literature

6 Tips for Writing Erotica

Deviation Actions

DesdemonaDeBlake's avatar
Published:
31.6K Views

Literature Text

6 Tips for Writing Erotica

Anybody Can Write a Novel 2.0

Chapter 2 “Genres” – Section 14 “Erotica”

 Green Bat 1 by DesdemonaDeBlake

(Previous Tutorial)             (Next Tutorial)

"There is more to sex appeal than just measurements. I don't need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain." 
-Audrey Hepburn


With the mainstream publication of “50 Shades of Gray” and its many rip-offs, erotica has become a popularized genre with stories, plots, character development, and the same sort of expectations as any other genre. That being said, I've never read any erotica that met those standards or expectations. This doesn't mean that good erotica cannot or does not exist, simply that it is rare enough that I and many others have not encountered it. Today, I'm going to talk about what would constitute a quality erotica, that works as strong literature, and that takes writer responsibility into account. This article goes in combination with my article on writing romance. Note that this is not a guide for smut or shorter works meant strictly for self-pleasure; those simply do not fall under my expertise and I don't have any opinion regarding them.


Tip 1: Quality erotica should rise to the standards and meet the requirements of any good story.

From world building to a clearly defined plot outline and strong characters, erotica should have all of the same attributes of quality as any other genre. Because the standards are currently so low, writers will get positive feedback simply for going above the low bar. But excellence doesn't come from just rising above a low standard; it comes from aiming for as high of standards as you can imagine and working hard to get there. If you are writing erotica, find the best contemporary book of any genre that you can find, and set that as your goal for quality.


Tip 2: Erotica is empowered by realism.

I've said this before, but your story and characters will become more erotic and more powerful if they seem real. Most erotica that I have encountered romanticizes its characters, by creating flawless archetypes and ideals; its world, by creating a cosmos which simply gives the protagonist what they want instead of making him/her work towards their goals; and the act of lovemaking, by failing to address universal problems like sexual dysfunction in men and women, realistic sensory information, and issues like the awkwardness of the act when lovers still are not comfortable with one another. It may seem counter-intuitive, but just like mystery, horror, adventure, or any other genre, your audience will become more emotionally invested in real characters encountering real problems in a real world in their pursuit of love, especially when they reach the payoff in the end of the story.


Tip 3: Take into account the idea of writer responsibility.

As a creator and explorer of ideas, as well as a shaper of the human mind, a writer has a certain level of influence and power over others in whatever limited degree. Storytellers shape what people perceive to be social norms, expectations, and even answers to questions of ethics and morality. If you have that power of influence, it means that your audience trusts you to guide them and help them see the world. If you respect and wish to honor that trust, then you have a responsibility to guide and influence your readers with care and consideration, especially when writing within this genre that is so close to human identity and experience.


Tip 4: Create a story that serves to empower and better the reader, not one that serves to sabotage them.

An important aspect of writer responsibility is the promotion of safety—either through realistic consequences of unsafe action or through good examples set by your characters. This means observing safe sex, as well as not putting your characters in dangerous situations for erotic appeal. Remember that you are shaping the way that your readers will perceive romance and sex, as well as their expectations for how to be treated. You owe it to your audience to demonstrate realistic and healthy relationships. And no matter how kinky bedroom play gets, you should not promote abusive relationships nor truly abusive sexual habits that damage one or both of the partners. If the idea of responsibility does not appeal to you, then look at the matter purely through the eyes of realism. If you create situations which are blatantly destructive or dangerous, but which have no repercussions, you are breaking your reader's suspension of disbelief as well as their trust in the narrator. This affects the degree to which they can be immersed in your story and relate to your characters, signifying an objective flaw in your work. 


Tip 5: Stay away from Dude-Ex-Machina.

Avoid creating sexist brainwashing through Dude Ex Machina—the story being resolved by a man or woman coming in, sweeping a significant other off their feet, and saving the day. This is is in fundamental opposition to good storytelling as a story should be about the protagonist working against opposition to achieve their goals. It also tells the reader that they, like the protagonist, are not good enough to resolve their own problems and must have another person to do it for them. For both reasons, this should be avoided at all costs.


Tip 6: Know what you are trying to accomplish with your story.

When writers claim to be writing erotica and want suggestions, the first thing I always ask is why they are writing it. Usually, this is the point that they stop talking to me because their purpose is to write masturbatory material. I don't condemn that, but that motivation is not enough to create an erotic story of quality and substance. Make sure that your motivation matches all the hard work in composing an entire novel dedicated to exploring eroticism—whether that motivation is the exploration of love, a look at a very passionate part of human experience, or even money/popularity. The quality of your work and the experience that your readers will share in reading it will be only as powerful as your motivation for creating it. When you figure out that motivation, make sure that it is the driving force behind everything you write.




 Click Here to see my full gallery of writing tutorials!


or

Go to the previous/next tutorial.



With the mainstream publication of “50 Shades of Gray” and its many rip-offs, erotica has become a popularized genre, with stories, plots, character development, and the same sort of expectations as any other genre. That being said, I've never read any erotica that met those standards or expectations. This doesn't mean that good erotica cannot or does not exist, simply that it is rare enough that I and many others have not encountered it. Today, I'm going to talk about what would constitute a quality erotica, that works as strong literature, and that takes writer responsibility into account. This article goes in combination with my article on writing Romance. Note that this is not a guide for smut or shorter works meant strictly for self-pleasure—those simply do not fall under my expertise and I don't have any opinion regarding them.  

© 2015 - 2025 DesdemonaDeBlake
Comments53
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

Dude-Ex-Machina - funny!  Solid advice here, and Tip #4 especially, in part because truly sordid stories might be illegal. Kink can be done with class, like in Merry Sparrow's "The Plummery Collection" - her writing style is similar to Virginia Woolf, I think, and its naughty, but not nasty.  It makes you want more.