Eyes Wide Open shows insight into how victims become victims in the sex industry…

One of the reasons I chose the subject I did for ‘Eyes Wide Open’ was to give a voice to victims of sexual abuse, albeit in a fictional way. Just received this lovely review on Goodreads… ‘Sexual victims are most always victimized many times more, threats of violence towards themselves and their families, plus the shame of what had happened to them, creates a wall of silence

Art always reflects culture and sex trafficking is the reflection of the horror that is happening all over the world today. Eyes Wide Open speaks for these victims with a strong a voice that leaves readers chilled and aware that this can happen anywhere.

Matt is a detective Investigator with his own troubled past. When an underage girl Kitty is killed with ties to a past case on sex traffic ring that never came to justice, Matt is determined to find justice for Kitty. Fighting his own demons, he uncovers that a young girl and another potential victim may have been the last to see her alive. Matt is lead to Rachael a young woman that was an advocate for sexual crime victims and for the Kitty as well. Rachael is hiding in her own silence-will Kitty’s justice be her justice?

Very intense read with a real understanding how victims become victims in the sex trafficking industry. Was at the edge of my seat on this one.’

Writing Exercise; Lonely Hearts…Getting to Know your Characters

Writing Exercise – Lonely Hearts

It’s time to get to know your main character/s – intimately.

Take your main character – or your hero and heroine, if it’s a romance – and write a dating advert for them. I don’t mean a three sentence ad of the type you might find in the newspapers, but the kind of lengthy profile you will find on dating websites that go into great detail about the person and what they want from a relationship. Some even have in-depth psychological questionnaires. Try writing one of these – or even filling out an online profile, but make sure it doesn’t go live – as if you were your character. If your story is highly erotic you might like to have a look at some of the saucier dating websites and write an ad for your character based on finding a sex partner rather than a romantic relationship. This will help you get inside your character’s head and think about things you might have missed. It can be a lot of fun too, but don’t get so distracted on dating websites that you don’t write your story!

If you don’t want to or can’t check out dating sites on the internet, here are a few examples of the questions you might get asked when filling out a profile, from the sweet to the saucy. Answer the questions as if you were the character and then write your ad.

1. Where would you go and what would you do on the ideal first date?

2. What are the five most important characteristics in a potential partner?

3. Do you have or want children? If not, why not?

4. Where do you see yourself in five years time? Or ten?

5. Describe your most memorable sexual encounter.

6. Where would be your ideal holiday location and why?

7. If you could be any character in a novel or film, who would it be and why?

8. What are your five worst turn-offs in a potential partner?

9. What is your biggest sexual fantasy?

As well as getting you up close and personal with your character, you can use the ad as a story prompt; perhaps the character in question does try using these sites, leading to erotic encounters…..

This writing exercise is taken from ‘Passionate Plots ;a Brief Guide to Writing Erotic Stories and Scenes’ published by Compass Books

Sex Scenes; Getting in the Mood.

Connecting with the reader and getting in the mood.

Your erotic scenes should be strong if you’ve followed the advice in ‘Passionate Plots; a Guide to Writing Erotic Stories and Scenes’, and having well-drawn, empathic characters, a tight plot full of rising tension and sensual yet direct sex talk will all engage your reader in the story. There’s one last point I’d like to consider, although it’s hard to define and impossible to teach, and that’s your connection to the reader.

Often, when we read a scene that evokes a particular emotion in us, although that may be because of our own subjective experience, it’s also in large part down to the emotions the author poured into the page. If you feel tearful when you’re writing a sad scene for example, then there’s a strong chance your reader will too. No matter how sharp and skilful your writing, on the other hand, if you are bored by your story this will communicate itself through to your audience. Yes it’s important to have good characterisation and plot and use the right language and description but you should be able to feel your story too. The best writers are often those who are passionate about their work, and if you can’t get passionate about an erotic scene, when can you?

In short, it’s okay to be slightly aroused yourself when writing your erotic scenes, or later when you read them back through. In fact, it’s a very good sign. That’s the effect you’re trying to create, after all.

So when you sit down to write your erotic scenes, it’s a good idea to ‘get yourself in the mood’. Relax, and spoil your senses. I’ve heard of lots of writers who have little rituals or certain songs they like to listen to or aromatherapy oils they burn to evoke certain moods etc. and I’m no different. If I’m in the middle of writing an erotic romance I’ll be reading lots of it, watching romantic and sexy films and listening to lots of sultry R’n’ B. When I sit down to write I’ll have a playlist of sexy songs on repeat in the background, and perhaps even a scented candle burning. It works for me. Only you can find what works for you.

Sex Scenes; Motive and Outcome

For your erotic scene to be integral to your plot, it must do at least one of these things;

Cause your character to question him/herself and/or change in some way

Change the relationship between the characters

Further the story – come closer to the resolution of the conflict

Alternatively, throw a spanner in the works by creating more conflict

Reveal something new about the characters or the story to the reader

For every erotic scene, ask yourself; what are the characters motives, what is the outcome, and how does it further the story’s development? If these have clear answers, then your sex scene is feeding the plot.

Motives

Why are your characters having sex right now? People have all sorts of motives for having sex, from love to curiosity to impending danger to a sense of solace, but whatever the motive, make sure there is one, and your story people aren’t just having sex because you’ve reached a lull in your story. Or just to arouse the reader.

If you’re struggling to pin down a clear motive, ask yourself – and your character – the following questions;

What has just happened/is about to happen that could throw sex into the mix?

What are the underlying tensions?

What emotions are being experienced? What emotion is your character trying not to experience?

What’s the setting? Is the location particularly enticing?

What does the character want to change about their current situation?

Outcomes and development

Whatever your characters’ motives for getting it on at that precise moment, it’s the outcome and subsequent plot and character development that will have the most impact on your story. No matter how compelling your characters’ motives or even how hot the actual sex scene, it will seem superfluous if nothing happens in your story as a result.

Strangely enough this is often harder to do when writing within the erotica genre, as it’s a given that the character is going to be having lots of sex. If you’ve got, for example, twenty explicit sex scenes in one novella then it’s relatively easy to lose track of the story arc and forget to make every encounter count. The impact can be subtle of course; your character doesn’t need to have a life-changing experience every ten pages, but every erotic scene should contribute to her development in some way, even if it’s as simple as her discovering a new sexual like that she resolves to bring into every further encounter. Or she has the best orgasm of her life and consequentially compares every encounter to that one. In my BDSM story ‘Wicked Games’ for example, whereas some of the erotic encounters between the couple have dramatic outcomes for their relationships and lives, others show a subtle unfolding of sexual exploration. But there is always an impact.

If you feel it’s the right time in your story for a sex scene but you’re not sure what the consequences will be for your story and your characters, then ask yourself the following questions;

How does your character feel about the encounter? Regretful, exhilarated, loved up?

Have the character’s immediate or future plans changed or been altered in any way?

Does the character want to repeat the experience?

Has their sexual knowledge or repertoire been expanded or altered?

Whether subtle or explosive, as long as the erotic encounters in your story have clear motivation behind them and a discernable outcome, then you’ll be able to ensure they are tightly bound to your overall plot.

Exercise; recognising motive and outcome.

Take three stories that have at least one erotic scene in them, some highlighters and something to take notes on. Read quickly through just the erotic scenes and see if you can discern for yourself what the characters’ motives are and what the likely outcome will be. Then, read through the scenes before and after and see if you were right. Determine what the actual motives and outcomes are and how the author has portrayed this. Read ahead a little and see how the encounter has affected the story. Do you think the author has done a good job? Would you do things differently? Do this with each story and then compare and contrast them. Which author has in your opinion used their sex scene most effectively?

Extract from ‘Passionate Plots; a Guide to Erotic Stories and Scenes’

Threesomes in erotic romance; More please or No Way?

Is three always a crowd?

Should your sex scenes only ever contain two people? Well it rather depends on what you’re writing. If it’s a romance – or the characters are having a romance within the context of the story – then yes. Mostly. In ‘Wicked Games’ the two main protagonists have a brief erotic scene with another important character. Although this interlude is written to be arousing, it also serves as a pivotal turning point in the couple’s relationship. So there is room for manoeuvre here, but don’t overcomplicate things and lose focus on the central characters and plot.

Certain genres and stories do lend themselves to erotic encounters involving more than one person, for example stories set in other worlds where sexual conventions may be very different, or paranormal stories where the otherworldly creatures have very different views about sexuality. Laurell K Hamilton’s paranormal books do this very well, with scenes involving group sex between fairies, elves, werewolves and vampires that somehow manage to be powerfully evocative yet not at all sleazy. Erotica as a genre naturally lends itself to themes of sexual exploration, and having your main character take part in a threesome or moresome could be a powerful way of furthering your character’s development. An initial encounter may lead your character to become involved in the world of swinging, or question their sexuality and start to explore same sex relationships.

Other scenarios which lend themselves to erotic encounters between more than two people are your main character/s exploring the world of Tantra, or attending sex therapy, or becoming involved in the sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyle. Certain historical periods are famed for their debauchery and decadence so even an historical romp may feature the occasional threesome or even orgy.

If it fits and furthers your plot, go for it. If you’re new to writing erotic scenes however, it’s probably a good idea to start with the basics! Also bear your target audience in mind; you want to arouse, not shock.

(extract from ‘Passionate Plots; a Guide to Writing Erotic Scenes, out now, published by Compass Books)

Why Write Erotica?

You would have to have been living in a hole deep underground to miss the recent explosion in popularity of erotic stories and erotic romances. Erotic novels have gone from being discreetly hidden in the far corner of your local bookstore to taking centre stage. In the summer of 2012 chances were that you were either reading the multimillion selling Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, or talking about it, or listening to people talk about it. Even mainstream authors have been upping the steam factor in their love scenes in every genre from chick-lit to thriller.

Commercially at least, there has never been a better time to write erotica. So should we all be picking up our pens and frantically scribbling about BDSM, ménage a trois scenarios and dark, brooding lovers with a penchant for kinky sex games?

Well,er, no.

Although, if you intend to write for profit as well as pleasure then you need to be aware of trends, it’s never a good idea to write something just because it’s in vogue. For example if you’re a horror writer specialising in tales of the zombie apocalypse, I doubt you would suddenly turn to romantic comedies just because of the success of the ‘Shopaholic’ series. So if your talents as a writer tend towards sweet chick-lit or sweeping sagas and you can’t even read a love scene without blushing, erotica may not be for you. Ditto if you write in another popular genre and decide to chuck in some erotic scenes when normally your characters never so much as kiss. Remember the old adage ‘write what you know?’ Personally I prefer ‘write what you love.’

So how do I know if this genre is for me?

• You enjoy reading erotica and/or romance
• You enjoy writing sensual description
• You’re comfortable writing and talking about sex

With regards to the last point, although some past writers of erotica have used pseudonyms for this particular work and kept it relatively quiet, in this day and age authors are expected to promote themselves and engage with their readers, so unless you’re planning on only yourself and a few select friends seeing your work you will need to get over any embarrassment pretty quickly. In the run-up to publication of ‘Wicked Games’, an erotic BDSM memoir, I was featured in the local paper, had to do an interview on BBC radio and even a reading at an erotica night in London. It was all pretty nerve-wracking and blush inducing, and I love the genre and am proud to be part of it. If you would feel mortified to admit to others that you write erotica or even romance, then you should probably be writing something else.

Perhaps you do write something else, but you want to expand your writing skills and add a level of sensuality to your work. Sex scenes, whether romantic or otherwise, are notoriously difficult to write well, not least because the author feels unsure of how to handle the subject matter. That’s why I wrote ‘Passionate Plots’ – it’s intended to help all authors craft a sexy sequence that adds to the story. The importance of plot is perhaps most crucial here; after all if you’re writing straightforward erotica or erotic romance it follows that the sex is going to be pretty intrinsic to the plot; not necessarily so if you’re writing a thriller or American Western and feel it would benefit from added heat.

The important thing to keep in mind is that the erotic scene should in some way drive the story forward, whether in terms of character development or the unfolding of the central story. No matter how well written your erotic scene, if they’re just chucked in any old where they will detract from the story rather than add to it and you risk alienating rather than arousing your reader. If however these scenes are tied in to the overall structure they can give the whole story that extra oomph. ‘Passionate Plots’ is focused around crafting erotic scenes that are integral to your story, whatever it’s genre, as well as getting down to the nuts and bolts of how to write a good sex scene. It also includes writing exercises for you to try and a list of resources if you wish to take things further (pun intended).

The rest of this post can be found at the rather brilliant how to write shop.

 

Writing exercises from ‘Passionate Plots’ PUBLISHED TOMORROW!!!

Writing exercise from ‘Passionate Plots’ blending fact and fiction;

 

Part One – How do you define ‘erotic?

 

Etymologically, the word ‘erotic’ derives from the Greek erotikos, meaning ‘of love’. The World English Dictionary gives its definition as ‘concerning or arousing sexual pleasure’ and the American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary as ‘of or concerning sexual love or desire’. Fairly straightforward, you would think.

Except that sexual desire and arousal is very subjective. Before you attempt to write something erotic to arouse other people, you need to have a sense of exactly what the word ‘erotic’ means for you. What words, images, situations and sensory experiences do you find arousing?

Take a large sheet of blank paper and write the word ‘erotic’ in the middle. Create a word web, quickly writing down as many words as come into your mind when you think ‘erotic’. Write down whatever springs to minds, be it other words that are particularly evocative for you, a snatch of past memory, even a smell. Don’t think too hard, and most definitely don’t censor yourself.

 

Part Two – Write your own sex scene using memory.

Now you’re going to have a go at writing a full length sex scene. I don’t want you to have to do too much thinking about who your characters are, what you’re doing and why for this exercise so to ensure that your erotic scene already has developed characters and a plot, we’re going to use a real memory. Yours. Pick a favourite past erotic encounter; it can be anything you choose as long as it’s a good memory, and turn it into a sex scene. Of course you may find yourself tweaking certain details and you could even tailor it to fit in the plot of a current story you are writing or planning, but in terms of the sexual content, use your memory. If you want to detach from it a little, write in the third-person rather than the first.

Use some of the words and phrases from your own erotic glossary and think about where and when you can add sensory detail to create an evocative picture. Let yourself be immersed in the memories as you write.

Go.