Second, unlike most erotica where the focus is on people having sex, the spanking story may have little or no explicit lovemaking. Therefore the writer is more dependent on characters, plot and dialogue than in the straight sex story, and must be as comfortable describing the impact of palms and paddles on derrieres as other writers are describing the myriad forms of couplings.

The one way that spanking stories parallel straight erotica is in structure. Both good sex and spanking stories have the right balance between build up, action, and resolution. The only difference is that the “action” in a spanking story is some form of corporal punishment, given either erotically for the ultimate pleasure of the bottom or spankee, or as a form of discipline. Thus the driving force at the beginning of the story is not “why are these characters attracted to each other?” but “what is the reason why a character is being spanked?”

This question can be difficult to handle in an era of political correctness where even the threat of a spanking may touch off abuse or sexual harassment claims. While erotica readers may have no trouble believing that two strangers in an elevator might feel sufficient attraction to end up on the floor together during a blackout, few would find it realistic if the man grabbed the woman and turned her over his knee. Because most markets prohibit stories involving characters under the age of eighteen, traditional disciplinary arrangements such as parent/child and teacher/student have limited applicability. Unless the writer relies on other power arrangements such as courts/defendants, employer/employee, shopkeeper/shoplifter, or police/offenders (all of which have been done mostly to death,) coming up with a believable scenario, especially between romantic partners, can be very challenging.

There are several ways for the writer to get around the credibility problem.:

1. In the spirit of bodice rippers, the story can be set in a time when no one has heard of political correctness. Science fiction and fantasy settings a la Anne Rice are also useful.

2. The spankee can be the one to suggest the form of punishment, often by acknowledging that he or she has behaved badly and deserves to be treated as a child.

3. The story can take place within an established relationship in which the spankee has agreed to be disciplined as the circumstances arise.

4. The spankee may be drawn into the action by being aroused or curious at the thought of being spanked.

Once this critical question has been answered, the writer faces the same sort of choices as with other erotica genres. An effective story usually must contain either multiple action scenes, or a tantalizing build-up to a longer scene at the end. Stories can be told from the single viewpoint of either the spanker or spankee, or more rarely by switching between the two (no pun intended!) Longer, more complex stories may bring in additional characters in either role. Unlike regular sex stories where dialogue is usually kept to a minimum, the spanker often lectures the spankee before and during the action or may increase the spankee’s psychological discomfort by describing each phase of the punishment.

The writer’s description of the spanking should include either the way the spankee looks or feels anticipating the spanking and the procedure used to get the spankee in a “bottoms up” position. In the U.S. markets, most spankings are delivered by hand, paddle, hairbrush, belt, ruler or wooden spoon; foreign markets are less fond of paddles, but are more familiar with slippers, tawse, and canes. While many scenes may begin with the implement being applied over clothes, most readers in the genre expect that the target area will be bared before the action concludes. The severity of the punishment varies considerably by story, but generally requires the spankee to experience reddened skin and pain along with some degree of humiliation or embarrassment.

After the action is concluded, the story should have a resolution beyond the fact that the spanking is over. The spanker can take advantage of the fact that the spankee is already partially undressed to go on to more garden variety sexual pursuits. Or a character can consider whether the spanking solved a problem or whether a return engagement is likely. To immensely strengthen a story, add a punchy ending that twists the plot or throws new light on the title.

Many general erotic markets such as Clean Sheets accept spanking/BDSM stories. However, for paying markets exclusively devoted to the subject, all of whom have sample stories available for review, try:

Scarlett Hill: Guidelines at http://scarletthill.com/SSS2000/MF-main.htm. Pays $.01 - $.02 per word dependent on amount of editing required. Stories must be a minimum of 2000 words and fall into M/F, F/M, or F/F categories.

The Spanking Digest: http://www.spankingdigest.com. No guidelines. Pays for first story with 3-month membership, additional stories at $.02 per word. No length restrictions and great subject flexibility.

Paddles: http://www.paddles.net/paddles.html. No written guidelines. Pays $100 Australian, or approximately $50 U.S. for 2000 - 3000 word M/F, F/F, and F/M stories that meet Australian censorship guidelines.

Variations: Guidelines at http://www.variations.com/contact.html#guidelines. Pays $400 for 3000 word first person narratives about couples engaged in spanking.

Amoret: Guidelines at http://amoretonline.com/C047.htm. Pays around $.02 per word for 100-word or less flash stories.

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Danielle Smith is a former lawyer living in Houston, who finds writing erotica a lot more fun than appellate briefs. She has sold full-length stories to Paddles, the Spanking Digest, CF Publications and Scarlett Hill, as well as flash stories to Amoret. Currently she is working on a BDSM-related novella.