(Part 2) Best products from r/eroticauthors

I'm pretty confident in my content but less so with blurbs/covers, so any feedback would be appreciated. I've already made a couple of wording choices to the blurb and hoped they would have updated before this thread but alas, it hasn't happened yet. I'll write the soon to be updated version here. The elements involved in the story are lesbian group sex, submission, light bdsm (handcuffs) and ass eating. I find the last one particularly difficult to allude to cleanly in a blurb.

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0813R8FSR

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Blurb:

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Two months since our submission to Kendra had enlightened us to the fantastical pleasures of other women, my friend Taylor and I wanted to give her a gift to show our appreciation. We went to the park in search of the hottest present we could find, and sparked the interest of a passing jogger. The woman initially let her hesitance get the better of her but when she turned up on Taylor's front doorstep it seemed her curiosity had triumphed. It took some time, but the woman's inhibitions eventually succumbed to Taylor and my seduction, and we opened her eyes to a whole new world she was eager to explore. We prepared her, washed her and shaved her before presenting her to our mistress, ready to be inducted.

As a reward for her efforts, Kendra used a new toy on Taylor; a pair of handcuffs to further her submission. My excited best friend was cuffed and bent over, while Kendra taught her new present about the pleasures of the rear. Our afternoon of wild lesbian passion should have been enough to convince any woman to join us, but would it be enough for the shy jogger? Would she join our harem of women devout to Kendra? Would she submit?

I'm glad you posted this - I was actually thinking of starting a similar thread. Great minds think alike. :)

I have mentioned here and there that my romance novella tanked (poor marketing, oversaturated niche, etc.) -- but the one good thing to come out of it was that it forced me to find a way to actually finish a story, quickly.

I pantsed the first half, but then got stuck, which is normally what happens to me when I try to write long. I happened to stumble on (thanks to a comment on this sub, though unfortunately can't remember by who!) a book called [Tell Don't Show] (https://www.amazon.com/Tell-Dont-Show-James-Lofquist-ebook/dp/B00B4JF6JG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468194438&sr=8-1&keywords=tell+don%27t+show). You can buy it but it's pretty high level - basically the jist is that when you're writing and you don't know what to put, just write out the scene in short hand and move on.

So I did this for the second half of the novel. It was a fast easy way to map out the remaining chapters, figure out how to hit the right beats, and see where I needed more conflict. And the extra bonus was that it helped me write SO FAST when I actually went back to do the writing. It was all there, and I just needed to transcribe. The result is that I believe the second half of my book was much stronger and better written.

So this time around, I decided to do that for the whole novel. My outline is about 7500 words and took me four days to write, which seems kind of insane, but I'm feeling really confident about going in and actually writing now.

I outline right down to the chapter, detailing everything that should happen in it, including bits of dialogue as they come to me. Some chapter outlines end up a little longer and some are a little shorter, but they are roughly about 150-200 words apiece.

This won't work for everyone but I've found it extremely helpful. I'll see how this book goes, but I honestly think this method has changed my whole approach to long-form writing.

Oh, there is also a book called Romancing The Beat that gets mentioned in this sub a lot -- it is PERFECTION for trying to figure out how typical story beats apply to romance. So I use that to start thinking about my basic plot points / motivations, etc.

Hello, everyone! I've published by first romance, but it's not doing very well. Hopefully romance is ok for this thread. I've got great reviews so far from my ARC. I know my cover is a little sad and my blurb could probably be better. I didn't write it quite to market, which may also be holding me back. I have a newsletter set up, but no incentive to sign up ready yet. I know I have a lot to work on moving forward, but any feedback would be really helpful!

The book is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZVWRZFD

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Thanks for looking!

A Bride's Collar and The Will to Submit, both Victorian historical stories. Between the two of them I've sold about 175 copies so far this month! Easily my best sellers.

However, there's no trick to what made these two successful. I can tell you straight up that a huge part of the reason is because this is my favorite genre to write so far. I know a lot about the era, and since it's told as an excerpt from the main character's diary I get to write in a much more stylized manner to invoke the period even further. My love for writing Victorian translates straight into the text and gives me a better product than my other books. In addition they're longer (21k between the two of them), and honestly? I think part of the reason is because of how small the Victorian genre is.

When I started writing THC, the genre only had about 650 books in it. That made it much easier for my books to get to the top of the charts and stay there.

Story is published at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0192LHL86?*Version*=1&*entries*=0 . Doing decently, but I think the blurb could use some work.

"Brian didn't ask for his girlfriend to be turned into his helpless toy, sexually obsessed with him and aching for his touch. And Lain certainly never asked to descend from partner in life to servant in bed, her desire raging out of control and directed squarely at her boyfriend.

But when they tick off the wrong stripper and Lain is dosed with a lust potion, the once equal lovers must deal with the power dynamics of their relationship being tilted to the sexual extreme. Can Brian resist the temptation of the new power he holds over his girlfriend? Will Lain find a way to maintain some dignity in life when every nerve in her body is commanding her to beg for her boyfriend to satisfy her addiction?

Or will the partners realize that Lain has become nothing more than her boyfriend’s toy?

Within you’ll find the story of a strong and dignified woman caught by a sexual desire so powerful that it defines her every thought. Watch as the uptight and reserved Lain is first reduced to pleasing the busty stripper Honey, then her own boyfriend under the rules of a new and harsh power dynamic.

This story features both heterosexual and lesbian sex, extreme dominance and submission, strippers and plenty of wild identity changing fun.

I had started with Save the Cat and the Jami Gold beat sheets, which you can easily Google.

/u/Pious-Highness "Falling in Love / Fighting for Love" story circle, which I believe he/she based on the more general Dan Harmon's story circle. Pious-Highness had deleted his/her account and I can't find the thread with that image and those descriptions at the moment, so you might search around on this sub. You can find the Dan Harmon information via Google.

Another nice resource are tips from K.M. Weiland's 5 secrets of story structure, which is currently available for free on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BHE3HXE

Good luck!

>So for the sake of all the newbies (and the vets who are curious/would like to contribute), what did your journey to your most profitable niche(s) look like?

For me, it started right here. The only reason that story still exists is that it was my first one—and I'm sentimentally attached. More so though, I think it's helpful to illustrate that regardless of how long someone has been in self-publishing, at one point we were all awkward baby deer standing up for the first time. In short, we didn't know shit. I surely didn't.

Hot off the extreme financial success (just kidding) of that first book, I did all sorts of horror/thriller/fantasy hybrids as well as a pile of random "normal"-ish erotica. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz where Dorothy fucks the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion because her silver shoes made her horny? Wrote that. A chick getting fucked in the middle of the night by twin brothers in an otherwise deserted laundromat? Wrote that, too.

So yeah. I didn't know shit about shit. Over the years (and with help from people right here in EA), I slowly started to learn. I was fortunate to come from a marketing and design background and am a giant data nerd, so I tried to absorb every shred of information I could get my hands on. I read books I never would have touched before I started writing—erotica, romance, msytery, thriller—everything.

I write mostly to-market hybrids of romance these days, and I like to think that they're books that people actually want to read.

>Do you still experiment and try new things or are you satisfied with what you've found/seen?

Mostly I'm a mercenary bastard, so the vast majority of the things that see the light of day are more or less a sure thing (just a caveat though—even sure things can become duds for no reason). That said, I'm also a mad scientist, so I do try and float some experimental shit from time to time. Sometimes they hit and sometimes they don't, but writing mostly to market affords those sorts of rare opportunities.

Also, I diversify. Cannot stress diversification enough—learning, opportunities, investments.

>How long have you stuck with something that didn't work?

At first? Way too long. These days? I'll put it out of its misery pretty quick. Garbage can always be recycled.

>Have you ever experienced a genre saturating? If so, did you move on or keep going?

Oh, absolutely. At first I was the last one in and the last one out of every-frickin'-thing. It's always the dream to be the first one in and the first one out of a hot market though. Most of the time I try to strike while the fire is hot and then back out when it starts to cool. If your output is fast enough, you can really capitalize on trends and make big bucks. If not, there are plenty of evergreen options too. They're not as profitable, but they're more consistently stable.

I own each one of those books and I would only cosign on the Amy Cooper and the Emily Baker. I also got a lot of helpful info from Unsilenced's first book.

For Erotica in general - I would also skip the Susie Bright. Instead I would go with Stacia Kane Be A Sex Writing Strumpet. Also this website also helped me helped me think stories through.

I would suggest you start learning story structure and outlining early. Dan Wells is an awesome free source - through his youtube videos, and Dwight V Swain Techniques of the Selling Writer. Also Gwen Hayes Romancing the Beat.

As a writer I would keep reading additional sources, once you find a story structure that you like - as in 3 part or 4 part, then find an ultimate resource for this.

When I first started I didn't really understand pinch points so I read a book on screenwriting that helped.

My first erotic romance novel

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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N7TLSHL

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I've written a lot in many forms over the years but this is my first venture into the romance/erotica sector.

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I like this sub and find it very constructive. If anyone doesn't have KU, I'd be happy to send it for free in exchange for a couple words of feedback.

I would like my first PI looked out for any areas I could improve it. I am rather happy with the cover and I am seeing sales on it, however if anyone has suggestions On blurb, Title, or cover I am happy to see what they would say Before She Comes - I have the cover for book 2 in this series developed and also looking for suggestions on that.


I just noticed at the time of posting this I just hit my first top 100 (ranked 92) category in erotica/humorous - time to pop some tops :D

edit: Making changes already, adding drop shadow effects to some of the letters and model on cover - will show updated pictures shortly for review. Updated Covers both for 1st (published) and Sequel (unpublished)

I read a helpful book on this subject recently: "Write to Market" by Chris Fox. It is not specific to the romance genre, but it IS pretty specific to Amazon, explaining their ranking system, how to research, etc. etc.

If you have a KU subscription, you can borrow it and read it for free.

https://www.amazon.com/Write-Market-Deliver-Faster-Smarter-ebook/dp/B01AX23B4Q

I followed some of the suggestions in Rachel Aaron's 2k to 10k, to boost my output.

In the very beginning of a story, I use very rough outlines, kinda similar to the method discussed in James Lofquist's Tell, Don't Show!

Basically, I just throw it all on the page (I mean even the shittiest idea) and come back to edit it later. Saw a thing somewhere on reddit yesterday that said "You can edit a bad page; you can't edit a blank page", and that's pretty much been my philosophy since the start.

I have never taken a class, save for the basics that are required for any degree in college. I find workshops (in my area, anyway) to be full of people who just want to critique the shit out of your stuff, but who aren't actually pulling in any money from their writing. I read a lot, though, and I think that's pretty key to being able to internalize (and then naturally emulate) style, plot patterns, etc.

As for the distractions, I will usually put on a headset and crank up some kind of white noise (I have a whole host of websites that I visit, but a favorite is rainymood.com). My boyfriend knows that this is a source of income for us, and gives me the free time that I require -- if you are not in a similar situation, you may have to be firm about setting your boundaries, or just lock yourself away for a bit each day.

If I'm really not into it that day, I'll read instead. Sometimes I just need a break from the story.

Title: Cured by a Werewolf Psychiatrist (Curvy BBW Paranormal Romance, Shifter Wolf, Alpha Mate)

Author: Larissa Coltrane

Link/s: Amazon B&N

ASIN: B00FJJKHLY

Length:6100

Genre: BBW Paranormal Erotic Romance

Genders:M&F

Blurb:

'A short love story about a broken-hearted woman and a psychiatrist with an unexpected cure.'

Pauline Rheinlander's heart is broken after she found out that her fiancé was cheating on her, and besides sinking deeper into depression she is haunted by strange hallucinations. Her friend Julia recommends her to a psychiatrist who can help her to find a way out.

After her first meeting with the handsome psychiatrist, she tells Julia that he is too attractive for her to continue with the therapy. Simply put, she wouldn't be able to work with someone who had become the object of her sexual desire.

She goes back for a second session to tell him that she has to cancel the therapy, but the handsome psychiatrist has different plans for her.


Kinks: BBW, Werewolf Shifter.

Cover: Imgur

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie who'd love any feedback on the below. Anything to help learn!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HD6V751

Thank you :)

My first book, and my most successful one (which is kinda baffling to me, I don't understand why this one has been garnering the most KU borrows): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OUGLPEA

Would love a review on Amazon, of course, but just some feedback would be awesome!

Check out Wired for Story and Techniques of the Selling Writer. The latter is dated - as in the guy wrote it from a white, male perspective in the 60s - but the advice on craft is solid. Good luck.

ETA: This is a decent podcast series so far.

This is my third piece of erotica, the one I'm happiest with.

It's about a southern couple (think a cowboy and cowgirl) that become tenants in a farmhouse, owned by a single guy. The woman discovers a peephole that looks into the shower, so she tries her best to put on a show for the naughty guy that lives there, since the peephole is in his bedroom. After the peep show, things really start to heat up!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OMHBO84

Read "Write to Market" by Chris Fox. It's free on KU or $2.99 to buy. I found it extremely helpful.

Work on the blurb. It's really short. Get the reader hot and bothered. Ditto on the cover. I see mystery and maybe romance. But this is erotica, right? Also, "Unpredictable" is misspelled and shouldn't be capitalized (or capitalize "love.") As for the Look Inside...It's all exposition (a real problem, since that's how most books start; I'm thinking of adding an excerpt at the top of my next book so people will read some actual sex that will make them buy). Finally (and this just may be me), I see some common punctuation errors (commas, periods). It's hard to copy edit yourself. Either get a friend to go over it or, probably better, find an erotica copy editor on Fiverr (typically $5 for 2,000 words). If you'd like to look at a book of mine (and this point, you probably don't), Come Again is listed higher in this thread.

Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks in advance.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VK5FSTP

Outlining my stories extensively has changed everything for me. I use a combination of the Jami Gold beat sheet (for the romance arc) and KM Weiland's 5 Secrets of Story Structure (for the surrounding plot). I kind of can't believe I've churned out 21k on my novel in a week, and it's all because I've got such a detailed, structured outline.

Chris Fox has a very good book on this.

https://www.amazon.com/Write-Market-Deliver-Faster-Smarter-ebook/dp/B01AX23B4Q