The Challenge of Writing Erotic Fiction

When people ask what genre I write in, I tend to hesitate and giggle…

I know  the moment I say “erotic fiction” the person will start to look at me differently.  So I like to hold onto those final few seconds before I let the truth drop.  It’s fun to see the comprehension cross their face as they realize what the word erotica means.

Next question is usually something like, “So do you write porn?” or  “Isn’t that like smut or something?”

Both questions make me laugh. If you are an erotica fan, you know that there are all kinds of books that fall within this category. True, some of it can be pushing the envelope of being something else, but good erotica, the kind that gets your toes curling and your engine revving, is about creating a story where the sexual elements enhance the tale, drive the story even, but the end result is a well written book that keeps the reader’s interest.

One of my challenges as an erotic fiction writer is to show readers that the storyline is just as important as the sex! Without a strong narrative,  the sex becomes boring. We want an emotional investment in our erotic characters just like we do with any other genre of fiction out there.

I hope the books in my Naughty Shakespeare series manage to hook you emotionally and get you hot and bothered at the same time. Shakespeare wrote these characters 400 years ago. All I did was provide them with a back story and spicy sex life. Ophelia’s Lessons is the first book in the series and is a modern day prequel to the play Hamlet.  You may recall that Ophelia was a tragic, doomed character driven to madness by Hamlet’s treatment of her. Ophelia’s Lessons explains why she was so infatuated with Hamlet and the lengths she would go to in order to capture his heart. Gone is the innocent young ingénue! She is replaced by a sexually vibrant young woman ready to explore all the acts of love--even if it means sleeping with Hamlet’s best friend, Horatio.

This erotic book is definitely not the story you read in high school English class!

So what category of erotic fiction does my Naughty Shakespeare series fall under? Good question! Because of the name “Shakespeare” it may be tempting to think this is historical erotica, but actually it’s best described as erotic romance. However, there are certainly many subgenres of erotica out there like steampunk erotica, fantasy erotica, paranormal, etc. You get the idea!

I encourage you to dive in to the Naughty Shakespeare series! Start with Ophelia’s Lessons and then venture on to Ravishing Rosaline (a prequel to Romeo and Juliet). Round it all out with The Taming of the Prude (a retelling of Taming of the Shrew). Look for new titles to be joining this series soon!

 May all your nights be erotic ones--Esmae Browder