
Kyoko Church's books can be found on the following pages:
Website:
kyokochurch.blogspot.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/kyokochurch
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