FLEXING
I’m astounded sometimes by writers who will only write one thing and one thing only: straight erotica, mysteries, science fiction, horror – you name it: their flute has only one note. They might play that one note very, very well but often they neglect the rest of the scale. Not to go on about myself, but my own moderate accomplishments as a writer are the direct result of my accepting a challenge or two. I never thought I could write erotica – until I did. I never thought I could write gay erotica, until I did. Who knows what you might be great at? You won’t know until you try.
A writer is nothing but pure potential, but only if that potential is utilized. If you only like writing straight erotica, try gay or lesbian. The same goes if you’re queer: try writing something, anything, that you’d never in a million years think of doing. Maybe the story will suck, and that certainly does happen, but maybe it’ll be a wonderful story or teach you something about your craft.
Challenge yourself. If you don’t like a certain genre, like Romance, then write what your version of a romance story would be like. You don’t like Westerns? Well, write one anyway: the Western you’d like to read. Of course like a lot of these imagination games you don’t have to sit down and actually write a Western novel. Instead just take some time to visualize it: the characters, setting, some plot points, a scene or two. How would you open it? Maybe a tumbleweed blowing down a dusty street, perhaps a brass and black iron locomotive plowing through High Sierra snow? Or what about the classic Man With No Name staring down a posse of rabid outlaws? Who knows, you might be the best Western – or mystery, science fiction, gay, lesbian, straight etc. – writer there ever was, or maybe you’ll just learn something about people, about writing. Either way, you’re flexing, increasing the range of your work.
This flexibility isn’t just good in abstract: look at the books being published, the Calls For Submissions, and so forth. If you only like to write stories that one are particular style, flavor, or orientation, you’ll notice you have a very, very limited number of places that would look at your work. But if you can write anything, then everywhere is a potential market. Write one thing and that’s exactly how many places will want to look at what you do. Write everything and you could sell anywhere.
In other words: try! If you don’t try, you won’t know if you’re any good. Some writers only do what they know and like because they don’t want to face rejection, or feel they’d have to restart their careers if they change the one thing they do well. I don’t believe any of that. If you can’t handle rejection then writing is not the life for you. Getting punched in the genitals by a rejection slip is part of the business, something we all have to deal with. As far as a writer’s career goes, no one knows what shape that’ll take, what’ll happen in the future. Planning a job path in writing is like trying to roll snake eyes twelve times in a row: the intent might be there but the results are completely chaotic. In the same way a simple little story can turn out to be the best thing you’re ever written, an unexpected experiment can end up being a total artistic change.
Playing with new themes, genres, and styles is fun. Experiment on the page, in your mind, and who knows what’ll pop up? Go to a bookstore and pick up something at random, read the back cover, and then spend a fun couple of hours imagining how you’d write it. What style would you use? What kind of characters? What settings? Even sit down and write some of it: a page, or even just a paragraph or two. It might suck, but that’s the risk you always take trying something new – but it also could open a door to something wonderful.
M. Christian
www.mchristian.com
www.meinekleinefabrik.blogspot.com
www.frequentlyfelt.blogspot.com
Easier said than done, fear and familiarity being what they are. Still, well worth the effort. While this advice is nothing new, it bears hearing again and again (and again and…). Thanks for the reminder. It was just thing I needed to start my day. Well, that and a large mug of coffee.
I totally agree with your post. For myself as a writer I find I get stale if I don;t vary my genres, stretch myself, even if the product doesn’t always turn out great. And writers that don;t strfetch themselves and bring differet flavors to their writing get stale. I have a number of authors I no longer read because of that very reason. Thanks for taking the time to post this.
I totally agree with your post. For myself as a writer I find I get stale if I don;t vary my genres, stretch myself, even if the product doesn\’t always turn out great. And writers that don;t strfetch themselves and bring differet flavors to their writing get stale. I have a number of authors I no longer read because of that very reason. Thanks for taking the time to post this.
Hey Chris,
I totally agree. One issue I face though and it might make some of you laugh. I do write in a variety of genre and am always checking a couple of spots for new calls for submission. That issue? Well, I adore flexing and stretching. So these calls are often incredibly tempting. I see a call and I get this super great amazing idea. Then I see another call for sub and bingo, my imagination takes off again.
I’ve learned to walk away, but I hope I never learn to harness my imagination.
Great post!
Hugs
Hey Chris,
I totally agree. One issue I face though and it might make some of you laugh. I do write in a variety of genre and am always checking a couple of spots for new calls for submission. That issue? Well, I adore flexing and stretching. So these calls are often incredibly tempting. I see a call and I get this super great amazing idea. Then I see another call for sub and bingo, my imagination takes off again.
I\’ve learned to walk away, but I hope I never learn to harness my imagination.
Great post!
Hugs
I couldn’t agree more. I get bored writing the same genre, and really do like to mix things up. Sometimes I’m more successful than others, but that isn’t going to stop me from trying!
If you’re not familiar with the breadth of M. Christian’s work, check out Coming Together Presents: M Christian, his altruistic erotica collection coming soon from Coming Together (and edited by yours truly). The diversity is amazing!
All the best,
Lisabet
I think one thing to remember is that you will probably bring a different perspective to the genre, which can sometimes really excite people. A straight man will probably write gay porn differently than a gay man, but that fresh perspective (even if it’s not well informed) might interest a lot of people. And sometimes knowing what you’re doing doesn’t really matter if the story is good enough. Kevin Smith tells a story that after he wrote Chasing Amy he asked a lesbian friend to read it to see if it was realistic. She read it, told him it was in no way realistic, but it was a good story and he should film it anyway.
So yeah, go forth and surprise yourself.
So I take it you all approve of the posts so far
Glad. This is an important aspect of writing erotica and M. Christian’s one of the best. Up next, I believe is Oceania, THE voice of erotica. Stay tuned for Thursday’s update!
Sascha
An excellent post. I’ve been doing just that lately. I’m known for mystery/thrillers but I’m working on a shapeshifter novel and I just started fleshing out the idea of a historical, something I never saw myself doing.
And my writing does tend to break rules. I’ve been told more than once that even when I do something like romance, they aren’t like most other romances. I hope I can bring that same kind of energy to my new ventures. Even if they don’t work out I will have learned something from trying.
An excellent post. I\’ve been doing just that lately. I\’m known for mystery/thrillers but I\’m working on a shapeshifter novel and I just started fleshing out the idea of a historical, something I never saw myself doing.
And my writing does tend to break rules. I\’ve been told more than once that even when I do something like romance, they aren\’t like most other romances. I hope I can bring that same kind of energy to my new ventures. Even if they don\’t work out I will have learned something from trying.
I tend to write paranormal/fantasy. Originally m/f and then in 2008, added gay fiction – still paranormal. Last year I went for gay historical.
I like variety.
Great post!
i’m curious… if a person is straight and writes gay erotica, might it miss something in the end? in other words, wouldn’t it be like a virgin writing erotica? i mean, i see what vague is saying about the fact that even if it doesn’t work for everyone it can still stand on its own as a good story, such as the case with chasing amy. but when it comes to erotica, whether it’s straight, gay, bdsm, etc. isn’t it usually geared more towards a certain kind of person? like most often gay males will read gay erotica and won’t they notice if the piece doesn’t feel genuine during certain parts, namely the actual sex scenes?
so i guess i have a question for m. christian… a writer who has developed his talents through the practice of the different “notes” of erotica… you said you’ve written both straight and gay erotica, so no matter what your sexual orientation is (it can be a purely personal matter and if you feel uncomfortable sharing, my question doesn’t necessarily require it) what sort of process do you use in order to write genuine, sensual, non-cliche sex scenes that are the complete opposite of what you’re sexually interested in in your real life?
Thanks SO MUCH for all your great comments … you can’t see it but I’m blushing!
To answer your comment, Kate — well, I’m actually not going to answer it because I’m planning on posting about the very same subject (how to write for/as different orientations) for my next WriteSex turn. So keep your eyes on this spot
This is my first visit here, and I found it while trying to figure out how the SavvyAuthors workshops are conducted – the logistics of participating. I\’m new to all of this, and I couldn\’t find a place to ask questions. I\’m also new to writing fiction; I started in July 2009. So far, most of it is about BDSM between men. (I bet you can guess which workshop). Anyway, I was lucky to find this post. There seems to be all sorts of people who either think as I do, or open my mind to new ways of thinking, or perhaps both. I\’ll certainly be exploring this site. Oh, by the way, and at the risk of shameless credential flashing, I was involved in founding one of the oldest PEP groups. Not a newbie in BDSM, just new to writing it.
Sorry about hitting some button twice.
Dilo,
No worries, glad to have you here
I’m looking forward to teaching you the art of writing BDSM for romance authros AND I’m not a member but have friends at HPEP. That was my first organization I got involved with in Houston 