Lecture One: The Nature of the Beast

What is erotic fiction? We look at how erotica is read and consider how important it is to respect and understand your reader. We also consider you as an author and why you want to write erotica. This lecture will really get your stir your imagination.

Lecture Two: Erotic Storytelling

What is an erotic plot and why is it so important? How to come up with a winning plot. Bailey’s ‘Blue Plot’ Rules. How to get ideas and how to develop them. The ‘what if?’ approach to creative writing. The Iceberg Theory and how you can apply it to writing highly publishable erotica.

Lecture Three: Sexy Structure

A complete guide to structuring everything you write – whether it is a short story or a full-length book. Shaping your fiction. A detailed examination of openings, sub-plots, back story, and flashbacks. Considering story locations. Writing period fiction.

Lecture Four: Erotic Character Development

Everything you need to know about characterisation. Why it is important to create believable characters. Erotic character development. Why you should consider non-sexual motivation. Telling your story from different viewpoints. The question of appearance and names.

Lecture Five: The Nitty Gritty of Erotica

How developing your own erotica style is as easy as 1-2-3. Examples of different writing styles together with insider tips. Language advice. Terms that turn people on, and terms that turn people off. Why anyone who is determined and passionate can write erotic literature that sells.

Lecture Six: Essential Action Points

This lecture is particularly action-orientated. It starts with advice on how to develop a personal voice (and why you should do it) and then covers being specific and ‘showing not telling’ (a little-understood way that professional writers use to make their work more interesting). Later on in the lecture we look at tenses and other mechanical stuff (adjectives, adverbs and so on), how to write winning dialogue, the avoidance of repetition plus the danger of ‘wandering body parts’!

Lecture Seven: Writing for Niche Markets

The most popular erotic writing is often aimed at a specific market – such as women’s erotica, S&M, gay sex, fetishes and so forth. This lecture offers specific tips and tricks to help you write for specific markets.

Lecture Eight: The Erotic Short Story
Guest Lecturer: Mitzi Szereto.

Mitzi Szereto is one of the most successful erotic literature writers in the world and, thanks to frequent media appearances, has become something of a cult figure. In this fascinating lecture she looks at the art of writing short erotic fiction and also the financial and creative benefits of getting your erotica onto the World Wide Web.

Lecture Nine: Legal and Practical Issues

This tutorial deals with legal issues – in particular, copyright, libel and blasphemy – and contains advice on how to make sure you never get into trouble. It also includes a section on where to draw the line plus the Ten Commandments of Erotica. A newly added section includes practical considerations such as pseudonyms, writing space and reference works.

Lecture Ten: How to Get Published.

By the end of the course you should have at least one piece of completed work suitable for publication – but, even if you don’t, you’ll find this lecture invaluable because it looks at the whole subject of making money from your writing. Topics covered include choosing a publisher, publisher’s guidelines, how to submit work (including what not to do), whether you should appoint a literary agent, getting accepted, contracts and the role of your editor. It also includes a section on what you can expect from your publisher and a newly added section on self-publishing and making money by publishing on the Internet.

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