Hello Readers,
The last time I had the blog we discussed the basic writing scene structure including how to craft sex scenes in an order that makes sense to the eyes based on movies. I did promise we’ll break that down but I wanted to take a step back here for a moment and focus on plot. I’m in the process of writing novel length stories (60k+) with the goal of expanding my brand. One of the questions that came to mind was word count and how I get a novel done so quickly while other writers are struggling with deadlines and feeling the definite stresses more than I ever will.
The reason for this is because I plot in a very militant manner while NOT trying to come up with a knock out drop dead bad ass best seller. The secret is not to worry about crafting that great American novel. I’ll repeat that because too many authors try to spend time doing this. You do NOT need to plot the great American novel unless that’s your goal. You’re plotting for SALES and a CAREER. The great American Novel may get you recognition but what else?
In the genre of erotic romance, the plots are always based on two things. First, sex MUST forward the plot through character development. In other words, we’re writing our sex scenes as part of the series of events that trigger growth between our heroes and heroines. Next, the ROMANCE between the two characters, regardless of genre is emphasized.
Plot is what happens to the characters and I’m sure by now you’ve all seen my breakdown of a basic romance story and a basic erotica story.
In EROTICA sex is the plot. The ONE event (depending on the story length) is that the characters have to end up in bed. This can be conflict driven.
Boy and Girl meet
Boy and Girl get off
Set up for another round or end the story.
In EROTIC ROMANCE sex FORWARDS the plot.
Boy and Girl meet
Plot happens to throw boy and girl together and they end up in bed
Character behavior occurs and they split up
Somehow can’t keep their hands off each other, yet the plot happens still
Resolve the ISSUE and HEA/HFN.
Without the sex forwarding the plot you have a story WITH sex.
Now when it comes to breaking down that plot, we have to analyze where in our stories the sex falls, what types of sex scenes need to occur and what sorts of events need to happen AROUND the sex scenes. You have to factor in where the characters are in their growth stages with the emotional arc and the plot arc. Then we have to look at story length because emotional arcs differ as do plot arcs from short story to writing a novel.
It’s a lot of work.
This is why I detest the porno/erotica argument especially when labeled against erotic romance. All the work put in to create a story is just that. WORK!
If you’re not writing in the erotic romance genre, that’s fine but if you’re adding sex it better make sense. Story with sex isn’t something readers want to read.
If they want that, they can go to Peacock Blue for quality literature.
We’ll start breaking plot down. My goal overall is to give you a good base from which to learn from and I think our other authors have done that with the why and how of why we write as we do, but future posts are going to get a little deeper in content as we grow.
Until then, keep it sexy!
Sascha Illyvich
http://saschaillyvichauthor.com
Writing erotica is one of the most challenging things to write in ways. People pick up erotica knowing it is going to be about sex, and expecting to find the subject matter interesting and arousing even though they already know the inevitable climax.
How to write about something that happens a billion times a day, every day, and has gone on for millenia? The answer is individual. I write about my life, from a woman\’s perspective about sex and sexuality and the Sensual, writing both to express myself and to fill a void in the genre. There is a line between stories that seem like a transcript of a bad porno and serious literary erotica and most writing seems to be firmly in one camp or the other. I try to write closer to the edge of that line, so that my love of words and writing doesn\’t get in the way of someone else\’s vicarious enjoyment of a hard, nasty fuck.
When it comes to writing about sex, fuck the plot. Write the sex first. Then flesh out the who, where, and why of the fantasy. Otherwise, people have to wade through page after page of unnecessary prelude — the writer\’s version of ontological foreplay. I also I think it is important to start with writing what you know, what you\’ve experienced… to start with a firm basis in reality. I cannot count the number of BDSM stories I\’ve come across that are obviously written by people whose only experiences with the subject matter is in their minds. Since most people are so terribly repressed about their sexuality that they turn to erotica and porn for vicarious experience, I feel it is my responsibility to handle scenarios with as much realism as possible — particularly those BDSM scenarios which assume levels of competence in the characters that most readers simply do not have.
Just my 2 cents, anyway.
The key thing is to remember that if you’re writing to sell, you’re not writing for you (IMO) you’re writing for the market. You may have the greatest idea, the hottest story but if the market won’t bear it, it won’t be picked up by a publisher.
Great response btw
Sascha
[...] Coming from the E-book market myself, my niche is only slightly different than Miss Leigh’s. Her books are steamy, sexy, and edgy. Mine are BDSM romances and cross a lot of boundaries but for a variety of reasons I’m not able to break into the romance market without a fight. I’m not sure why but it doesn’t matter in the end. I can write a BLAZE or even a Silhouette Nocturne for Harlequin. The crux is that since these novels aren’t going to be my normal action adventure style novels, I have to re-examine my writing tools. [...]