Writing

180 Shades Of Profit: An Analysis Of An Amazon Erotica Author

by

I was going to write about networking, but I caught an article on Kindle micro-erotica fiction and wanted to analyze it.

Over at Cracked Magazine (unofficial motto “The most unexpectedly informative site on the internet.”), author Robert Evans interviewed author Peter Hayward. You probably don’t know Peter as he writes under the Nom De Porn “Pandora Box” at Amazon, and has written over 180 books. Actually you probably don’t know Pandora either, since she/he writes very specialized Amazon Kindle Erotica, and her/his story something worth analyzing.

Now I advise reading the article in its entirety – though fair warning it’s NSFW and some of it is a bit squicky. But it’s a rare, human, and fascinating insight on the fact people are churning out some pretty specialized short erotica in ebook form and making a decent amount of money. We may joke about Dinosaur porn but this is a real thing, its impacting us, and we might as well think about it seriously.

Why seriously? Because eBooks have changed literature. Because people can self-publish. Because people are making money at this. Because it is a fundamental shift in writing and marketing and getting paid.

So before we discuss my take, here’s a quick summary of the article:

  • You can make a lot of money – if you write a lot.
  • You need a niche
  • It’s insightful on people’s fetishes
  • Some erotica terms are code for OTHER things.
  • Amazon has some pretty arbitrary rules.

Now after reading the article there’s a few insights to share with you, my fellow authors. Gay time-traveling cowboy romance aside.*

This Is What People Used Fanfic For

I know fanfic. I’m an Elder Geek. I’ve seen it, wrote it, edited, read it over the decades. I’ve also seen many times where fanfic took a pretty quick turn straight into fetishville- and having been in MST3K fandom, probably moreso. MST3K fandom was often the equivalent of people that want you to smell the milk to see how rotten it is.

A lot of this Amazon erotica sounds like fanfic, targeting specific needs.

I wonder (and I have no evidence either way), if this is where some people are going for needs that fanfic would have filled, or to writing it instead of fanfic as its monetizable. I’d love to see someone do research on it, and that’s a hint to my academic friends.

In fact . . .

This Trends Needs To Be Studied

I’m not saying you need to do a PhD thesis in Werewolf Mind Control Romance** but someone should be studying this trend of fast, specialized, electronic micro-erotica.

Think about what we can learn. Right now people can practically make a living speed-writing a specialized forms of literary pornography and distributing it electronically. Joke about the content, joke about the readers, joke about the book titles***, but this is a historical event. This is something we should be doing academic research on because it is a massive, historical change.

It’s easy to joke about it (it’s not like I’m not doing so), but this is a confluence of so many issues about economics, communication, technology, and human nature someone needs to figure out what’s going on. Narrative examination, research, polls, someone needs to get to this.

If you’re looking for that PhD thesis, I got your subject, but your reading list might not be what you wanted . . .

This Is Insight Into What People Won’t Admit

Research is useful for finding what we don’t know, understanding what we do know, and asking new questions. This area provides some fertile insights into the human conditions.

Once you read this article, and any related articles about trends like Shapeshifting Wizard Incest****, you may joke about the people that read this stuff. Of course when it sells good enough that people can make a living at it, maybe you ought to pay attention. This is providing us insight into things people won’t admit.

  • People won’t admit to these fetishes in public – but will enjoy it in the safety of a kindle window.
  • People will write this stuff for money – I’m sure not everyone will arm it it.
  • Amazon is glad to make money off of this despite some confusing rules – what hell must it in their legal department.

This trend shows insight into human tastes and conditions and culture we’ve not had before. There’s a lot not admitted. Why? How?

As the person behind Pandora says “The more messed up the story is, the more it’ll sell.”

Kinda makes you wonder what your mom is reading on her Kindle, doesn’t it?

It Must Be Tempting

How many of us know or are authors? How many of us have wanted to write fiction? How many of us want to make money at it? OK, I know that’s a larger number, now tell me this . . .

At any time you read this article, were you tempted, just a bitto see if you could make Genderbending Leprechaun Romance*****? Yes, you were. Admit it, you were, even if for a half-second of thought and several minutes of guilt.

It must be incredibly tempting for people who look at this world of strange, specialized, micro-erotica that make money and want a slice of that. It sounds like money in the bank if you have the time, the commitment, and probably an iron stomach. If you’re unemployed or underemployed, it has to be even more tempting.

Maybe it’s not even the money. Maybe you want to challenge yourself. You have to think “any idiot can do this, and I’m any idiot” and wonder if you can do this. Maybe your ego is hurt that someone is writing these books and you aren’t and you want to soothe the wound. But whatever the reason you probably were tempted.

You Can Make Money – But What Are The Implications?

Now, yes this looks profitable. I’m sure many people could make money at this, which is a weird way of saying that I have faith that you, my audience, could right some really well-selling disturbing erotica if you wanted. But there’s a flip side – namely, what are the repercussions for your career?

If this is a side thing, I can see it not being a problem. But if you spend two years writing this stuff do you put it on your resume? Do you mention it in interviews? If you spend a lot of time with this as your only income source how could it look to an interviewer or a client?

I’m not one deep into the world of freelance/professional writing, so I assume writers have a lot of ways to dodge around the dodgy. But if someone gives into the temptation to try this (or the temptation to actually make enough money to live) then one has to evaluate the career tradeoffs. “Fast porn writer” isn’t exactly going to let one branch out.

Closing The Chapter For Now

So, those are my analyses as opposed to my intended rational column on Networking. That’ll probably be done later.

I’d love to hear other people’s insights – seriously. This bears discussing.

Respectfully,

– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/

* Start writing.
** Start writing.
*** It’s not hard.
**** Start writing. Also, good Black Metal Band Name.
***** Start writing.

Way With Worlds: Realism

by

Train Track Sky Surreal

Realism” is something that many worldbuilders, writers, gamemasters aspire for. That sense of believable, of true, of relatable is treasured as it makes it all real. Realism is that thing that makes a tale have an edge, a game hit you in the gut, that thing that brings a visceral element to the experience and you’re there.

Because of this, Realism is both something to seek in our work. It’s also a sign of successfully making a good world and thus a good tale from it – because people live what we create. However when we ask what realism is in an attempt to achieve it, it becomes much more difficult.

It’s difficult because realism is a trickster.

When you step back from a fiction that seems “realistic,” it may suddenly seem rather unrealistic. Yes, you related to that hero fighting a dragon, felt the fire on your face and smelled the blood – but she was fighting a dragon which isn’t exactly a realistic beast. Yet there, in the experience of a good fantasy novel, it seemed real.

At the same time, just having “realistic” elements in a tale or a game doesn’t mean it seems real. A world of cars and computers and gritty real-life experiences can seem detached, empty. The elements are real but it doesn’t “feel” real.

Sometimes dragons are more believable than accountants. Realism is a trickster.

This is because, like any good trickster, realism has more than one face – two, as far as i’m concerned. Your world and the tales and games within it need to show both faces to be truly “real.”

The Face Within: Internal Realism

We can read the most outlandish science fiction or magic-drenched fantasy and be lost within it. We can follow things with little connection to our reality and live them. The unreal, the fantastic, the not-yet true can be very real in a good world and a good tale.

This is because a setting is believable if it has consistent rules and principles that are followed. It may be a realm of clockwork stars and sorcerous cats, but if people can recognize why and how, cause and effect they buy into it. We humans like rules, and when we can divine them in a work, then we can believe it.

Internal realism is this kind of realism -the realism of a setting that is consistent, if outlandish. It can be understood and comprehended and analyzed. Because there is “something” there, it can be believed. Because it can be believed, it seems real to people.

But Internal Realism has an equal partner.

The Face Without: External Realism

When wizard cats battle among clockwork stars, we may find ourselves cheering the heroine because we understand her motivations. When superheroes thunderously battle across dimensions, the blow-by-rib-cracking blow stories make us feel each unrealistic punch. When people who never existed come from cities we’ve heard of, we “get” them. When we read of the glint of sunlight on a sea that never was, we “see” it.

No matter how untrue or fantastical or made-up, a good world with good characters, a good tale, gives us ways to connect to the characters and setting. We can relate to characters, feel their pain, gasp in wonder at a description, or nod at a man who never was describing a good Philly cheesesteak.

This is the realism that we connect to – pain and emotion, location and cuisine, a visual description that is evocative. It is the realism that connects us to the fictional through experiences we can understand. Everything else may be unrealistic, but there are elements of “real” we connect to.

These places of connection could be real historical events, believable technology, relatable characters, and visceral experiences. They can be many things, but all good External Realisms bridge the gap between us and the fictional.

Someone may fight dragons, but we relate to his need to keep an armor budget.

Realism: The Two Sides Together

Both realisms are your goal as a worldbuilder and creator because they work together. Internal realism means your world is understandable and External Realism makes your world relatable. Both mean your audience connects to a setting and its characters – even if that setting is strange and alien.

If you lack Internal Realism, your world is ruleless, hard to relate to, the realistic parts floating in a sea of incomprehensibility.

If you lack External Realism, your world is one people can’t connect to. The characters aren’t relatable, the experiences lack visceral elements, the setting seems lifeless.

Together? Together you can have the most fantastical world that people can connect to. They might not consciously realize just how deep they are in a setting that is totally “unreal” because it’s so real.

Again, realism is a trickster.

Getting Both Sides Of Realism

How does one develop both kinds of realism? I’ve found these things help:

  • Good world design. In short, don’t skimp on building your detailed setting. Throw yourself into it and get all those fine details. That’s good for Internal Realism.
  • Worlds that work. Put your worlds to work and create with them. Can you write multiple tales n them. Can you write up a description of, say, the magic in a way that explains things understandably. Can you translate characters to RPG rules effectively? Play with your world in different forms to et a feel for it and see if you can relate to it in different ways. When you can, it shows there’s a real “there” here. Good for Internal Realism.
  • Empathy for the characters. Learn to step into character’s shoes so you understand them. Understanding them as you build them and write them better – and this mean sin turn people can “get” them. Good for External Realism.
  • Ask questions. Asking questions of why and how helps you flesh out a world – and you’ll often be thinking like a reader or player. Good for Internal Realism and External Realism.
  • Empathy for the reader/player. Whoever peruses your media you also want to think of them. Is what you write readable and relatable, do your descriptions evoke and inspire. Thinking of how they connect to your work and you world helps you create better -and maybe find some flaws in your work. Good for Internal Realism and External Realism.

A Worthy Quest

Developing both sides of Realism is a worthy quest indeed. It means you’ll create worlds people truly connect with -and works people truly connect with. These are powerful, affecting, and memorable.

In other words, very real.

Respectfully,

– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/

Doubleback Again: Lessons From Vanguard

by

egg surreal writing creation

Last week I discussed Vanguard, a shared-universe writing project that I’d been involved in some two decades ago. It was an amazing experience, four and a half years of shared world-building and writing. Many others have tried such projects, and I can certainly see why they did.

Since you might be interested in running such a project, I think I can share some wisdom from my own pre-internet experience.

So, let’s look at Steve’s Lessons From Vanguard.

Start With A Good Core Team. Keep It All Good

You have to start with a good core team. A good team of people who are committed and get along is vital to start and maintain the effort. Coherence and cooperation is key because they set the foundation and set the tone.

Note I don’t say “talented.” Bluntly, just because you’re talented doesn’t mean you can work well with others. Talent can be learned.

You also want to be selective in who you let in. This isn’t an elitist statement (see the “talent” comment), but simply because some people are suited to such effort and others are not. In addition, others may not be suited to your specific group, audience, genre, etc.

In fact . . .

Not Everyone Has To Join

Not everyone has to join. Not everyone’s friends have to join, not everyone has to be part of it It’s not just OK to turn people down, it’s OK to admit it’s not for everyone.  It’s not some elite club, it’s a group suited for working together to do a thing.

This can be more challenging than you’d think as such an effort can be adsorbing. If you’re not careful, it draws people in and relationships can become just about “the work” and not about, well, the relationships. It is something people may join for the wrong reasons because everyone is doing it.

Diversity Is Needed

Everyone should not be alike. You want different people, different voices. You should be open minded to who tries to get in – just specific and careful otherwise.

Creative ferment needs different people to play off of each other. Sameness leads to sameness.

Yes, that requires a balancing act.  I didn’t say this would be easy.

Good Work Is Core

The group has to be dedicated to doing a good job first and foremost. Good writing, good characters, good continuity. I find when things become about one-upsmanship or game-playing or pet ideas then good work falters.  This is why having a dedicated group, and adding dedicated people, matters – it keeps the focus on good work.

It’s kind of a profesional dedication. If everyone wants to do well, thats a barrier to the stupid things we’re all capable of.

Everyone Has Different Capabilities

Not everyone is the same level of skill, talent, interest, what have you. Its OK.

Unless your goal is a strictly professional effort, then go easy on people that need to learn. Train them up. Help them out. If it becomes a job application, then suddenly this is a lot less fun.

Dont’ Let Things Interfere

People come and go. People enter and exit, people get involved and slack off. Learn to ride out the personal issues and changes – and be sympathetic.

Remember, good work first. If someone has to take time for college and can’t contribute give them a break. If someone has to leave, let them use a good “exit strategy” and don’ take it hard.

Set Boundaries

A shared-universe project is time-consuming and life-consuming. Everyone needs to set boundaries on their time, involvement, and what they do. Otherwise it can be life-devouring – and because it’s so fun people may not notice.

Despite my emphasis on doing things right, you can easily become too obsessed witha project like this. It makes it less fun, less interesting, remoes play, makes it drudging. If it becomes too much work and less fun, you’re losing something.

Just like any really good job. Ironically.

It’s Not An RPG – Just Close

A shared universe project can be like an RPG – it can be spawned by an RPG. But it’s not an RPG.

Keeping this in mind is important. In RPGs people often play just one character, and RPGs can get a bit competitive as players compete with each other – or the gamemaster. Competition isn’t the point here.

The point of these efforts is being both creative and creative as a group. People should be willing to “play” more than one character, to let characters “loose,” to move on, to let things change. People should be willing to let other participants “win” or “have the spotlight” or whatever.

The point is a good universe and good story that everyone “wins” in delivering.

Have A Guidebook

Always, always, always build a guide to the world and its characters and update it regularly. You’ll need that reference becomes said world and characters will probably expand very quickly. With that inevitable expansion, you want to keep new people and old members up on what’s going on.

I recommend devising a guidebook design before you start just so you have a template. Me, I too mine from the old Elfquest Holts, along with a guide to Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Barsoom (an updated version is here, for your interest).  RPG books may also provide good templates.

Everyone Should Have An Exit Plan

There’s a chance people will leave, and want to take their ideas with them. Everyone coming on board should at least have an idea of how they could step out – ad what happens to their characters and their ideas.

This may sound awful, but it could happen. So at least have an idea in mind of how to “soft reboot” certain elements.

Though I also recommend people involved in these projects use ideas they’re willing to let “stay” or be “used by agreement” just for the sake of politeness – and not getting overly attached.

Spell Out Legal Rights

Just trust me on this. Spell out the legal rights on what people have just in case. These days its easier than ever to create a commercial work, and I’ve used many “non-profit” efforts to hone ideas with commercial potential.

In our case it was assumed you pretty much owned your ideas, and if you left people would figure out how to “remove” your ideas and concepts from their stories. Simple, but effective – but we thought of it.

Set Up Regular Works And Deadlines

“Deadline means dead,” my co-founder Dan used to say and that philosophy kept us focused. In fact, setting up regular events, publishing, newsletters, etc. was an important factor in making this all work. Boundaries and goals help you do better.

So whatever publishing format you engage in for your effort, I would have it involve regular, edited, releases delivered at regular times in your given medium.

This helps in several ways:

  • People stay on deadline and get things done – which also makes it easier to keep track of timelines.
  • You have a set time to edit works. Trust me, you’ll need to edit works.
  • People have a timeframe in which to cooperate and work together.
  • You release in a given format like a newsletter or web archive or what have you.
  • It keeps things from getting sloppy.

Pick A Medium But Evolve It

In the “old days” our medium was simple – a newsletter. You’ve got a few more choices today, but the fact is when you picked a medium the delivery was easier as you focused on being good at one thing.

So pick a method, and use it. You may change your mind, but it’s a way to start.  Newsletter, email, webpage, whatever.  Pick one.

A solid medium means:

  • You can leverage existing skillsets – like web design.
  • You have a a specific set of skills people can develop to support that medium.
  • A single “method of delivery” allows you to pick the best way to get information out (and encourages and supports good deadlines, above).

Have Fun And Jam

Really. Jam away, get creative, brainstorm, party, whatever.

Get together and exchange ideas, Have fun. Meet on line.  Met off-line Throw events at conventions. Go nuts with this, because that’s when it gets good.

This shared effort is better – and is more rewarding – when everyone PLAYS with it and has fun with each other. So if you’re going to do this, yes, be professional, be organized.  Then cut loose

The Vanguard group had brainstorms and round robin sessions and role-playing and more. We tossed ideas around like tennis balls. From all this fun and effort and late-night rambling came four and a half years of fun.

Go Forth, My Worldbuilders

So, I hope this advice helps. It’s from decades past, it’s during a time many people are doing shared universe projects. But I think the “old view” shows foundational elements of such an effort.

Respectfully,

– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/