Sex, Love and Plots: The importance of developing a proper storyline when writing erotica
After a brief hiatus, Untamed Publishing is back with more blogs! Have you missed us? Well, we've certainly missed you. The wait is over for the both of us. Since it's been a while we wanted to provide you all with a little extra spice for your reading pleasure. (Code: Warning for mature audiences only, please! 18 years and older)
Erotica is the spice of life in the literary world. There are those who love it and others not so much. However, we want to put the "love" back into erotica for you. Reading and writing erotica goes beyond the hot and heavy scenes. If done right, it can (and should) be just as fulfilling to a reader as other genres. Today, we want to help writers understand how to help your readers fall in love with erotica. So hold on tight, get ready for a thrilling ride (no pun intended) of tips to enhance your love writing skills!
To help us give insightful tips, we have L. Loren, the LoveRotica writer of The WanderLynn Experience.
Imagine getting ready to pick out an erotic novel. You’ve never done this before, but you’ve been thinking about it for quite some time. Your best friend has tried it with some success, and has finally convinced you to take a walk on the dark side. The day has come to make your choice and you are nervous. There are so many to choose from. How will you ever decide? What if you don’t like it? The what?
At your bestie’s prompting, you wipe the sweat from your palms and take a deep breath to calm yourself. The time has come. No backing out now! Going online, searching through hundreds of profiles of unknown writers, you swipe left and swipe right trying to find ‘the one’. Your perfect choice will carry you away from the stresses of your normal day. If you make the right choice, by the end of the encounter, you will have laughed, cried, gotten mad, and possibly fallen in love. Not to mention, the dampness of your panties, after the hot, steamy sex scenes. That’s what every reader wants, right?
After filtering through all of the book covers, you see one that catches your eye, and the decision is made. The synopsis indicates this is just what you have been searching for. Settling down in your nook, you press the button to hook up and wait for a reply. With lightening speed, you receive a response in your inbox. Excited about the possibilities, you get started reading. You have just found out what your characters look like so you have a firm visualization in your mind. All of a sudden, SMACK! BOOM! BAM! – images of someone’s cock moving in someone’s mouth flood your mind. You barely know their names. You weren’t ready! Like a bad online dating experience, your interaction just went from a budding romance to a full blown porn without any warning.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have an issue with sex scenes. After all, I write LoveRotica, but when it comes to reading a good erotic novel, I need more. I need an intro to the characters. I need to know a little about why they do the things they do. What are their likes and dislikes? Why are they attracted to each other? Pretty much, I need a story to go along with the sex.
Not too long ago, I would have never thought I would be reading erotica, let alone writing it. One day I was browsing my social media sites, when a book cover from an indie author called to me. The cover drew me in, but the synopsis kept my interest. It was like meeting your soul mate for the first time. You recognize it in your spirit and you just can’t walk away. Ok, I have a flair for the dramatics. It wasn’t exactly likened to meeting your soul mate, but you get the idea. I found myself lost in the book. The characters came alive, and I felt as if I knew them and their struggles. By the time the hot, steamy sex came into the picture, I was warmed up and ready to go. Just like foreplay, the book took its time with me, giving me what I needed before we jumped into bed together. It was simply the normal progression of the relationship we had started. Nothing was rushed.
After reading the book, I was hooked, just like great sex! Let’s face it ladies, when your man hits that spot, you know the one that makes you forget how to speak for a few minutes. Yeah, that one. Come on back to me… After he hits that spot, you just can’t get enough. It is the same thing when you’re reading an erotic novel, with a good storyline. You don’t want it to end, but when it’s over, you can always go back for seconds and thirds.
A good erotic novel needs to have a good story to support the sex. As women, we need to feel a sense of security and love before we give our bodies away. Even if it is false, we need to feel it. A good plot provides that for us. A good book boyfriend never comes before the reader. He does his best to satisfy all of our needs. Now ladies, you know it takes a minute to warm up, and get you to the point of no return. A two minute brother just will not do. That is what it’s like to read a book that jumps right into the sex. You’re left worked up, but unsatisfied! Have you ever run into a woman who was left in this state of misery? It is not a pretty sight.
So writers, when you sit down to create your next masterpiece, be sure to place a Snickers bar next to your workstation, as a reminder. Don’t let your readers leave your book hungry! Give them what they need to satisfy that hunger.
Here are a few things that helped me as a new writer in this genre:
Find a comfortable place to write – You will find that you get better results when your writing space is comfy. When I say comfy, I am not referring to fluffy pillows and blankets. What I mean is, find a spot that breeds creativity, and use it every time you write. Make sure the temperature is optimal; the lighting is good and there are no distractions. Some writers need silence, while others listen to tunes. Choose an environment that works best for you.
Start with an outline – Who are your characters? What are they trying to accomplish? Figure out how they can reach their goals and always throw in obstacles for the dramatic factor.
Write characters that your readers can connect with – Remember, readers love characters they feel they know. Make them relatable and multidimensional. People are complex and your characters should be too. A good rule is, if you like your characters and want to read about them, then your readers will too.
Do your homework – Do some research about sex! I’m not saying turn into a porn addict, but I have found it to be an effective tool. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, a few erotic videos can spark your imagination. Don’t just limit yourself to porn. Sex is all around us. As a human, you are a powerful resource. You know what you like. Write about it. Use past experiences, tap into those wild fantasies you have never been brave enough to try. Don’t be afraid to spice things up. Make sure you read a variety of erotic books from several different authors. It helps show you what works and what doesn’t.
Have fun – Writing erotica is a great way to loosen those inhibitions. If you have a partner, include them when you test your scenes. Oh, did I fail to mention that you should test your scenes to see if they are achievable? You can have a ton of fun doing this, and it may help build a tighter bond with your honey.
So lovies, what are you waiting for? You know how to satisfy your readers, get to writing!
Author L. Loren writes LoveRotica, love stories with an edge of sexy. Her debut novel in erotica, The Layover, Book 1 of the WanderLynn Experience Series, will be available on Amazon starting September 27th. To read more about her or to connect, follow her on social media:
www.lisawtetting.com/loverotica
www.facebook.com/l.lorenwriter