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--- Writing Porn For Fun and Profit! ---
The Bi-Weekly E-Letter
Volume III, Issue 1
September 30, 2002

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This issue may be distributed to friends, discussion lists and writing groups as long as the entire issue is included.
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In This Issue:
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From the Editor
*New* - What I Didn't Know...
               Musings By CB Potts
Market Listings
Feedback - Canadian Censorship
Goings On
Q & A
Looking for Writers

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From The Editor
Katy Terrega
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Well I have good news and bad news for y'all this week. The bad news is that nobody won the 50th Issue Anniversary contest :(

Of course, that's the good news, as well! I won't tell you how many entries we got but I will tell you that it ran short so as of right....NOW!...you can enter again. I do expect that we'll get there today, so get 'em in quick! And since technically we're now on the 51st issue now, I'll pick the 51st entrant as winner...

I loved hearing from you all! I should run these more often just so you'll email me and give me all that nice feedback on the newsletter ;) Thanks to all that entered...

(For you new subscribers, last issue we ran a 50th Person To Email Me contest in honor of our 50th issue. Just send any email to katy@katyterrega.com to join in and win either "It's A Dirty Job" or "Porn 101 and 102"!)

I'd like to remind everybody that I'm always looking for articles to run in the newsletter, so if you have something writing related to share, give me a holler. Scroll down to the Looking For Writers section for more info.

I'd also like to thank those who have donated $5 to the cause! It takes a fair amount of money and time to put this rag out, as well as to pay our contributors (even if it is a pittance) so I sure appreciate your support. You can see who has subscribed on our Supporter's Page at http://www.katyterrega.com/supporters.html. (If you've subscribed but don't see your name there, just let me know!) And you can help support this newsletter and order your voluntary subscription by going to the Order Page at http://www.katyterrega.com/writersorderform.html

We've got some great stuff for you this issue. CB Potts, our new monthly columnist, debuts today with the first installment of "What I Didn't Know...Musings From CB Potts." Plus we've got some good listings and some more commentary on Canadian laws.

As usual, enjoy the newsletter and keep in touch!

Katy

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--- What I Didn't Know... ---
--- Musings by CB Potts ---
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Before I start this new column, I’d like to take a few minutes of introduction. My name is CB Potts, and I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Somewhere there are kindergarten exercise books with my great epics scrawled inside – unfortunately, my spelling left something to be desired at that age, limiting their market potential. I tried my hand at porn a few years ago, and have had fairly steady success ever since.

What I’d like to share in this column are the nifty tidbits I’ve learned along the way – helpful information related both to the writing process in general, the business side of authorship, and the subtle nuances of porn and its paler cousin, erotica. I firmly believe you can never have too much knowledge, and the more interesting tidbits you have packed in your brain, the better writer you will be.

For example, take the word Credible. Webster defines this as believable, reliable. Sounds simple enough, right? But three of my first four stories were rejected because they weren’t credible.

Well, excuse me, but isn’t part of the charm of porn the fact that it is patently unbelievable? Despite a lifetime of eating in restaurants, a waitress has never once approached me with "a little something off the menu". But it happens in porn all the time. I’ve read magazines where CEO’s seduce the janitor, airline pilots have fun in the cockpit, and my personal favorite, extra terrestrials land in an Iowa cornfield to get a closer look at that cute boy on the tractor. Few, if any, of these situations happen in real life – yet they all made it past the Credible Criteria. What gives?

I found my answer in an essay by David Gerrold, a well-respected author in the science fiction genre. Science fiction and Fantasy writers often veer further away from reality as we do in porn – Iowa Cornfield Aliens excepted – yet they too are bound by the tenets of Credibility. How do they manage it?

The answer, according to Gerrold, is that each piece of successful SF/F work has an internal logic – a consistent quality of making sense throughout. For example, he illustrates points such as: If the wind whispers to itself, then the brook babbles. If dogs talk, so do cats. He applied this theory to individual works, so that the same rules of reality held sway for just one short story or novel.

What I have found with the porn industry, especially in publications that are heavily short story driven, is that one particular view of reality will apply not just to a single work, but to an entire magazine. In addition, this tends to be consistent from issue to issue. It’s a great benefit for readers – No one picks up Penthouse Variations expecting Betty’s Barnyard Delights. It wouldn’t fit the "voice" of the magazine. The best way to determine the Credibility Criteria for any publication is to read it. Study the stories; examine the themes – especially in lead or featured stories. If the CEO seduces the janitor, your tale of a powerful executive romancing some entry-level person will probably be okay. If all the stories are based on equal power relationships, however, you run a high chance of rejection. Trust your common sense. If all the bondage stories are of the "The first time my boyfriend tied me up" variety, don’t send "Wearing Mistress’s Brand". It wouldn’t be credible – at least not to the readers of that magazine.

Credibility is a subjective matter of how far the readers are willing to suspend disbelief. I’ve found that the more mainstream the publication, the less "let’s pretend" factor is involved. This doesn’t mean you can’t write some great, steamy, sellable porn for these markets. It just limits the scenarios to those that could happen – if only all waitresses found me that attractive! Another way around this is to present your story as a fantasy – "What I thought when the Russian Beauty with the Great Legs sat next to Me on the Bus." Personally, I find this mechanism jarring and too self-conscious, but that’s my own opinion. If it works for you, and the editors like it, go for it.

And if your stuff is really cutting edge – complete not only with Iowa aliens, but a whole mothership of horny extraterrestrials, don’t lose hope! There’s a publication out there for every writer. It may not be the best paying market in the world – or even a magazine that everyone has heard of – but it may just be the proper home for your story. These are the venues that speak to the audiences you want to reach, the people who will enjoy reading your stories as much as you enjoyed writing them.

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CB Potts is a freelance writer living in Upstate NY. She specializes in adult fiction, although recently she has begun to branch out into other genres. Upcoming stories are schedule to appear in Options, Beau, and Indulge magazines. Feel free to contact her with questions, comments, job offers :) at ctpotts@juno.com

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--- Market Listings ---
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BLACKFIRE:
http://www.blackfire.com

Blackfire seeks stories, articles, photography, models, illustration and a very limited amount of poetry all related to black men unclothed or in erotic situations.

STORIES AND ARTICLES

The best way to determine our needs is to read and study several recent issues. Here is a partial list of our needs:

• Full-length erotic fiction of 2,000-4,000 words detailing the exploits of black men in the life.

• Nostalgia and humor pieces are welcome if they are black, ITL and erotic. We also publish historical articles and first-person accounts that meet these criteria.

• Where-to articles that include details on where black men in the life congregate. These can range from the latest local bar to out-of-the-way resorts. Thoroughness and accuracy are the keys to acceptance of these articles.

• Shorts. We use articles of 400 to 700 words with one to two photos for one-pagers. Subjects include fresh, sharply focused erotic ideas.

• We do not solicit product reviews, games or puzzles. Subjects considered inappropriate include stories that refer to minors, illegal drugs, bestiality, water sports and scat.

WRITING STYLE

Blackfire seeks erotic material of the highest quality, but it need not be written by professional writers. The most important thing is that the work be erotic and that it feature black men in the life or ITL themes. We are not interested in stories that demean black men or place them in stereotypical situations.

Erotic fiction can range from descriptions of idealized men having idealized sex ("his 13-inch dick spurted a cupful of love juice"), to depictions of typical men in plausible encounters ("homeboy didn't have no meat, but I didn't care; I wanted that booty"), to unconsummated hints at sex ("ballet is the politically correct way for men to stare at other men's dicks in public"). We are partial to the latter two categories.

We want to publish concise, well-organized articles, so material must be tightly written. We reserve the right to edit submissions and to change titles as necessary.

Study the magazine to see what we do and how we do it. Some fiction is very romantic; other is highly sexual. Most articles in Blackfire cater to black men between these two extremes.

Include your name and address on the title page as well as your pseudonym, if you intend to use one.

If the work you submit to us is being submitting to others as well, please let us know.

RIGHTS

Blackfire secures first North American rights and the right to anthologize accepted work. You retain all other rights to your work. If the material you're submitting has appeared elsewhere, tell us when you submit it. Payment for articles averages about 10 cents per word. This payment is based on quality of the material, research required to complete the piece, length of the copy and how badly we want the story. Writers whose work is included in an anthology receive an additional payment.

ACCEPTANCE

Individuals whose works are accepted for publication must provide Blackfire with a brief biographical sketch. Accepted works should, whenever possible, be provided on diskette in either PC or Macintosh format. You should provide the original or a reproduction-quality duplicate of accepted artwork.

PEP TALK

Because you're reading these guidelines, you're one step closer to having us accept your work than are many others. We want to hear from you by way of a tantalizing query, a top-notch completed manuscript, or an article we can't resist featuring on the cover. Every year we work with a few unpublished writers, and in our pages you can also find the bylines and credits of established professionals. It doesn't matter if you're a pro or a novice. If the material meets our needs and standards, we use it.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND ILLUSTRATION

If you are a photographer or an artist, submit your work.

MODELS

If you have a nice face, a great body or are heavy in the meat department and want to appear in Blackfire, let us know. In fact, if you don’t have a nice face, you’ve got an average body and God sent your dick elsewhere, and you want to appear in Blackfire, contact us anyway.

DEADLINES

We accept submissions year-round. Submit seasonal material six months in advance. For instance, a piece about Kwanzaa in December must be received in June, and an April piece about Easter must be in our hands in October.

DELIVERY

Submissions may be mailed to Editor, Blackfire, PO Box 83912, Los Angeles, CA 90083-0912. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with adequate postage if you want your work returned. Submissions may be faxed to the Editor at 310-410-9250. Submissions may be emailed to: newsroom@blk.com. We usually respond within a month.

LEGALESE

The Editors do not assume responsibility for loss of or damage to submitted materials. Publication of the name, photograph or likeness of any person or organization in articles or advertising in Blackfire is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or organizations. The opinions of Blackfire are expressed only in editorials. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Blackfire.

AMATORY-INK 2003 ANTHOLOGY: A WEEKEND BREAK
http://www.amatory-ink.co.uk/guidelines.htm

The theme for the 2003 anthology is 'A WEEKEND BREAK'. A weekend break to the big city or country wilds, a foreign country or even a different planet? A romantic anniversary, or a naughty weekend with a clandestine lover? A company weekend, or a club weekend away? A weekend writers conference, unexpected holiday romance or even a BDSM convention? A weekend based in any period of time, past, present or future. Hetero, gay or lesbian. The options are limited only by imagination and the more imaginative the better!

Well, mostly limited by just the imagination. Stories must be 3,000 to 4,000 words, fit into the GREEN or BLUE categories, follow the general Amatory Ink guidelines (follow the above URL for details) and avoid the definite no-no's:

Amatory Ink will NOT consider anything involving under-age sex, bestiality, incest or gratuitous violence. Non-consensual sex will only be considered in context.

Submissions must be as .rtf attachments to e-mails and include 'anthology 2003' in the subject line.

email: editor@amatory-ink.co.uk

Closing date for submissions is 31st December, 2002 and notification of final acceptance by January 31st 2003. Stories shortlisted or declined will be advised as soon as possible. Payment of £25.00 will be made during the month following publication, which is planned for either May or June 2003.

BURNED INTO MEMORY
http://www.alyson.com/html/02_files/submissions/burnedinto.html

Is there one sexual encounter that ranks above all others? Or one fantasy you replay over and over again in your mind? Burned Into Memory will be filled with the best of the best: the hottest moments of lesbian sex! Stories can be as innocent and intense as your first girl kiss or as raging and naughty as your finest public caning. Remember that time your normally docile librarian lover met you at the door with shiny boots, a police baton, and a pair of handcuffs? Or how about your rendezvous with a certain someone in the back room of your local dance club? Or what about you, her, her, and, well, her at the annual fetish ball?

Submission deadline: November 15, 2002

GUIDELINES:

1) Submissions should be no more than 4,000 words in length.

2) Stories must be nonfiction and lesbian in content. Strong plot, characterization, dialogue, and writing are paramount.

3) Include dialogue if possible. The best nonfiction reads like compelling fiction.

4) Name, address, phone number, and E-mail address (if applicable) should all appear on the first page. (If accepted, final manuscript must be submitted on computer disk.)

5) Please include a 50-word bio with your submission.

6) Include a SASE with sufficient postage to return the manuscript, or, if manuscript is disposable, please state so in your cover letter.

Send all manuscripts to:

Burned Into My Memory
c/o Trixi
Alyson Books
6922 Hollywood Blvd., 10th floor
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Submissions may also be E-mailed to tstoner@alyson.com

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--- Feedback On The Canadian Censorship Article ---
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Katy,

About C.B. Potts article--as a Canadian, he's quite right. I'm in the position of knowing that I may sell stories that can't be distributed in my home country. (Pardon me while I roll my eyes.) We have some high-profile porn cases right now that might have an influence on the law, but who knows? A lot of it is compartmentalized and the sections of the government don't necessarily talk to each other.

Pictures in print magazines can often be altered for importation, but that's much more difficult with a story. (Though the Canadian edition of Penthouse forum used to have about a tenth of the words missing...) Time was that big magazines had a Canadian edition, but with changes in Canadian content laws (oh, yes, we have those, too--I'm not against them, but am aware it makes life more difficult), those are disappearing.

Anyway. Good work. Keep it up.

John McMullen

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Hi Katy,

Just a note to clarify C.B. Potts' impression of Canada and Canadian magazine laws. While I haven't seen any bondage magazines in my local convenience store, we get all the XXX magazines out there, with no black dots even. I suspect that not all magazine editors are fully aware of the changing situation north of the border and are still -- as I know they've done in the past -- use the Canadian angle as a reason to reject an otherwise fine story.

All the best,

Edo van Belkom

Alice Liddell's story, "Number One Spanking for Number Three Wife," placed third in a historical/fantasy contest sponsored by Bethany's Woodshed. Check out this spanking story, set in China during the Qing Dynasty, in the member's section of the site, www.herwoodshed.com.

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Congrats! If you sent me your Goings On but don't see it here, just let me know and I'll get it out.

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Tell me what's going on! Have you made a sale? Do you have a piece being published? Let me know and I'll print it here for all to see! (It helps if you write it in the format above; makes it easier for me to just cut and paste.)

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Check out my column at http://www.absolutewrite.com/ on - what else?! - writing porn. This week I wrote about "Surviving The Final Draft." Check it out here - http://www.absolutewrite.com/specialty_writing/porn_101.htm

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Check out the new and improved, totally revamped story site at KatyTerrega.com and let me know what you think!

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--- Q & A ---
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Send me your questions! I'll answer the most common ones here, and if I don't know the answer, I'll do my best to find a pro who does. (Of course, failing that, I'll ask y'all for help...)

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--- Looking For Writers ---
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Send Me Your Stories And Ideas!

I'm looking for essays/articles that will inspire and/or instruct other porn writers. Success stories, how to break into certain markets, unique views on the genre, etc. Around 800 words is good, although I'm flexible.

I'd love articles on specific markets. There are so many sub-genres of porn and it's hard to know the subtleties of each. If you've got a specialty, from BDSM to Watersports to Leg Sex to Amputeeism, feel free to share your knowledge.

You can either suggest a topic (query) or send something whole. I'll get back to you within a week as to whether or not I'll be able to use it.

Payment varies; From $0-$10 per article (depending on site income for the month) OR a copy of one of the books on the Order Form. I'll also include a lengthy bio and url if you'd like.