Writing Erotic Romance – How To Start (Or Why Blank Screens Are Evil)
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Saturday is the official start of NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, the annual craziness many sickass writers (including myself) voluntarily sign up for. We’re challenged to write 50,000 words (200 pages) in 30 sleepless, Nutella-fueled days. (My handle is http://nanowrimo.org/participants/cynthia-sax if you’d like to Friend me) These might be Alice In Wonderful fucked up beyond belief words but hey, they’re on the screen and that’s a great thing.
Why?
Because blank screens are the epitome of evil. They’re a writer’s kryptonite, representing many of our insecurities. Can I write this new story? Is this idea any good? Do I have another story in me? Oh my God. Will the words ever come?
First Draft Shit Vs Submission Draft Magic
Much of this blank screen insanity is self-inflicted. Writers are told over and over again – the first line, paragraph, page is key. If these first words aren’t gripping, no one will buy or read our story, our precious. This will disrupt the erotic romance-literary balance. The world will tilt, be knocked off its axis and spin into the sun. Yes, the future of mankind depends on this first page. No pressure!
Save this nutbar thinking for your second draft. For your first draft, you have permission to write a totally sucktastic first page. Don’t believe me? Listen to our favorite hard drinking, gun toting, kind of resembles Santa Claus, now dead writer Ernest Hemingway. “The first draft of anything is shit.”
Don’t worry about hooks or selling your story or perfection. Get that shit written.
What should you write first? This depends on you, on how your fickle bitch of a muse works. I’ll give you some suggestions. You can take one of these gems (grins) or find your own twisted path to erotic romance writing greatness. There are no rules.
The Scene That Inspired This Story
I usually have one scene, often early in the story (as I’m a linear writer – preferring to write the story in order from beginning to end), that I’m super stoked about. This is the scene that woke me up in the middle of the night, screaming “Write me now, you lazy word slut!” I then rushed to the bathroom, as to not disturb my wage-earning sugar daddy (aka the dear wonderful hubby), and I jotted the bare bones of the scene into the notebook I have stashed there.
The first thing I do is transfer these bare bones onto the screen. Bam! I no longer have the dreaded blank screen of death. I have the outline of a scene. By the time I flesh out this scene, I’m in the groove and I continue to write. I might go back and add previous scenes or I might barrel forward, gleefully yelling over my shoulder “Fuck you, writer’s block. You can’t get me.” (This yelling is yet another reason why I don’t write at Starbucks.)
Your POV Character’s Everyday World
Some writers like to start with a glimpse into their point of view character’s everyday world. This grounds them (and readers – not that we care about readers during this first draft word vomiting but still…) in who this character is. We know this everyday world won’t last because…well…the everyday world is as boring as hell. Plus for a character to change, becoming a person capable of lasting love, her/his world also has to change.
But it gives us a base. This is a great scene to make us care about this character. What makes her/him special, potentially deserving of love, worthy of writing about? YOU know this. Write that shit down. There. No more blank screen.
Fuckfest Documented
We’re erotic romance writers. Many of us love writing sex scenes. If you’re stuck, write a headboard banging scene between your hero and heroine (or more). You’ll fill that blank screen, reassure yourself that your characters have chemistry (which is rarer and more important than non-writers think), and the words will never be wasted. Even if you don’t end up keeping this scene, you can offer it as a bonus for blog readers. They’ll love you forever.
The Ending
Yes, I heard some writers gasp, but I know writers who always start their stories by writing the ending first. We’re writing erotic romance. The ending isn’t much of a stretch. The couple or more get together, have their happy for now or happy ever after.
These ass backward writers tell me it is like setting up a target. They know where they’re aiming and they write toward that point. It works for them. That’s all that matters!
The Talky Talky
Some writers start with dialogue (or description or action or whatever turns their cranks). One of my buddies has a first draft that resembles a movie script. There’s dialogue, minimal stage direction and that’s it. She then goes back with the second draft and fills the scenes in.
Which scene do you write first?
If you liked this post, you might like
Writing Erotic Romance – Balancing Sex And Plot
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Every Sex Scene Different
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Sex Sexy
or
Writing Erotic Romance – The Basics Of A Sex Scene
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Word Choice
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Four years ago, Bee Carter left her tiny hometown, escaping her tormenters. She concealed her tarnished reputation under a good-girl persona, hiding her history from Nicolas, her strong and silent billionaire; Hawke, her tattooed bad-boy biker; and Cyndi, her man-crazy best friend.
Today, she’s returning home … and she’s not alone. Some of her deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed. Trust will be tested. Clothing and inhibitions will be discarded. Bee and her hometown will never be the same.
When her past and her present collide, will any of Bee’s relationships survive?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89N4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards4-1645053-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-4-cynthia-sax/1119919839
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_4?id=PvxzAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-4/id814148698
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Erotic Romance – How To Start (Or Why Blank Screens Are Evil)
Writing Erotic Romance – Balancing Sex And Plot
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
One of the most common misconceptions about erotic romances is that the stories are a series of sex scenes strung together. Yep, kind of like very bad porn. The pizza guy arrives and, oh noes, our heroine doesn’t have money to pay him. “In lieu of payment,” our big breasted heroine pleads. “Can I strip off your clothes and ride your huge pepperoni?” (insert more bad pizza jokes here)
Some days, when I’m completely brain dead, strung out on Nutella and strawberry licorice whips, I wish it were that simple. But no, readers expect a plot (thankfully, too much sex makes stories a very dull read). They expect the same level of plotting they find in traditional romances except they also want a sensual tone.
There are some great posts by other writers on crafting awesome plots. I’ll be covering some of the issues specific to erotic romance in my post.
Sex To Plot Ratio
How much of the sexy, sexy versus how much plot should your story have?
It really depends on your story. Yeah, that’s a sucktastic answer, isn’t it? But you are the goddess of your own storytelling. You make these calls.
Every scene should reveal character or push the plot forward or change the romantic relationship in an erotic romance. This includes sensual scenes. If a sensual scene can be removed and the story doesn’t change, remove it.
Many erotic romance writers think of the sex as an additional plot. I like the sexual journey to be fully integrated into my erotic romances. Sex changes the plot and the relationship. The plot changes the sex. The relationship changes the sex.
I also like to have my sensual scenes no more than a chapter (3,000 words or 12 pages) apart. There’s no need to hyperventilate. By a sensual scene, I don’t necessarily mean sex. Your hero and heroine eyefucking the hell out of each other qualifies as a sensual scene. Your heroine pressing her breasts against your biker hero’s back, feeling the ripple of muscles under his cotton T-shirt, as they speed away from the baddies can qualify as a sensual scene.
One long sensual scene is often more satisfying than a dozen short scenes. If I can go big, I do. If I can’t, I’ll sneak in a quickie, a great handholding scene or maybe a hot fantasy.
Starting Sexy
I always try to insert a sensual scene as close to the beginning of my erotic romances as possible. Again, this doesn’t have to be sex. It could be the night breeze skimming over the heroine’s bare legs, a thousand ghostly fingers caressing her skin. It could be the feel of quality card stock under her palms, the press of the raised font against her fingertips.
Why do this?
Because I want readers to know that this is an erotic romance. This is a spicy story. They should expect a sizzling heat level. This ensures my readers aren’t surprised when my heroine strips off her clothes and rides the hero like the prized stud he is.
It is also the big dick syndrome. If I tell you to watch for big dicks, you’ll see them everywhere, thinking big dicks are as common as carrots (I wish – grins). If I tell readers this is a hot story, they’ll notice the hot scenes.
Plots To Die For
I’ve seen every subgenre in erotic romance – thriller erotic romance (From Russia With Hot Nasty Lickable Love), inspirational erotic romance (the heroine praising the Almighty both in and out of bed), horror erotic romance (fun with chainsaws), zombie erotic romance (giving a new meaning to a hero losing his shit). You name it. It’s been done. You’re only limited by your sick ass imagination.
A great erotic romance writer can make almost any scene into a panty-wetting delight. Almost every scene. There are some types of scenes that shouldn’t be pumped full of sensuality.
Kiddies
Any scene with kiddies is challenging to make sexy without raising the ick level through the roof. Even in lactation fetish erotic romances, the baby is usually out of the room when the hero and heroine get down and dirty.
It’s tough to go directly from cutsie to sexy. These are two very different tones. Not many people switch from ‘What a cute baby’ to ‘Oh my God, I’m so horny’ in one sentence. There’s often a transition scene to ease into the sexy.
Action Scenes
Action scenes also aren’t great times to have sexy moments. If baddies are shooting at the hero, he isn’t thinking of boning the heroine. He’s concentrating on keeping his tight ass out of the line of fire. When he passes the heroine a gun in the middle of a heated battle, he isn’t contemplating how soft and slender her fingers are, how he’d like them to be wrapped around his cock instead of the phaser. He’s passing her the damn gun, hoping to hell she knows how to use it.
The good news is your characters will likely be pumped up after the shoot out. They will be grateful to be alive and extremely horny, ready to jump each other. This type of passion can flow into hot and heavy, against the wall, drywall cracking sex.
Note: Many publishers will not allow weapons (knives, guns, etc) to be used in sex scenes. You have to be true to your characters and to your story but you should be aware that this might make your story more difficult to sell.
Ending Sexy
I always end my erotic romances with sex. I start with a sensual scene and end with one. It is the last ‘loose end’ I tie up (in the case of BDSM stories, literally – grins). The final scene is usually a glimpse into the couple’s sexual future. It might be tender, extremely loving or it could be even more extreme, showing readers that the couple (or more) will continue to push their boundaries.
This last scene is key. It often decides whether or not your reader feels the couple will have their romantic happy ever after or happy for now (the only requirement for erotic romance). All of the sex scenes in an erotic romance are important but this one is critical.
What tricks have you learned to combine plot and sex?
If you liked this post, you might like
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Every Sex Scene Different
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Sex Sexy
or
Writing Erotic Romance – The Basics Of A Sex Scene
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Word Choice
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Four years ago, Bee Carter left her tiny hometown, escaping her tormenters. She concealed her tarnished reputation under a good-girl persona, hiding her history from Nicolas, her strong and silent billionaire; Hawke, her tattooed bad-boy biker; and Cyndi, her man-crazy best friend.
Today, she’s returning home … and she’s not alone. Some of her deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed. Trust will be tested. Clothing and inhibitions will be discarded. Bee and her hometown will never be the same.
When her past and her present collide, will any of Bee’s relationships survive?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89N4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards4-1645053-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-4-cynthia-sax/1119919839
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_4?id=PvxzAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-4/id814148698
Topics: Writing Tips | 4 Comments »
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Every Sex Scene Different
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
“I’m considering walking away from erotic romance because I’m tired of writing about sex. There are only so many combinations of tabs and slots a girl can think of.”
“My book needs to be longer so I’m adding a sex scene. I don’t care where in the book this additional fuckfest goes. I’ll write a generic scene and let my editor decide.”
“I’m in a time crunch so I’ll insert a sex scene from a story I discarded. Sure, the old story was a SciFi featuring a doubly blessed alien hero and I’m writing a contemporary with a one-cocked billionaire, but sex is sex, right?”
If you’re thinking any of these thoughts (and let’s face, we’ve all contemplated these – usually when staring at the bottom of a wine bottle), then you likely need a reminder of what a great sex scene should be.
No Separation Of Sex And Story
Sex scenes should change the romantic relationship or reveal character or push the plot forward, or accomplish all of those other things any great scene should do (that I can’t remember right now). It isn’t filler. It isn’t a bonus scene. It has a purpose.
There is also no separation of sex scene and story. Whatever happens while clothed affects what happens when naked and vice versa. Sex can really fuck things up, increasing conflict, or it can resolve differences, forcing couples to work together. If you can remove a sex scene and nothing changes, the sex scene shouldn’t be there.
Every sex scene should be different. I have over 80 erotic romances published. That translates to 250 sex scenes, give or take a few. No two are the same. There are some similarities because yes, there are only so many physical combinations we can write, but readers aren’t reading sex scenes for the actual sex. They’re reading for emotion, for character, for plot.
Every Character Approaches Fucking Differently
They do. Take a simple climax scene. The hero is sextastic. Boyfriend is pulling out all the stops, fucking the heroine into the mattress, and she’s coming hard, the lucky bitch.
A SciFi heroine might go supernova, seeing stars. Diamonds glitter for a fashionista heroine. A phoenix shifter heroine bursts into flames. A warrior heroine’s world explodes into a million daggers. A cowboy heroine is dazzled by sparks from a campfire.
You’re in your character’s point of view. Be your character. Ask yourself if your character would use the words you’re writing for him or her. Would the gruff, tough cop hero know his heroine is wearing a silk camisole (revealing his secret side job as a fashion designer) or would he remove a top so damn flimsy and soft, he’s worried about tearing it?
Would your talkative heroine be quiet during sex (maybe showing she’s nervous) or would she chatter during the entire encounter, forcing the hero to shut her up (in sexy ways)? Does coming loosen the normally stoic hero’s lips or does he stay in character and show his changing emotions? Is a clumsy heroine also clumsy in bed, kneeing our poor hero in the groin (taking care of that pesky birth control problem), or is that the one place she’s graceful, becoming the Cinderella of the bed sheets?
Your Character’s Fucking Style Will Change
In an erotic romance, the main characters have what is known as a character arc. They change. The hero and heroine grow as individuals, becoming people able to sustain a lasting love. This change affects EVERY aspect of their lives, especially their sexual encounters.
Bee, the heroine from Sinful Rewards, cares about her appearance and about what other people think about her. At the beginning of the serial, she gets pissy when thing get… ummm… messy (and things do get messy during sex, don’t they?). As she changes, becoming less uptight about appearances, she also becomes less uptight about sex. The Bee having sexy encounters in Sinful Rewards 12 isn’t the same Bee who had sexy encounters in Sinful Rewards 1. The sex scenes can’t be swapped.
The Relationship Will Change
The relationship between the hero and the heroine will change also. One of the reasons I love writing erotic romances is that, while men don’t always talk about their feelings, they’re really good at showing them, especially in the sack.
When two near-strangers fuck, it’s a gloriously selfish thing. Both the hero and the heroine are usually concentrating on getting themselves off. Sure, if the other person comes, that’s a bonus, a pat on the back for our big strong alpha male, but his focus is on himself.
He arranges the hook up so he can leave as soon as he’s done (they fuck in his car or between meetings). There’s no talking about personal things or the future. He doesn’t use her name or take her preferences into consideration.
As he cares more and more, his focus switches from himself, to the two of them, to her. Maybe he tucks a pillow under her ass before he pounds her senseless. Maybe he goes downtown on her and doesn’t expect anything in return (and it isn’t even her birthday! He IS a hero.). Maybe he cuddles.
Whether or not he/she sleeps over and where the couple sleeps can be a big indicator of where they are in a relationship. Does he make the bed before she comes over? Buy her a toothbrush? Prepare breakfast the next day? These details are important, revealing character.
Sex And Conflict
Sex is a delicious source of conflict. The heroine and hero could be at different stages in their relationship. She’s falling in love with him and he doesn’t want to sleep over (because, unbeknownst to her, he has nightmares from the war and worries about harming her). She sees his leaving every night as a rejection.
Sex could bring out deeper issues. She assumes the werewolf hero likes to do it doggy style and he thinks she views him as an animal, good for a fuck but not a relationship. He calls her his dirty little slut and she’s spent her life fighting that label.
Other Considerations
There are other things that can make your sex scenes special. I often use motifs or symbolism in my sex scenes. In Breaking All The Rules, the hero is called the Iceman. Temperatures or acts of nature (and Camille IS an act of nature) are woven into the scenes.
Sex in the city (in apartments with paper thin walls) is very different than sex in the country (scream your heart out, hon). Winter sex (cuddling in front of a fire place) is different from summer sex (fucking on the front lawn). Sex when we’re twenty (all night long) is different than sex where we’re fifty (let’s take a breather). Sex in a car (watch the steering wheel) is different from sex on a beach (sand in bad places).
There are a million ways to make your sex scenes unique. What are some of your favorite ways?
If you liked this post, you might like
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Sex Sexy
or
Writing Erotic Romance – The Basics Of A Sex Scene
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Word Choice
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Four years ago, Bee Carter left her tiny hometown, escaping her tormenters. She concealed her tarnished reputation under a good-girl persona, hiding her history from Nicolas, her strong and silent billionaire; Hawke, her tattooed bad-boy biker; and Cyndi, her man-crazy best friend.
Today, she’s returning home … and she’s not alone. Some of her deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed. Trust will be tested. Clothing and inhibitions will be discarded. Bee and her hometown will never be the same.
When her past and her present collide, will any of Bee’s relationships survive?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89N4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards4-1645053-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-4-cynthia-sax/1119919839
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_4?id=PvxzAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-4/id814148698
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Erotic Romance – Making Every Sex Scene Different
Writing Erotic Romance – Making Sex Sexy
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Sex, on its own, isn’t very sexy. Reading that Tab A is sliding into Slot B (or C or D) isn’t making anyone hot. Hell, I read a sex scene last week that reminded me of an erotic hokey pokey. He thrust his big cock in. He pulled his big cock out. He thrust his big cock in, came and shook it all about. No, just… no.
Great erotic romance is all about tone. I’ve read erotic romances with absolutely no sex that made my lady parts tingle. A talented erotic romance writer can craft a handholding scene into the sexiest snippet you’ve ever read. Her characters will eyefuck the hell out of each other before they even exchange a word. THIS is how erotic romances start sexy without characters jumping into bed together (beds? That’s so old-fashioned).
Action, Physical Reaction, Emotional Reaction
This is a trick I learned from Christine d’Abo, a woman who can make a soccer mom’s grocery list sound like the dirtiest piece of literature ever written. The basic construct for a sexy exchange is action, physical reaction, emotional reaction.
Here’s an example from Sinful Rewards 4
He nibbles, licks, sucks, ravishing my sensitive neck, and I press against him, relishing his strength and his size, his distinctive scent filling my nostrils.
He nibbles, licks, sucks, ravishing my sensitive neck <-- this is the initial action
I press against him <-- this is her physical reaction
relishing his strength and his size <-- this is her emotional reaction Every part is key and yes, you can write them out of order (though having the reaction before the action weakens the sentence) and the parts can appear in different sentences but for erotic romance readers, the emotional reaction is key. This is why we’re reading your story.
Size Matters
Because erotic romance readers are reading for emotion, EVERYTHING in the story should serve this emotion. This includes grammar. Yes, I saw the grammar Nazis wince. But it’s true. Short sentences are choppy. They’re great for action scenes. They’re not-so-great for sex scenes. Sex scenes call for luxuriously long, flowing run-on sentences.
Let’s revisit our example
He nibbles, licks, sucks, ravishing my sensitive neck, and I press against him, relishing his strength and his size, his distinctive scent filling my nostrils.
Compare this to
He ravishes my sensitive neck. I press against him. I relish his strength and his size. His distinctive scent fills my nostrils.
These two snippets have completely different tones. The first is sexy. The second… yeah, not-so-much.
A trick I use is to read my scenes out loud, taking a breath at every period. If I sound like I’m hyperventilating, I know I need longer sentences.
Magical Body Parts
It is tempting, especially in erotic romances written in first person (as Sinful Rewards is), to have body parts lead the action.
His big hands cupped her ass.
This adds variation to sentences, breaking up the he did this, he did that structure.
The problem with this is a) body parts don’t move on their own and b) readers don’t care about body parts. They care about characters. Readers want characters to take action.
He cupped her ass with both of his big hands.
Is always more powerful than
His big hands cupped her ass.
The pet peeve of editors everywhere is moving eyeballs. Gazes move. Eyes, unless you’re writing a Minority Report type of SciFi erotic romance, don’t move.
Felt, Touched, Saw, Smelled
These are filtering words, putting distance between your reader and your character.
Instead of saying “Bee saw his cock harden.”, simply tell us what Bee saw. “His cock hardened.”
“She felt white hot desire.” becomes “A wave of white hot desire swept over her.”
Word Choice
Word choice is key in any sex scene. One wrong word will pull a reader out of the story. Some words aren’t sexy at all. “He scissors her nipples with his fingers.” Ouch! Unless you’re writing horror erotic romance, keep the scissors away from delicate body parts.
Some words are wrong for your specific scene. “He eased his cock into her pussy.” is very different than “He pounded his cock into her pussy.” Both are great sentences. Only one fits the mood of the scene you’re writing.
How do you make your sex scenes sexy?
Next week, I’ll talk about how to make every sex scene different.
If you enjoyed this crazy post, you’ll probably enjoy
Writing Erotic Romance – The Basics Of A Sex Scene
or
Writing Erotic Romance – Word Choice
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Four years ago, Bee Carter left her tiny hometown, escaping her tormenters. She concealed her tarnished reputation under a good-girl persona, hiding her history from Nicolas, her strong and silent billionaire; Hawke, her tattooed bad-boy biker; and Cyndi, her man-crazy best friend.
Today, she’s returning home … and she’s not alone. Some of her deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed. Trust will be tested. Clothing and inhibitions will be discarded. Bee and her hometown will never be the same.
When her past and her present collide, will any of Bee’s relationships survive?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89N4
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-4-cynthia-sax/1119919839
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_4?id=PvxzAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-4/id814148698
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Writing Erotic Romance – The Basics Of A Sex Scene
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old and/or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Knowing how to write a sizzling hot sex scene is a must-have skill for erotic romance writers. Today, I’ll be talking about some sex scene basics.
Know Your Anatomy
Before you write a sex scene, know your basic anatomy. Unless your hero is an alien, his cock isn’t touching the heroine’s womb. That’s not possible. It also isn’t piercing her clit. (winces) That’s a big ouch! Slamming his cock head into her cervix is extremely painful (and highly unlikely unless he’s an alien). Having anal sex without lubrication can send a human to the hospital. It certainly isn’t sexy.
Keeping Track Of Body Parts
A hero can’t rub a heroine’s clit, grab her breast AND brace himself over her writhing body at the same time, not unless he’s an alien. A man only has two hands.
Some writers use Barbie dolls to keep track of body parts. This also ensures that the position is possible and semi-pleasurable (for human lovers). If your Barbie or Ken looks like the girl from Exorcist, you might want to rethink your sex scene.
The body part issue is one of the many reasons erotic romance writers tend to avoid writing in public places. Many of us act out the scene while writing it. Starbucks doesn’t appreciate customers giving imaginary heroes handjobs. (grins)
The Order Counts
Unless your character is being abused or severely disciplined, anal sex is always last. ALWAYS. Don’t have your heroine suck your hero off after he’s had his cock in her ass. In Romanceland, anal sex might be clean. In real life, it is often VERY dirty. Sucking a shit-flavored cock isn’t sexy.
Don’t have the hero go from anal to pussy without a shower or a brand new condom (even the brand new condom is an iffy call), not unless the follow up scene is a trip to the doctor. No heroine wants shit in her woman parts. Trust me on this.
No, Thank You To All Night Long
Yes, when a couple (or more) get together for the first (or second or third) time, they often fuck like bunnies. They don’t, however, have sex sixteen times in one night. The guy would probably die of dehydration. Body parts would be rubbed raw. (winces) The chafing would be horrifying.
And readers don’t want or need to read that. One long fuck, with plenty of foreplay, is better than sixteen short fucks. Think quality over quantity in an erotic romance.
Recovery Time Needed
Which leads to the next point… guys need to rest between sex sprees. Women can come multiple times. The average human man comes once and then has to have a break. The average recovery time (or refractory period) for a man is half an hour (unless he’s eighteen, then it is fifteen minutes – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refractory_period_%28sex%29 ). Your human hero might be doing other things like giving the heroine oral sex but he won’t be hard.
How Big Is BIG?
Okay, I admit to liking heroes with huge cocks. A snug fit not only helps with great sex but it signals manliness and being “meant for each other”. How I feel about cock sizes is similar to how I feel about billionaires. I could read about broke ass heroes with small cocks but that isn’t my fantasy and, damn it, fantasy is what I’m looking for.
However, when I read about a 12 inch cock, I wince. The average man has an erect cock varying between 5.1 and 5.9 inches (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_penis_size ). 12 inches is way too big for this average gal.
But you might feel differently. That’s why I prefer not to mention a specific length. One woman’s HUGE might be another woman’s small.
What other sex basics should erotic romance writers know?
If you liked this post, you might like the equally bizarre – Writing Erotic Romance – Word Choice.
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter’s carefully constructed world is tumbling down around her designer knockoff heels. Pleasing others isn’t working for this small-town fashionista. Bee decides to throw caution to the Chicago wind for one night and release her inner bad girl, accepting a sexy challenge from an unknown texter, exploring the backseat of a limousine with gorgeous billionaire Nicolas, and entering a rough, tough biker bar with the mysterious Hawke.
Two hot men, one wicked night. When this good girl goes wild, who will make her erotic dreams come true—the enigmatic billionaire or the tattooed bad boy?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89JS
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards3-1613793-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-3-cynthia-sax/1119919837
Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354143
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-3/id814148707
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing Erotic Romance – The Basics Of A Sex Scene
Writing Erotic Romance – Word Choice
This post has adult content. If you are under the age of eighteen years old or sensitive to adult language/situations, please do not read this post.
Words are one of the key tools we, writers, master. Word choice sets tone, conveys meaning (often multiple meanings), changes stories. There are some great posts by great writers on what we should consider when choosing words.
Today, I’ll be talking about erotic romance specific words. YES, the naughty words! The words no one really talks about yet everyone knows are important to our stories.
Does Your Word Exist In Your World?
No, I’m not referring to made-up words, though we should be conscious of these also. I’m talking about whether or not your word exists in your character’s world. When was the word invented and was it in popular use at that time?
Fuck didn’t appear in the written language until the late 1400’s. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fuck?s=t ) Using this word in a story set before that date might not be historically correct. (I don’t write historical erotic romances so I’m not the expert.) It might jar some readers out of the story.
This isn’t only a consideration for historical erotic romances. Would a character in a very formal, regimented alien culture use a word like fuck or would they have another word for sex?
Would Your Character Use The Word?
The word penis exists in a contemporary romance world. We all know what this refers to. But would a rough and tough hero call his man parts a penis? Would a prim, proper Regency miss call her hero’s man parts a cock? Sex words, both said and thought, should reflect your characters and the relationship.
Clinical Words
I won’t say don’t use clinical words like vagina or labia. There are no rules in writing. If your character is a doctor or a scientist or an alien new to English and slang, he or she might use these formal names.
But they aren’t very sexy. Some erotic romance readers hate clinical terms with a fiery passion. These words can take these readers out of the mood.
And many characters, like a bad ass biker, wouldn’t use the word penis. He’d use cock or dick or some other term. He might try to be as crude and offensive as possible or he might be on his best behavior. His word choice would indicate this. He could think one word and say another, showing conflict.
Euphemisms
Is there a place for euphemisms like purple helmeted warrior or her special flower in erotic romance? Sure. Again, there are no rules. I might use these terms if the characters are making a joke or if the hero is mocking his overly prim heroine.
Otherwise, don’t. We’re writing dirty so write DIRTY. One of my buddies, Christine D’Abo, told me when I first started writing erotic romance to write the dirtiest, filthiest word I could think of over and over until it no longer embarrassed me.
Pussy Vs Cunt
Again, the character is the boss. Use the word the heroine or hero prefers. A hero who says cunt is very different from a hero who says pussy.
If characters don’t have a clear preference, then I usually stick with one. As I started in paranormal erotic romance, I use the word pussy because I thought a wolf shifter eating pussy was hilarious.
Some readers prefer the word pussy. Some readers prefer the word cunt. My readers know they’re likely getting pussy. (grins)
Come Vs Cum
Come is the verb. Bee comes. Cum is the noun. Bee is covered with Hawke’s sticky cum.
Ravish Vs Ravage
Ravish means “to fill with strong emotion, especially joy” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ravish?s=t ). Ravage means “to work havoc; do ruinous damage” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ravage?s=t ). A hero ravishing a heroine is sexy. A hero ravaging a heroine isn’t.
Lave Vs Lathe
Lave means “to wash; bathe” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lave?s=t ). Lathe means “to cut, shape, or otherwise treat on a lathe” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Lathe?s=t ). Unless you’re writing horror erotic romance, please don’t lathe any body parts!
Publishing House Style – Pre-cum Vs Precum & Cock Head Vs Cockhead
Many publishers have their own specific stances on words or phrases. My editor at Ellora’s Cave vetoed suckling, preferring sucking. Hole at Ellora’s Cave meant asshole, not a pussy hole. Pre-cum vs precum and cock head vs cockhead depends on the publisher’s preference. If your publisher doesn’t have a preference, I recommend being consistent throughout your story and your series.
Finding Another Word For Thrust
My heroes are always thrusting here and thrusting there. To expand my sex word vocabulary, I read erotic romance and note words or phrases I like. I then research these words because writers make mistakes. The word might not mean what I think it does.
I also test the word on reading buddies. I’ll ask them what they feel or think after hearing this word or phrase in a sentence. Are they turned on? Do they understand the word? Is it a hostile sex word or a lovey dovey sex word?
What else should writers consider when choosing words?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter’s carefully constructed world is tumbling down around her designer knockoff heels. Pleasing others isn’t working for this small-town fashionista. Bee decides to throw caution to the Chicago wind for one night and release her inner bad girl, accepting a sexy challenge from an unknown texter, exploring the backseat of a limousine with gorgeous billionaire Nicolas, and entering a rough, tough biker bar with the mysterious Hawke.
Two hot men, one wicked night. When this good girl goes wild, who will make her erotic dreams come true—the enigmatic billionaire or the tattooed bad boy?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89JS
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards3-1613793-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-3-cynthia-sax/1119919837
Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354143
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-3/id814148707
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Writing The BIG Misunderstanding – Romance Tropes
We, romance writers and readers, love our tropes. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trope_(literature) ), the word trope has “come to be used for describing commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works.”
One of our favorite tropes is The BIG Misunderstanding. The heroine (99 percent of the time, it is the heroine) sees or hears something, interprets this something the ‘wrong’ way, and this interpretation drives a wedge between her and her love interest, causing big problems for them.
The reader can get frustrated with The BIG Misunderstanding because she knows if the hero and the heroine simply had a conversation, the misunderstanding would go away. Their lives would be honky dory again. Everything would be sunshine and rainbows.
She also knows if hero and heroine can’t have a simple conversation, their relationship is likely doomed anyway. Barring unusual circumstances, people in healthy, lasting relationships talk. That’s how we deal with the (borrowing one of Hawke’s favorite phrases) shit storms in life.
However, there are ways to make The BIG Misunderstanding work.
Unusual Circumstances
Writers can create an unusual yet believable situation where the characters can’t talk about The BIG Misunderstanding.
Some examples of such a situation are…
The heroine isn’t where she’s supposed to be when she sees/hears the misunderstanding. She’s a proper Regency miss and somehow ends up in a bawdy house, witnessing the hero’s conversation with a lady of the night. If she confronts him, she’ll have to admit to being there.
The heroine isn’t doing what she should when she sees/hears the misunderstanding. She’s stealing her nemesis’ diamond necklace out of a safe and sees the hero in her nemesis’ bedroom. Again, if she confronts him, she’ll have to admit to her wicked ways (in this case, possibly getting the hero into legal trouble).
On the legal theme… she’s a lawyer and, her client told her the information, invoking lawyer-client confidentiality. To compound things, the hero is a member (tee hee – I said member) of the opposition’s legal team, and the circumstances surrounding the misunderstanding could be used against her client.
Digging For More Information
The heroine could investigate farther with her results supporting the BIG Misunderstanding.
Perhaps the proper Regency miss asks one of the ladies of the night if the hero frequents the bawdy house frequently. The (not-so) happy hooker tells her the hero is a regular (not knowing he’s a spy, using one of the helpful ladies of the night as a source).
Having The BIG Talk
Writers can, of course, allow their characters to talk about The BIG Misunderstanding. This discussion, however, should make the shit storm worse, not better.
Our proper Regency miss leads the hero into a discussion on nobles visiting ladies of the night. He thinks she’s being judgmental and sprouts off about how ladies of the night aren’t too different from some of the wild widows in the nobility. Our heroine interprets this as confirmation.
In Sinful Rewards 3, Bee has the BIG talk. She sees an image and doesn’t like the conclusion she draws. Being a sane (and very stubborn) woman, she confronts the person in the photo. Although she doesn’t directly address the misunderstanding (she can’t without looking like a crazed stalker), everything this person says confirms her unhappy conclusion.
The Length Of BIG Misunderstandings
A well-crafted BIG Misunderstanding can be the primary plot device. She’s a princess in disguise. He assumes she’s a peasant, falls in love with her anyway. She allows him to believe this because she likes how he treats her and thinks his lovey dovey treatment will change if he knows she’s a princess.
A (not-so) BIG Misunderstanding can be a slice of the plot. Sinful Rewards is 12 novellas long. The BIG Misunderstanding in Sinful Rewards 3 is cleared up by the end of the novella.
There are usually some pages left in the story after The BIG Misunderstanding is cleared up to reassure readers that the hero loves the heroine for whom she truly is (or vice versa). Will the hero love his princess as much as he loves his peasant girl? How does he fit into her real life?
The Number Of BIG Misunderstandings
Writers should be careful about how many BIG Misunderstandings they have in a story. A heroine who constantly forms the wrong conclusions can be seen as irrational (unless this is her default conclusion – in Bee’s case, she always assumes men will leave). It signals a lack of trust between the love interests, putting the happy ever after in peril. Readers will assume The BIG Misunderstandings continue and that, eventually, one of these misunderstandings will tear the couple (or more) apart.
Have you read a well-written BIG Misunderstanding? Please share the title, author, and some of the premise!
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Bee Carter’s carefully constructed world is tumbling down around her designer knockoff heels. Pleasing others isn’t working for this small-town fashionista. Bee decides to throw caution to the Chicago wind for one night and release her inner bad girl, accepting a sexy challenge from an unknown texter, exploring the backseat of a limousine with gorgeous billionaire Nicolas, and entering a rough, tough biker bar with the mysterious Hawke.
Two hot men, one wicked night. When this good girl goes wild, who will make her erotic dreams come true—the enigmatic billionaire or the tattooed bad boy?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89JS
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards3-1613793-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-3-cynthia-sax/1119919837
Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354143
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-3/id814148707
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing The BIG Misunderstanding – Romance Tropes
The No Social Media Challenge – AKA The Cyber Vacation
For a writer, there’s nothing better than disappearing into a literary world for hours, days, weeks and simply writing, focusing all of our energy on creating fascinating characters, enthralling situations, gripping conflict.
To do this, we have to turn off social media – Facebook, Twitter, blogs, all of the distracting noise from the outside world. I thought this was impossible but a buddy challenged me to this cyber vacation.
I did it (taking a week off social media)!!! And yes, it WAS rejuvenating. My creative wells went from empty to overflowing. I have ideas I can’t wait to write and a renewed passion for the business.
This cyber vacation wasn’t without its challenges. I thought I’d share the lessons I learned so your experience is even better than mine (though I question that is possible – smiles).
Planning
I don’t recommend you take the time off without planning for it first. Facebook friends will worry about you. Email buddies will get irritated that you’re not returning their messages. Business will be disrupted. Plan for this week (or more) off.
Choose the right time for this cyber vacation (preferably at least a month in advance). Release week is NOT the right time (laughs). The week (or more) should be slow. I chose a week with a long weekend.
Once you choose the week, block it off. Don’t accept any invites for this time. I could guest host a Facebook party or Facebook takeover a day. I turned all of these requests down for the week. Other writers understand. We’ll still love you!
I have a separate email address for my agent, editors and family members. This is the only email I checked during my week off. I told them I was taking the week off. This didn’t stop the urgent emails though. (grins) I’m glad I checked this email address.
I changed my Yahoo loops and Facebook groups to no notifications. I figured if it involved me, a buddy would email me and point to the message (which they did).
I posted on Facebook that I was participating in this no social media challenge. NEVER post that you’ll be physically away from home. Thieves scour social media, looking for these types of messages. But a cyber vacation is different.
I usually allow all of my buddies to post on my wall and tag me. However, this means I receive a lot of spam which I have to delete. As I wouldn’t be checking my wall for this spam, I turned off the ability for anyone else to post or tag me.
I scheduled blog posts, tweets, Facebook posts for while I was on cyber vacation. Some reading buddies didn’t know I was gone!
I set aside a couple of days when I returned to answer emails, PMs, etc.
During The Week
For the first couple of days while on cyber vacation, I accessed my computer from places I feel nervous about logging in from. I don’t like typing in passwords on coffee shop or public library wifi networks. Yes, I realize they are likely safe but I avoid it. This removed the temptation to check email or Facebook.
Once I had spent a couple of days offline and was sucked completely into the story I was writing, I felt less of a compulsion to surf social media. I scanned the headlines of my emergency email account every second business day and that was it. There were some emergency emails I had to tackle but nothing world ending.
I also had goals. I wasn’t depriving myself of social media. I was indulging with the writing. It was glorious, freeing, relaxing.
When I Returned
Remember those couple of days I set aside for answering emails? I needed them. I receive over 1,000 emails a day (from writers, readers, reviewers, bloggers). I DID receive a couple of “where are you?” emails. I had missed two luscious limited time only offers (not the end of the world). With the rest of the emails, it didn’t matter that I answered them a week later.
Would I do this again?
Yes! Sure, I missed everyone but I think I was a much better friend when I returned. I appreciated my buddies more. I was relaxed. I was happy. I had a zillion new ideas and some fresh words written.
Have you disconnected for a day, a week or more? What was your experience?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Belinda “Bee” Carter isn’t quite sure what she’s gotten herself into. She’s been receiving mysterious messages from a secret admirer who is sending her more and more erotic dares. Each time she fulfills his desires, she gets rewarded. She’s convinced that her mystery texter is one of two super-hot men—Nicolas, the handsome billionaire, or Hawke, the sexy biker—but she can’t tell which one it is. And she’s coming to realize that beneath her peaches-and-cream exterior beats a heart that longs to play out all of her most secret fantasies.
As the stakes are raised again, will Bee succumb to the sensual allure of this latest dare?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89HA
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-2-cynthia-sax/1119919836
Google: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780062354129
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-2/id814153762
Topics: Writing Tips | 1 Comment »
Billionaires And Bikers – Should We Write In A Trendy Theme Or Genre?
When I first started writing erotic romances, I listened to the published writers who advised “Write the book of your heart and you’ll find a market for it.” I wrote contemporaries featuring billionaire heroes.
And I received rejections…from everyone. Erotic romance publisher wanted sexy paranormals. They weren’t interested in publishing contemporary erotic romances. This type of story wasn’t selling.
I looked at my long list of story ideas and found an idea for a paranormal erotic romance. It was a unique story, a story I was passionate about. The hero was a dragon shifter, not a wolf shifter. It wasn’t set in today’s world. It was set in a medieval fantasy world.
The first publisher I approached (Changeling Press) accepted Dragon Lord’s Mate. It required many rounds of revisions and even more editing but we all knew, with paranormals being hot, the story would sell well enough to warrant this hard work.
Five years later, I likely wouldn’t be able to sell Dragon Lord’s Mate. Very few publishers are looking for paranormal writers. They already have many successful paranormal writers writing for them.
I CAN, however, sell my beloved contemporary erotic romances. I can sell the stories I’ve written about billionaires and bikers and other delicious contemporary heroes. I’m happily writing more stories about my delicious billionaires while the market is hungry for them. As my farming granddad used to say, “You gotta make hay while the sun shines.”
The irony is that Blaine, the hero in He Watches Me, could have very easily been a vampire. If I had made that tweak, this story would have been sold years ago. I’m glad I didn’t. I like Blaine the way he is. But it was a possibility.
Should you write what is selling well right now?
Are you passionate about your idea?
If you have a list of ideas (I recommend keeping a list of your top 100 story ideas), is there an idea on this list that is selling well right now? Do you love this idea?
Because passion ALWAYS shows. There are thousands of erotic romances published every month. If you aren’t passionate about your idea, readers won’t be passionate either. They’ll give your story a pass and read something else.
Is this idea a unique twist on the theme?
Unless your story is already written and ready to be pitched to a publisher, a me-too, clone story of a popular release is unlikely to sell. If the publisher wants this, they’ll approach the original writer OR one of their existing writers and request it. Give the publisher a unique twist on the idea. When I pitched He Watches Me to Avon Impulse, I called it Fifty Shades Of Grey with exhibitionism, rather than BDSM.
This twist also keeps the theme fresh and interesting. I hear from readers with billionaire fatigue because every hero seems to be Christian Grey. There’s no need for that. Simply placing your billionaire at the top of a different industry (or giving him a different kink or a different dark secret or…) will make him unique.
Do you know WHY this theme is selling well?
When wolf shifters were hot, some writers wrote sensitive sophisticated wolf shifters. Yeah, a kinder gentler hero isn’t what wolf shifter readers want. They want the beast. The primitive animal male only the heroine can tame.
Know your theme. Know why readers are reading this theme. Ideally, your unique twist will make these readers happy. For example: Hawke, my hero in Sinful Rewards, doesn’t ride the expected Harley. He rides a chopper. BUT he does this because he’s a rebel, the rebel hero fans of biker stories want. He might be even MORE bad a$$ because of his different choice in bikes.
Can you write this idea quickly?
If it takes you ten years to write a story, you’re not catching any trends (and that’s okay, write what you want to write). What is selling well right now is only important to you if you can sell a story right now. The last installment in Sinful Rewards, my billionaires and bikers serial, is releasing a year from now. Bikers might not be hot in a year.
Are you willing to sell your story to a digital first publisher?
The big five print publishers have a long lead time (though this lead time is shrinking). It will likely take years for your story to be published. Some trends last (vampires lasted for years). Some trends don’t.
Publishing with a digital first publisher (like Avon Impulse) or self publishing eliminates most of this lead time and lessens this concern. Some writers had Fifty Shades Of Grey types of stories published days after this story broke out.
The longer the lead time, the higher the risk that the trend will have ended or the market will become so flooded with stories, your story might be lost.
What other considerations should writers think about when deciding whether or not to follow a trend?
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Sinful Rewards 1
Cynthia Sax
Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.
Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.
But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.
Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Billionaires And Bikers – Should We Write In A Trendy Theme Or Genre?
Writing A Serial
I receive quite a few questions on writing serials.
Jane Leopold Quinn kindly offered to host my comments.
http://janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.ca/2014/07/welcome-to-cynthia-sax-and-her-article.html
This is a discussion. If you have questions or an alternate view on writing serials, please chime in!
Here’s a snippet…
“The easiest definition of a serial is that it is a larger story sliced into parts. But this definition always makes me cringe. That’s like saying a TV show is a movie sliced into parts. A great serial is written as a serial. It usually can only be written in this format because the pause between the installments serves an important purpose.”
Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Sinful Rewards 1
Cynthia Sax
Belinda “Bee” Carter is a good girl; at least, that’s what she tells herself. And a good girl deserves a nice guy—just like the gorgeous and moody billionaire Nicolas Rainer. He is everything she wants in a man.
Or so she thinks, until she takes a look through her telescope and sees a naked, tattooed man on the balcony across the courtyard. Hawke is mysterious, the bad boy she knows will bring only heartbreak. He has been watching her, and that makes him all the more enticing.
But when a mysterious and anonymous text message dares her to do something bad, she must decide if she is really the good girl she has always claimed to be, or if she’s willing to risk everything for her secret fantasy of being watched.
Is her mystery man the reclusive billionaire with a wild side or the darkly dangerous bad boy?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-1-Cynthia-Sax-ebook/dp/B00I7V89H0
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards1-1560586-237.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-1-cynthia-sax/1119055390
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_1?id=g08ZAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-1/id814148703?mt=11
Topics: Writing Tips | Comments Off on Writing A Serial
