Packing Heat: Erotica Writing Tips and Techniques 2008-08-28T18:48:23Z http://packingheat.net/atom.aspx Quick Blog Packing Heat 024: Formula tag:packingheat.net,2008-08-26:d26a2829-bea9-493d-a812-00b82169b062 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-08-27T10:12:42Z 2008-08-26T16:14:00Z

Last Week's Assignment


Did you find some markets to aim your stories at? I share a real cover letter I wrote to a greeting card company.

Promo



Check out JCPbooks.com and see what I've got brewing on the self-publishing front

Formula


I think it's totally possible to write to a formula and not come out looking formulaic. Sometimes we can be more creative within a set of limitations than we can when everything's free-form and devoid of boundaries.


Your Assignment


Establish some parameters and write within them. If you haven't got any ideas for your own, you can try one of these.
  1. Write a story that's exactly 500 words (not including the title)
  2. Write the beginning of a longer story where the two love-interest characters are kissing by the 500th word. That means all your setup, characterization and worldbuilding have to happen fast!
  3. Write a story synopsis or flash fiction based on one of the randomizers at SeventhSanctum.com

]]> I think it's totally possible to write to a formula and not come out looking formulaic. Sometimes we can be more creative within a set of limitations than we can when everything's free-form and devoid of boundaries. Packing Heat Quickie 015: Opinions tag:packingheat.net,2008-08-20:99dd92cb-7a5c-4afc-a7c7-9847e134b7a9 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-08-20T08:13:47Z 2008-08-20T08:07:00Z Warning:
Particularly explicit spots, not worksafe

Everyone's Got One


Ever read forums and find yourself pissed off? I do! And I recently had some forum experiences that were best ended with "step away from the computer."

When groups and forums leave you feeling discouraged rather than inspired, step away!

And if you're looking for reassurance, be self-aware enough to admit that encouragement is what you want, rather than critique. Because if you post something and say, "What do you think of this?" chances are, your budding effort will be shredded rather than nurtured.
]]> When groups and forums leave you feeling discouraged rather than inspired, step away! Packing Heat 023: Dear Editor tag:packingheat.net,2008-08-13:a060ac96-b6ae-46ef-9454-f842b7f25cbc Jordan Castillo Price 2008-08-13T14:11:48Z 2008-08-13T13:59:00Z

Writing without correcting


I haven't done last episode's exercise yet, but I will soon. I'm in a bit of a rough spot where the words aren't coming. I talk about determining whether writing reticence is due to the generic "I don't feel like writing" spot, or whether it's because something needs to be fixed in your story before you can move forward.

Dear Editor


Listener Jessi wrote in and asked me about writing cover letters. I gathered advice from two seasoned pros:
Treva Harte, Editor in Chief - Loose Id
Margaret Reilly, Publisher - Changeling Press

Margaret and Treva post a blog that's full of e-publishing tips at treva2007.livejournal.com/

Your Assignment


Do some market research and find a publisher that really fits with your story, and articulate specifically why. If you don't have a story you're ready to submit, pretend you do. See which publishers appeal to you; you'll have something to aim for when your piece is polished up and ready to send!

Some resources for market research


http://duotrope.com
http://veinglory.8.forumer.com/index.php
http://erotica-readers.com/ERA/G/Call_For_Submissions.htm
]]> Treva Harte of LooseId and Margaret Reilly of Changeling Press give cover-letter advice specifically geared toward new, unpublished writers of erotica. Packing Heat Quickie 014: Daily Practice tag:packingheat.net,2008-08-06:f1ea738f-7bd1-4d61-bbb6-3c88f15f0693 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-08-06T08:37:27Z 2008-08-06T08:27:00Z

Daily Practice


We writers know we should be writing every day, in the same way we should do lots of pie-in-the-sky things. But is a daily practice really all that difficult? A small, daily wordcount can really add up! Here's what you'll end up with if you write these daily amounts.

  • 200 words - 1 flash fiction every week
  • 500 words - 1 short story every week
  • 800 words - 1 novella every month
  • 1000 words - 4 novels every year

So don't blow it off. Pick your wordcount and stick to it for at least a week! You'll end up with something to show for it.
]]> We all know that writers who write every day have an easier time staying involved in their stories, and getting their butts in the chair. Here are some numbers that should inspire you to not blow off your daily practice. Packing Heat 022: The Bane of Perfection tag:packingheat.net,2008-07-30:a774faa6-24ad-478c-b1a0-ec35221b7543 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-07-30T10:50:21Z 2008-07-30T10:39:00Z Pick Pick Pick
Stop picking, you'll leave a scar!

Seriously, leave the picking for your analytical, editing brain. Don't pick while you write--it's counterproductive. Take it from me, I'm a serious control freak. But there's only so much you can polish. Also, be sure to take a good look at your pickiness and decide if what you're really doing is procrastinating.


Promo


Check out my story Luck at Horrorgarage.com

Your Assignment


Write for 15 minutes or 500 words without using your backspace/delete key. Or, try writing 2 pages longhand if you usually type. See if it helps you stop picking. Remember, you can pick to your heart's content during edits. You can edit something. You can't edit nothing. And you'll end up with nothing (or very little) if all you do is pick.

Additional resources


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paradox_of_Choice
]]> Do you slap together any old thing and send it off to an editor full of errors and inconsistencies? Then get outta here, this episode ISN'T talking to you! Okay, everyone else: stop picking. Your work will never be perfect, and in fact, you risk stripping the soul out of it if you over-pick it. Too much nit-picking might be a procrastination technique. Packing Heat Quickie 013: Speechify tag:packingheat.net,2008-07-23:4247dbdf-9238-4c04-a8d1-578ad7039078 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-07-23T12:19:03Z 2008-07-23T11:58:00Z

Speechify



I wonder if it's possible to produce your story without typing or handwriting. It seems like the portion of my brain that I speak with is vastly different from whichever neurons are firing when I write erotica. Or maybe it's that voice recognition software's not quite seamless, and I'm paying attention to what the software is doing (or not doing) while I'm dictating, rather than focusing on my story.

Here are three speech recognition softwares I go through:
iListen - This is what I have. The new, current version is called MacSpeech Dictate.
Dragon Naturally Speaking- This is for Windows computers. Reviews seem slightly better.
Windows Voice Recognition - this is free for Windows Vista users.

I think the key is to use the software often, so that you become comfortable with it and can focus on your story rather than on the software. After all, if you're a touch typist, that's something you've already done by learning to type. The act of typing becomes invisible. (If you generally hit the keys you're aiming for, anyway. Which doesn't seem to be the case with me today!)

]]> Is speech recognition software something you're looking to add to your writing aresenal? Packing Heat 021: Storyverse tag:packingheat.net,2008-07-16:a2c4c021-e99e-4bd2-b279-53326cc3869b Jordan Castillo Price 2008-07-16T11:39:45Z 2008-07-16T11:30:00Z

Intro


I talk about my various jobs so new listeners can get a feel for how I spend my time

Last Episode's Assignment


I talked about revisiting whatever goals you may have had for yourself last January. I wanted to become a "full time writer." What does that mean? If you write forty hours each week, does that make you a full time writer? (Heck, what if I only wrote ten hours a week but I made enough money to support myself. How would that skew my perception.)

What if I'm only staying at my day job for health insurance? So many things to consider.

Also, if you write erotica, to you owe it to every Tom, Dick and Harry who happens to ask what you do for a living a peek into your private life? I say, no. Not until you feel good about telling them.

Storyverse


You might have your own word for it, but I call it storyverse. It's the place I'm visiting when it's really obvious that the lights are on, but nobody's home. I want to go there more. Just to check in and let my story know I haven't forgotten about it, even if my physical body has other obligations.

Here's a book you might like: Writing in Flow by Susan K. Perry

Your Assignment


First of all, you need a project that you love. If you're not working on one, start one! This week's assignment is to check in on your project mentally throughout the day. I'm going to use a "key" to remind myself to check in. You could put a rubber band on your wrist, wear a new fragrance, draw a little symbol on yourself. I'm going to try wearing a bracelet that I don't normally wear, as my reminder to pop by my storyverse, even if it's just for a second every two hours, and let it know that I value it.


]]> What is storyverse? Is it a place? A plane? A state of mind? I love storyverse. Heck, I wish I could live there all the time! Is it "cheating" if you visit storyverse during your day job? I hope not, 'cos that's what I plan to do! Packing Heat Quickie 012: Freebie Jeebies tag:packingheat.net,2008-07-09:9b57c741-f95c-442f-94cb-ce955033f9e5 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-07-09T11:08:59Z 2008-07-09T11:07:00Z Freebie Jeebies
Welcome to the longest (18-minute!) quickie I've made so far! Writing for free. Yes? No? And why!

When is it good to write for free, and when are you being taken advantage of by allowing your hard work to make money for someone else? Also, what sort of free stuff should you put out there, anyway?

In this cast, I talk about writing for promos and anthologies, for websites and magazines, free downloads, and how to pick an excerpt from your longer novels or novellas.
]]> When is it good to publish your erotica for free, and when are you being taken advantage of by allowing your hard work to make money for someone else? Also, what sort of free stuff should you put out there, anyway? Packing Heat 020: Goals Revisited tag:packingheat.net,2008-07-02:7d9cf16d-cbc7-433a-b151-ea04f59cf4e0 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-07-02T14:42:33Z 2008-07-02T14:29:00Z

Last Week's Assignment


Error alert: I gave you the wrong website for Celtx last week. It should be celtx.com

I used the assignment to work through a rough spot on my latest novel. Celtx rocks and the files move seamlessly between my PC and my Mac.

I think my stuckness was due to some recent reviews of my stories, and some reader emails. Is there any way to handle criticism gracefully? Or at least not let it ruin your day? (And then there are the backhanded compliments. Don't get me started!)

Promo


Secrets: a PsyCop Novel is available in Mobi for reading on mobile devices. You can buy it here.

Goals Revisited


It's halfway through the year. Time to take stock of any goals you set back in January and see if they're still valid. I hit many of my goals this year, but they weren't lightweight goals, and it wasn't easy.

Reassess if your objectives are the same. There's no sense in plodding toward a goal simply because it made sense six months ago. Double-check and make sure the direction is still valid. My objective has changed! I'll have to figure out what the new objective is; I'll get back to you on that after two weeks of soul-searching.
]]> There's no sense in plodding toward a goal simply because it made sense six months ago. Double-check and make sure the direction is still valid. Packing Heat Quickie 011: Idea Seeds tag:packingheat.net,2008-06-25:42a79230-f87b-4e40-acee-6c1bec6dcaff Jordan Castillo Price 2008-06-25T10:37:53Z 2008-06-25T10:30:00Z


Idea Seeds


Ideas can start at many different points. A character might pop into your head fully fleshed, or maybe a plot twist, or a sex act.

But sometimes ideas start off very, very small--so small that they'll get away unless you make a conscious effort to notice and capture them. One of my series sprang from a small pharmacological advertisement on a pack of sticky notes I was using.

Get thyself a notebook (or maybe create an email tag or folder) and don't let those ideas get away!
]]> Where do stories come from? Sometimes you get a big idea, fully fleshed and ready to write. But sometimes you get little seeds. Don't let those seeds get away. You never know which one will grow into a big, ripe story. Packing Heat 019: Linear or Not? tag:packingheat.net,2008-06-18:1ac7d03b-f33a-492f-a8b9-1c756b8c22a8 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-06-18T09:49:27Z 2008-06-18T09:32:00Z
Hooray for software! I love software! Here's the software I talk about today:
Scrivener (Mac only, $39.95)
Text Block Writer (PC only, free) - a more advanced version called Text Block Author is available for $49.97.
Celtix (Cross-platform, free)

Check out some of the deeper layers of Celtix. In the Character sections, they focus not only on the window-dressing of a character (hair color, eye color, age) but the important aspects, such as their personality and goals.

The same for the scene. Do you just wing it when you write, or do you stop to consider the deeper purpose of a scene? If you're stuck, filling out some of these informational reference cards might help un-stick you!

Don't be intimidated by the Celtix home page. I have it installed on my new Mac and my old PC, and it's user friendly on both boxes. And it's open-source.
]]> Word processing software is great if you work in a linear way, which I usually do. But now I'm looking at restructuring a novel-length story. Do I have to break out the 3x5 cards, or is there some software I can use? Packing Heat Quickie 010: Location tag:packingheat.net,2008-06-11:30f01ef5-17f4-4d90-b0ff-178cf2949755 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-06-11T13:09:32Z 2008-06-11T13:07:00Z Location, Location, Location
Should your fiction be set in a real place? What are the advantages or disadvantages? You probably don't want to get sued because your characters are getting it on in an actual location where they owner may not approve! Let's talk about what you can fictionalize and still get your reader to come along for the ride, and what you might want to avoid when using real settings.


]]> My new series has my characters hopping from city to city. What's a good way to handle all these locations? What should be fictionalized, and when can you set an erotica story somewhere real? Packing Heat 018: Critique 1 tag:packingheat.net,2008-06-04:32b5d80f-f4c6-49ad-828b-c8c676284d00 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-06-04T13:40:36Z 2008-06-04T13:39:00Z
Some of the issues I cover are:
  • Who's your audience?
  • What's your theme?
  • Can you trim your beginning and ending?
  • Does your word choice match your intended audience?

Your assignment for next week:
Look at something you've already written and see if you can trim off your beginning. Do you start by explaining a setting? Maybe you can trim the exposition out and tuck it in later on, after the reader's already involved with your story. Same thing goes for the ending. You can end on one powerful image; you don't have to tie everything up in a bow.

]]> It's our very first critique! My favorite aspect of this particular crit is the discussion of word choice and how it relates to your intended audience. Packing Heat Quickie 009: Crush Wimpy Words! tag:packingheat.net,2008-05-28:7e182c08-8aab-4eb2-b38e-95746b2e8184 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-05-28T14:34:48Z 2008-05-28T14:30:00Z
  • Like
  • Kind of
  • Sort of
  • Seem to
  • Nearly
  • Almost
  • Close to
  • A little

What have all these words and phrases got in common? They'll water down your prose, that's what. Pull them out. You won't miss 'em.
]]> Kind of. Almost. Sort of. You can totally ditch these words or phrases. I promise! Instead of telling your reader what you're describing is "almost" like, tell them what it IS like! Packing Heat 017: Bad Habits tag:packingheat.net,2008-05-22:93c63c65-d62e-457c-ba4c-ade4d9acdcf3 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-05-22T13:36:39Z 2008-05-22T13:35:00Z Erotic Romance Writers Forum.

Promo



Have a look at my latest novelette, Striking Sparks. One of the main characters is cheating on his fiancee. Is cheating totally taboo in romance? What if you don't think of yourself as a romance writer? I don't. But if my audience is composed of romance readers, it's something to consider.

Bad Habits


There are all kinds of sloppy habits a writer can pick up, and chances are you could poll a dozen writers and come up with a cozen areas in sore need of improvement. What's your bad habit? Here are a few I've noticed in others' writing, and my own:
similes
adjectives & adverbs
moaning
raised eyebrows
past participles

What's you're writing clutch? Fling it aside for a single short story and see if it still sounds like you. If not, give some serious consideration that it might sound better.

]]> There are all kinds of sloppy habits a writer can pick up, and chances are you could poll a dozen writers and come up with a dozen areas in sore need of improvement. What's your bad habit? I challenge you to fling aside your writing crutch. Packing Heat Quickie 008: Two Heads tag:packingheat.net,2008-05-13:f0ec89d6-40bd-4a85-acbf-3a64617fb38d Jordan Castillo Price 2008-05-13T20:37:23Z 2008-05-13T20:31:00Z
Writing seems even more solitary at times than visual art. So how to you reach out to other writers and bridge that gap?

]]> Writing is a solitary endeavor. So how do you cultivate writing friends, and what do you need them for, anyway? Packing Heat 016: Ebb and Flow tag:packingheat.net,2008-05-06:88b49123-52bc-4500-8dec-52c19025ab80 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-05-06T11:52:12Z 2008-05-06T11:38:00Z


Spoiler Alert


Note: my execution of the exercise from episode 15 has big-time spoilers for the Channeling Morpheus series, so if you hate spoilers (like I do) you may want to skip forward to about halfway through, after I start talking about this episode's topic.

Ebb and Flow


I have a very distinctive ebb and flow of energy during my day. I've often noticed that I'm simply more creative at certain times of the day than other times. If I'm at my day job and my computer starts doing something weird, and it's after 3pm, I leave it for the next morning. Why? Because I'm more likely to screw it up worse with my mid-afternoon brain!

Your Assignment


Set an alarm or make a note to check in with yourself at five times during the day. (Maybe you can send yourself a timed email, and reply to it!) See what your energy levels are, your mood, your creativity, and your productivity. Be sure to rate yourself in the morning, after lunch, and sometime in the evening.

I was shocked to learn that I was DOING DISHES at the most creative and productive time of my day. Consistently. Duh!

(not really my hands, or my kitchen, for that matter)

A Cool Site


EREC (www.erecsite.com) is a site that compares various epublishers of erotic romance. If you're trying to decide where to send your stuff and you're not sure who you'd like to build a relationship with, have a look here and see!
]]> So many things have cycles: the moon, the tide, our bodies. Does writing have cycles? If so, how can we use the awareness of ourselves and our writing to have an easier, more creative writing experience? Packing Heat Quickie 007: Computers tag:packingheat.net,2008-04-30:e0be1517-06de-4cfe-9781-4df52088a93e Jordan Castillo Price 2008-04-30T10:45:03Z 2008-04-30T10:39:00Z

Here's a shot of my Dana, showing off a clock I downloaded and installed. It runs a Palm OS, and software can be found free online.

Asus EEE at Amazon
A lot of my writer friends have the Asus eee, and they're loving it. Me? I want another iMac.

Promo/Market:
SensualErotica.net is a new market for your short M/F erotica fiction. Check out my new astrology column! (What do I know about astrology? That's a story for another time. It involves someone stealing my panties, though.)]]> Do you need a new computer? OK, maybe you want a new computer. Don't we all. But do you need one? I think a dedicated writing computer is a smart thing for a hobbyist or pro writer. It's not for gaming. It's not for checking email. It's for writing. Packing Heat 015: Getting Unstuck tag:packingheat.net,2008-04-25:aa1d3fbd-7784-4a5d-b56c-e221505e5deb Jordan Castillo Price 2008-04-25T09:27:08Z 2008-04-25T08:34:00Z Stuck? Get UnStuck!

 Two weeks ago, we talked about clearing out the clutter from our writing areas. Here's an in-depth look at what I found on my desk, and probably more than you'll ever need to know about how I organize my space!

Here's a funny picture of the list I made about what was on my desk before I cleaned it. Every time I looked at the note, I thought, "WTF does peas all over mean?"

Note to self: write so that I can read it.

PROMO: Channeling Morpheus: Payback



A vampire hunter in eyeliner, two sexy, gay vampires, and plenty of angst to go around.  Available NOW from Changeling Press.

This was the story I never thought I'd sell anywhere, because the horror elements seemed too heavy for erotica. I'm so happy it found a home where a publisher thought as much of it as I did! Changeling has even asked me to make it a series.
 


Stick, stack, stuck...unstuck


Don't give up if you get stuck. I get stuck all the time. Here are some ways to get unstuck.
  • Journal on paper
  • Journal online
  • Talk to someone...physically...with your mouth, even
  • Let the work sit and breathe
  • Take a walk
  • Slip into a supporting character's head

Your Assignment


Try writing about your writing. I'll be back next week with a quickie, and in two weeks I'll give you a peek into my writing journal. Talk to ya then!

P.S., I think I called this episode 16 when I was recording. It's 15. Hear what I mean, not what I say
]]> It's no fun to be stuck. But don't give up. Erotica writing doesn't always flow like a river of...well, you get the gist. Here are some tips you can use to get un-stuck when the ideas aren't flowing. Packing Heat Quickie 006: Proportion tag:packingheat.net,2008-04-16:b811f451-105c-4cef-9879-203c94d5aa32 Jordan Castillo Price 2008-04-16T10:42:06Z 2008-04-16T10:38:00Z Proportion



If I talk about having a sense of proportion in a story, do you know what I mean?

I’m thinking of proportion in visual terms. If you have a painting with the horizon dead center, it feels dull and stagnant. Move that horizion up or down, so it hits the page at the 1/3 point, and suddenly it feels dynamic.

What does that mean for erotica? I don’t think you can literally use the rule of thirds. But if I do think that half and half feels static.

What about a movie where you care about someone and their car blows up. Compare that to an action flick where cars blow up every three seconds. If you keep rubbing the same spot with your erotica, chances are that your will eventually go numb. Vary things a little and keep the story dynamic.

My new series, Channeling Morpheus, has a lot more sex in it proportionally than my PsyCop series. The stories are shorter, however, so I think the proportion is doable. (Check out Channeling Morpheus: Payback at Changeling Press on 4/25 - www.changelingpress.com)

Here's a cool website for when you need to find proportions, literally:
http://herbfogler.com/proportionater.html
]]> Proportion is a term used in describing visual art, but your erotica has proportions, too. Think about proportion the next time you're editing a story.