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--- Writing Porn For Fun and Profit! ---
The Bi-Weekly E-Letter
Volume IV, Issue 4
January 19, 2003

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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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To Subscribe - Send any email to
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KatyTerrega-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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Visit The Writer's Site At
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Check Out The Resources Page At
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Email me at Katy@KatyTerrega.com!
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In This Issue:
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From the Editor
Sex-Writer.com Update
Article: Relax! It's Only Smut!
            By D. L. Tash
Market News: Black Lace and Nexus Books
Market Listings
Column: Kevin's Book Review Corner
             A Hitman for Hannah by By Lauren Agony and Jan Springer
Reader Responses
Goings On
Q & A
Looking for Writers

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From The Editor
Katy Terrega
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Happy Martin Luther King day to y'all :)

It's a gorgeous day here in Colorado; a little too chilly for my taste, but sunny and nice all the same. Looks like you readers in Minnesota and Wisconsin are still freezing, though, so sorry! We had our nasty cold snap a couple of weeks ago but it wasn't bad compared to what you're going through now. I hope you're all warm and safe...

Our poll on whether or not to make the newsletter mostly an online thing rather than an email thing was fairly conclusive. About two thirds of you wanted to keep it just the way it is. Plus you brought up a point that I had missed; for those who have to pay for online minutes, it can get awfully pricey reading a long newsletter on the web. So, for now at least, we'll keep it the way it is. And thanks to all of you who wrote expressing your satisfaction with the newsletter and Sex-Writer.com, I appreciate all your kind words!

And, speaking of kind words, or rather not-so-kind words, I just checked out the review section of my Amazon listing for "It's a Dirty Job..." Ouch! Although the anonymous reviewer makes a good point that the print book is a little outdated, it's so frustrating to read "...the author's work hasn't appeared anywhere for at least as many years." Those of you who've been subscribers for awhile know that I rarely speak/write of my own sales, but that doesn't mean there aren't any; that's how I make my living after all.

So, if any of you have read the book and are so inclined, please feel free to add your own review here. I will be forever grateful!

We have a great issue for you today. A very positive review of the book "Hitman for Hannah" from Kevin Tipple, a reassuring article - "Relax! It's Only Smut!" - from D. L. Tash, several very good market listings, some not-so-good-but-maybe-not-so-bad market news, a bunch o' Sex-Writer.com updates and...well...I think that's it.

I do have a new service for writers that I hope to debut soon, hopefully (fingers crossed) by the next issue, but I don't want to jinx it by talking too much about it right now. Actually it was due out this week but (surprise!) I had another computer meltdown. This one due to nasty, vicious spyware. If there is a computer hell, I'm sure Webhancer will be there.Thanks to those of you (and you know who you are!) who helped me through it. But anyway, I'll get working on the project again and have it ready shortly...

I did find a great site for writers last week, it's called Cool Stuff 4 Writers and that's exactly what it features; way cool stuff like mugs, t-shirts, calendars, etc., all with appropriately writer-ly slogans. Made me wish I'd thought of it first :)

But enough from me...

Take care and, as usual, I hope you enjoy the newsletter and please keep in touch!

Katy

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--- Relax! It's Only Smut! ---
--- By D.L. Tash ---
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Okay, I realize my title is politically incorrect.

We in the sex writing profession know all too well that erotic writing is just as demanding as any form of writing. Well thought out plots and deft character development is a requirement to make it in this profession. The old days of putting a lot of dirty thoughts together and calling it a story are gone, if they ever really existed in the first place.

Yet I realize one reason I was drawn to smut was very simple and basic: It's only smut.

I've written all kinds of things over the years, from a complete science fiction novel to screenplays to a one act play set in a suicide resort. The last has gotten rave reviews from readers as an 'instant classic' of serious theater.

But that was the problem. "Real" writing is scary and serious and extremely competitive. Where do you publish a one act play about suicide? You ever tried to actually market a screenplay?

So when I heard that there was a market for erotica, I felt less threatened. After all, it's 'only' porno!

So I started writing stories, ranging from humorous to darkly fetishistic. And selling them! Some of my stories were more story than dirty, but they were popular too. And I suddenly realized I was not a porno guy, writing dirty stories. I was a writer, whose stories happened to have sexy subjects.

Suddenly, I have become a free-lance writer. I've also had articles on writing published, like this one. So far, it's 'only' porno. But now I've begun submitting 'real' stories, stories not so different from the stuff I've been writing. The same humor, characterization and plot I put into all my work, but with a little less sex. And I've started marketing my screenplays and getting very good feedback.

Because now I know I can write. The bottom line is, that's what we all do. We write stories. Dirty stories, to be sure. But they have to be readable. They have to be interesting. They have to have characters you care about, and enough plot to hold the whole thing together. They have to be readable and well crafted. Otherwise, they aren't going to read or bought, dirty or not.

So what the porno market did for me, an incurable perfectionist, was give me permission to submit my 'imperfect,' amateurish, not-ready-for-prime-time work. Because, after all, it's only porno! I somehow 'knew' I was not good enough to sell 'real' stories, but I could probably sell porno stories.

And I have sold them, lots of them: over two dozen! And have a demand for more.

And I'm starting to realize that porno gave me the opening I needed, not to become a pornographer, but to become a writer.

Sure, I love the fact I write nasty stories. I loved the look on my banker's face when I told her the checks I have coming in were a result of my career as a smut writer. And I enjoy the wicked little tales I produce and the great feedback I get from readers.

But I notice readers talk about the characters in my stories more than the sexier parts. Or mention the unexpected ending, or the well-crafted plot twists. Or the wry humor that tends to creep into my tales.

And the fact is, I am making an income as a free-lance writer now. Sure, it's 'only' porno. But the money spends just like everyone else's.

Maybe writing dirty stories is only a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Or maybe I've just found my niche, and dirty stories are simply my genre. Whitman wrote poetry, Shakespeare wrote plays, D.L. Tash wrote smut.

But I won't make the mistake of feeling ashamed or embarrassed by my work. And I don't have to add "porno" or "smut" every time I mention what I do: that's only a portion of what I do.

Because, first and foremost, we are writers. Actual, paid, published authors.

And that we can take real pride in.

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--- Market News ---
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Black Lace and Nexus Info:

Kerri Sharp of Black Lace writes:

I'm afraid we won't be accepting any new, unsolicited submissions for either imprint until further notice. We have such a huge backlog and enough established authors to keep us going for the next schedule period, that the situation with new proposals is getting out of hand.

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--- Market Listings ---
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The Logical-Lust 2004 Erotic Flash Challenge!
Updated 1/04

Deadline: March 14, 2004

Website: Logical-Lust
Guidelines: Guidelines
Contact: contest@logical-lust.com

Flash fiction is the one of the most testing, and challenging forms of writing. Make the subject erotica and it becomes a real trial! Logical-Lust hopes to make the Flash Challenge an annual event, so enter and tell everyone! The more entries, the bigger the prizes!

So, to encourage, entice, and finally celebrate your very high standard of flashing prowess, here is;

THE LOGICAL-LUST 2004 EROTIC FLASH CHALLENGE!

1st prize; a guaranteed minimum £100! (That's currently around US $170!)
Runner-up prize; £20, with 3rd, 4th, & 5th prizes of £10 each.

(Amounts are in pounds sterling but will be paid out in appropriate currency equivalent to the winners.)

And the really good news? The greater the number of entries, the HIGHER the prize money will go!

Entry Fee - £1.00 for each entry.
Deadline for entries is March 14th 2004, and you may enter as many times as you wish.

How to enter - Entry fee(s) can be paid through PayPal.com or MoneyBookers.com to captivatex@aol.com. If you aren't yet registered with either of those two, it is extremely easy to do so and to send money in UK pounds (but don't leave it until the last few days). Please make your payments on the same day as you submit your ntries, as this will help to confirm validity.

Entries must be in plain text in the body of an email, which must also contain the following; A

short author bio,
a declaration that you are the author,
and a declaration as to whether the material is original, or published and submitted with permission.

Send entries to contest@logical-lust.com

N.B. If you plan to make multiple entries over the period of time up to the closing date, it is recommended that you pay your entry fees as you enter and not as a total in advance.

Conditions of entry - Stories must be of erotic flash fiction of up to 250 words maximum. You have freedom as to the subject matter, subject to these restrictions;

No rape,
no consent-after-the-act,
no bestiality, necrophilia, hate, racism, under age sex, or submissions of an otherwise offensive nature, and nothing that could be construed as breach of any kind of copyright.

The editor's decision will be final as to what entries are, or are not, suitable. Refunds will not be made for unsuitable entries. The onus is upon you, the author, to submit in good erotic taste.

Submissions can be original work or previously published, but bear the following in mind;

All the prize winning stories will be published on Logical-Lust in a special contest feature. You must therefore own the copyright or be free to publish your work in another source. If you don't own the copyright to a story or don't have permission, even if you wrote it, do NOT submit it as an entry. You will have to state whether your entries are original or currently published, and be assured - published material that reaches the short list for final decisions will be checked out by us for it's validity for the contest.

Publishing of prize winners. By entering the contest you agree to have your story published in Logical-Lust if it is one of the prize winners. Only the contest prize winning stories will be featured on Logical-Lust.

Original material. Logical-Lust will take First, but not Exclusive, Publishing Rights to original prize winning stories so feel free to boast about it if it helps to get it published elsewhere! We only require that Logical-Lust is cited as the primary source of the story.

Previously published material. Logical-Lust will take Secondary Publishing Rights and will cite the material's primary source if that is a condition of publishing. Where possible we require to be cited as a source for the material if published elsewhere.

Judging. Subject matter will not be a criteria judged upon. Writing flash fiction is about the ability to write a full story - beginning, middle, end, characters .., and of course erotica! - all within 250 words. Stories will be judged on this, plus spelling, grammar, and literary worthiness. So make sure you edit your stories properly! Those who assist in judging the entries will only be sent the story, and not the author's name, to ensure judging is on a level playing field. The result, and the prize winners, will be announced by 28th March 2004.

GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY! AND SPREAD THE WORD!! LET'S MAKE THIS CONTEST HUGE

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Bi Men: Every Which Way Out

Contact: Ron Suresha or Pete Chvany
No Email Submissions
Query Deadline: Feb 1, 2004

Bisexual advocate Pete Chvany and noted glbtq editor/writer Ron Suresha are now collecting material for a nonfiction anthology, Bi Men: Every Which Way Out.

The bisexual men’s closet door is swinging wide open! Bi Men: Every Which Way Out will feature lively and moving personal essays, emphasizing firsthand experiences that show how bi men come out and create unique family structures and communities. This accessible collection will include sharp, nonacademic crosscultural analysis from bisexual authorities written for a wide spectrum of bisexual men from the USA, UK, Australia, and around the world, as readers and contributors alike will range from queer to questioning. Sample topics:

• Memoir essays (each memoir theme has numerous possible variations):
• Young queer bimen – How boys and Gen X / Y / postgay men define their bisexuality
• Married men who stay married
• Married men who divorce
• Gay 4 pay / MSMs / sex workers
• Bicurious gay men coming into hetero relationships and experience
• Gay Men Who Love Their Bi Buddies
• Bi Men of Color & Bi Ethnicity
• Bi/Poly Men – Creating New Family Paradigms
• Bi Men in the Men’s Movement
• Bi Bears – Queer Masculinities That “Pass” for Straight
• Bi Men & Feminism – woman feminists’ perspective on male bisexuality
• Trans Perspective on Bi Men
• Bi Men & Anonymous Sex – encounters in public & cyber spaces
• Evolving Media Representations of Bi Men
• Female Partners’/Wives’ Perspective on Their Bi Husbands/Partners
• “Slash Fiction” – Straight/bi women writing male-male celebrity porn

Please query first to ron@ronsuresha.com or khvastun@theworld.com with one-paragraph proposed topic, including a brief biography. Reprints considered if author provides electronic text upon acceptance. Query deadline: February 1, 2004.

Submissions: must be typed, preferably in monospaced font, double-spaced on 8.5x11 paper. Provide clean photocopies of reprint articles with contact info and word count attached. Word counts over 5000: please query first. Include your full address, phone number, email address, word count, and 150-word-max bio on cover letter. Please include email address or SASE for acknowledgment of receipt of material. Send all materials by post – no initial electronic submissions accepted. Electronic formatting in Word RTF file to be provided by author upon acceptance. Publisher, publication date, other details to be announced. Contributors will receive copies of published work and one-time fee.

Query deadline: February 1, 2004. Final article deadline: April 1, 2004. Mail to: Suresha, POB 3355, Providence, RI 02909-0355; queries only to ron@suresha.com or khvastun@theworld.com.

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Cowboy Erotica
Guidelines: www.valeriecrystal.com/cowboy.htm
Contact: valerie_crystal@yahoo.com

Deadline: February 1, 2004

Cowboy Erotica
Submission Guidelines . . .

Ride 'em Cowboy!

That's right cowpokes! Valerie will be editing a collection of short stories to be published by Aphrodite Press in the spring/summer of 2004.

"Cowboy Erotica" is the chosen theam for the collection, so get writing and send Val your steamiest tales of cowboy lust!

The guidelines are simple:

1. Obviously your story should include some sort of "Cowboy" theme. What ever that means to you...let's see it!

2. The word count is flexible, but Valerie believes that some of the best erotic stories say it in fewer words, so please try to keep it within 6,500 words.

3. Explicit, arousing sex. Have some fun, take a walk on your wild side and see what happens there!

4. Kinky is fun, but please don't submit anything for this collection which includes underage characters, animals or incest.

5. The pay rate is $10 advance against royalties, one copy of the book, and a share of royalties for first North American anthology rights. Copyright reverts back to author upon publication.

6. Rights are first North American anthology rights, in most cases. Rights and reprints are negotiable, please let Val know if your story has been printed elsewhere.

7. Deadline for submissions is February 1, 2004. Stories will be read beginning now, though, so feel free to send them in early.

Beginners are welcome! Don't worry if you don't have credits to your name.

Valerie doesn't care about your resume, she wants to see a story that sizzles. Who cares if you have published before, so long as you can turn the readers (and the editor) on?

To submit your story, please send it to: valerie_crystal@yahoo.com

Include the words "Cowboy Erotica" in the subject line of your e-mail. Once you receive a confirmation e-mail saying Valerie has received your story, please allow 4-6 weeks for response to your submission.

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