Writing Erotica: A few things I’ve learned so far…

Okay, so I’ve been at this gig for a while now and, since I started out, I’ve learned some helpful tips that I thought I’d share. I should point out that these are about independent, self-published books, so may not be relevant to everyone.

I’d also like to preface this by saying that, though I trained in writing at University, it was a very broad course covering all kinds of writing, not just strictly creative. So, I am in no way an expert, and I’m sure there will be things in this list that some of you will respond with, ‘Show, don’t tell? That’s amazing- write that down for me Strange!’ Before promptly slapping me in the face with your notebook.

With that said, here are my top (amateur) tips for writing erotica:

1) Show, don’t tell.

Just kidding! Though seriously, that shit is pure gold. Can you believe I only heard that phrase about a year ago? If you’re new to writing and haven’t been introduced to that concept, look it up, it’ll change your life.

1) Write what you know.

Sounds obvious, sure. But, if you’re anything like me, you’ll get through a few chapters of writing before you realise you actually don’t know as much as you may have thought. I’m not saying anyone here isn’t very intelligent, I’m sure you all are. But what if, for example, you decide to write a sexy story based in some incredibly exotic location, then you start describing the setting only to remember you’ve never actually been to Brazil and you can’t really draw enough information from the penultimate Twilight film to describe the setting.

With that in mind, write what you know. If you want to set a story in a really exciting location, try and draw on things that you’ve experienced in places you have been. Don’t limit yourself by needing specific details, build a story around the specifics that you have experienced and would want to experience again. Went for a great meal in your home town? Describe it as if you were explaining it to someone from another country who had never tried it. In love with the view from a local landmark? Write about it a if it’s the most unique and exotic thing in the world.

2) Research what you don’t.

Again, seems obvious. And, if we were talking about most genres of fiction, I would say it was. But I know when I started writing erotica I relied heavily on things I had already experienced as the broad basis for my stories. I mean, you’ve either had sex or you haven’t, right? It didn’t occur to me straight away that it was a good tool in my box (mind out of the gutter people. I’m tryin’ to be academic here!) to get some research to empower my stories further. For example, when I wrote the last instalment of Beast of Backar – The Hunt – I ended up doing loads of research about the Russian Revolution, stolen artefacts etc, and it didn’t even take me that long. But it gave the story so much more depth and the erotic parts were all the more enjoyable for it.

3) Literally everyone always judges books by their covers. Always.

Come on, be honest; we all do it. Before you publish anything, look at what books that are selling well have on the cover. What makes them stand out? Take notes, it definitely makes a difference. Also, think about what you look for when choosing a book. Would you pick up an erotic story if it had a picture of a giant penis on the front? Well, then don’t put one on your cover!

3) Brush up on your skiiiiiiiiiiills.

Not everyone who writes has had the money to attend loads of courses. That’s okay, but there are endless free resources these days that you can access for free to help you up skill yourself. I follow loads of blogs and vlogs from established and starter writers to learn as much as I can about my craft so that I’m always improving. This also comes back to the cover design- if you don’t know how to create a professional and appealing cover, look it up. I promise these things will be well worth your time.

4) Manage your expectations

So, you’ve researched your story, you’ve got well rounded characters and exciting settings. The sex scenes are hot and steamy. You’re ready to start your new life as an erotic author. Goodbye, grind! Goodbye office friends I never really liked that much!

Yeeeeaaaaah. Don’t print your letter of resignation just yet. I hoped I would be making enough money from my stories within about six months for me to quit work and write full time from home.

Stupid girl!

I made a grand total of £8 in the first month and the money just kept trickling in. Two years later, well…let’s just say I’m not living it up like E L James. There are several reasons for this in my case. (The writings fine, by the way. 🤨) BUT – first of all; who da hell are you? You’ve got to work up and build a name for yourself. Once you’ve had a fair few titles out that have done well, people start looking out for you, but that takes time. Also, if you publish through Amazon like I do, the percentage they take is, frankly, outrageous. But I console myself with the knowledge that at least my work is being read, where if I went through traditional means, it quite possibly wouldn’t. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use traditional publishing, you gotta do you after all.

5) Stick with it!

Following on from the last point, don’t give up!What separates the writers who can write full time and the ones that can’t (other than actual ability in some cases) is that they stuck it out. At first you’ll be like, well duh. I can write forever! But when you actually publish all those ideas that had been burning in your brain for years, that’s when the real work starts. Finding new inspiration, investigating what’s selling, keeping up the standards. Yeah, your hobby is now your job, and that changes things. This is when you’ll know if it’s really what you want to do. Me? I’m just now at the point where I’m making about three figures a month even when I don’t release anything, which I’m very proud of. And yeah, it’s hard, but I’m sticking with it until the AI’s price me out of the industry.

6) Try not to take reviews to heart.

Unless they’re good. Then let them inflate your ego to totally disproportionate expanses!

Seriously though, I’ve had a few reviews that stung. I’m not pretending that I’m the best writer in the world. I’m not saying my books will change your life. I had an idea and I just put it out there in case someone else might enjoy it. Problem is, if you put something into the public sphere, you have to accept that people are going to comment and may be quite harsh: it just comes with the territory. If you can’t handle the heat, best you get out of the kitchen. Also, there have been times when I’ve learned something from my less than glowing reviews, and I take that as a positive.

Well, I think that’s pretty much it from me at the moment. All in all, I love what I do because I get to be creative and saucy all in one outlet. I hope this has been even a little bit helpful for some of you.

Check back again soon for more ground-breaking revelations from a somewhat established indie sex-writer.

Take care,

Strange

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I just wanted to wish anyone out there reading this a very Merry Christmas.

There can be alot of pressure at this time of year to be deliriously happy and get swept up in the spirit. For most of us, that’s fine, wonderful even, but for others, Christmas can be anything to moderately annoying to severely painful, depending on what you’re going through at the time.

To those of you out there who know what I’m talking about, I get it, I’ve been there. Trying to grind out a smile while it feels like your world is collapsing. To you, I wish you love, compassion, warmth and friendship.

Remember, keep your head up and keep believing. As Grandsanta said in Arthur Christmas, ‘They used to say it was impossible to teach women to read.’

Take care,

Strange

How to Balance Everything and Look Flawless Doing It…

Riiiiiiight.

Hello again, Readers!

It feels like it gets longer and longer between posts at the moment, but that’s largely because I’m moving slower with my writing too.

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve got a new job which actually comes with a massive training course alongside it, so I’m pretty damn busy at the moment.

And let’s not forget that we have officially entered the craziest time of the year: Holiday Season! My family celebrates Christmas and I’m sure we all know just how much that gets in the way of everything else. Have I done any writing today? Nope; I’ve been busy wrapping presents for neighbours I don’t know and relatives I don’t like. Ho, ho, ho!

To be honest, I’m so charmed by the season since I became a Mum that none of the annoying aspects of it bother me at all anymore. I was even blasting the Christmas radio station (oh yeah, that’s a thing) in my car the other day. When I see my boy writing letters, looking out for reindeer, decorating a tree, baking cookies…frankly, you’d be hard pushed to sour my eggnog.

Anyway, back to writing. Because I’ve had to slow down in pretty much every aspect of my life to balance it all, I’ve actually had to look a lot more closely at my writing to make sure I’m using my time effectively. As such, I’ve found another weird niche that I’m quite good at; erotic horror/sci-fi. I’ve done a few stories in this genre before, mostly because the occasion (Halloween) called for it.

But having this time constraint has meant I’ve had to write what comes the most naturally to me, and it seems that the weird stuff is just pouring out of me uncontrollably. It’s my first high school party all over again!

So, I’m currently working on my new Erotic short, tentatively named, ‘Slime Lake.’ Though the title may yet change. It’s an erotic horror and a loving homage to the films I loved in the 90’s. It’s a little tongue in cheek, and a little tongue in anus.

Sorry, I’m in that kind of a mood.

On that note, I leave you with a quote from a British politician who absolutely would not have ended up starring on I’m A Celebritity…

‘Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.’ – Winston Churchill

It should be noted, he was a big drinker, and ‘failure’ may have been code for ‘pub.’

Take care,

Strange

Getting Stoned

And by that, of course, I mean I’m writing a story about a mythological creature made of stone. Yup, Strange is writing about gargoyles!

Why? What did you think I meant?

Yes, readers, I’m really delving into some very niche tropes here, but hear me out! It seems that monsters and demons are the new vampires- people are really into it.

And here’s the other thing, they’re not alone. I’ve always found mythological monsters sexy too, but I figured I was the only one, isn’t that always the way with kink?

Funnily enough, I recently downloaded the Disney+ app for my son, and one of the recommendations was a show from the 90’s called ‘Gargoyles.’ I was so excited! I’m like, ‘I remember watching that show, I loved it as a kid/preteen. Come on, nostalgia!’

Anyway, ten minutes into watching it I suddenly realise that I wasn’t actually as invested in the storylines as I had thought. But I was completely captivated by ridiculously ripped, long-haired lead gargoyle, Goliath. Funny how you don’t realise what shapes your indulgences as you grow up, huh?

I’m also using this as an opportunity to get my teeth into a new style of writing; gothic. I’m having a lot of fun playing with imagery and personification to set the scene. Check this out:

The moon was waxing, almost full, but hidden behind a thick blanket of dark, angry clouds. The rain beat down upon the earth like stones, spiteful and sharp. The lightening was the only source of brightness, and it seemed to cackle madly at the irony of it’s fleetingness. No, it had no comfort to offer the humans it illuminated.

See that? Am I gothic AF or what? #sodark #strangeandelvira4eva

That’s one of the opening paragraphs; Mr Strange was very specific on what he wanted to see in this one, ‘Give me dark, brooding, storms, all that good stuff.’ And when I read him what I had written so far, his answer was, ‘Well, it’s good…But where’s the humour?’

Needless to say, I had an answer for him, but it’s not appropriate for this platform.

In other news, my straight novel is also coming along nicely, if veeeeery slowly. The main characters are literally just about to start their journey. It’s been hard trying to manage my pacing appropriately to such an epic word count, but I’m getting there. It’s weird having so much time to develop and get to know my characters, usually I’ve seen their best side, worst side and backside by now.

At this point, even I don’t know exactly how my characters are going to respond or how things are going to play out. My main concern is, how much do I like the characters? Usually I’m in love with them by now, but because I’m having to flesh the story out so much more than usual, I’m genuinely a little unsure. I like how I picture them in my head, but is that coming across yet in the story? Will people be invested in their development, rather than the face value? I guess time will tell.

For now, dear readers, I leave you with this quote from the aforementioned Disney series;

Goliath: Courage. Virtue. Struggling to do what is right. Gargoyles and humans want to believe that we are always in control. That we can aide our loved ones in any crisis. But there are times when life mocks our ride. That is when we learn humility, and that the greatest of our strengths is to persevere.

…fuck, that cartoon was hot.

Run away with me, Strange.

Let’s Get Moooooving!

I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself! If you’ve read my most recent posts, you’ll know that I’m currently working on a full, mainstream novel that is still underway as we speak. That been said, mama still needs to bring home the bacon, and the relevance to the animal puns will soon be revealed!

I’m still writing shorts alongside the novel but for obvious reasons it’s now taking longer to get them written and published. This is also why it’s been a while since I released a post on here.

In the interest of trying to stretch my story writing muscles, I’ve been exploring yet more new kinks to write about, and this time, you can bet the farm that I’ve found a good one. At least, I think it is.

My new story falls within the genre of Hucow(ism?) with some subtle undertones of mind control or manipulation. Again, some of the more risky themes in today’s ‘Cancel Culture’ world but, as I’ve said before, what goes on for a consenting adult reading a fantasy story…

I love a bit of light mind control in my erotica, personally. As a sub, the idea of giving up even your ability to make decisions for yourself seems like the ultimate act of submission, and appeals to my kink in that way. I know it’s different for everyone, that’s just how my freak manifests itself.

The Hucow thing, however, is relatively new territory for me. It is a theme that rears it’s head (I can’t stop myself!) fairly frequently in the D/s realm and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t taken a casual stroll around the pens. I mean, from my perspective, if submitting your mind is submissive, submitting your very humanity has got to have some appeal. And in many ways, it does.

The other angle that I have enjoyed it from, is that of a curvy woman. I’m size 10 now, but it’s been a long, hard fight to get there. I’ve always battled my weight and as a teenager I was very self-conscious about my body. What I love about Hucow stories is that it often empowers women with a fuller figure, making large breasts and hips an object of worship rather than scorn.

On top of which, the Hucow fetish often gets paired with a ‘thick and juicy woman’ preference, even acquainting itself with feeder/feedee tropes. Not to mention lactation which then can blend into the DM/lb scene. So there’s a huge scope for exploration depending on which way you lean.

So, yeah, it’s a pretty diverse topic. I’ve enjoyed researching the kink, reading the stories and coming up with my idea, but most of all, I’ve enjoyed exploring how this particular kink appeals to me even if it isn’t my immediate go to.

K M Strange: Growing as a person while getting people off since 2020.

This story is about half-way written at the moment. I’ve had a few road blocks along the way but, hey, no point crying over spilled milk! I’ll keep you all posted on it’s development and let you know when I have a release date.

Someone once said, ‘Your sexiest body part is your mind.’ Well, I have news for that someone; ‘I’m hot now. Suck it.’ 😎

Take care,

Strange

Disclaimer: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You are the sexiest version of yourself when you believe you’re sexy. Don’t let other peoples opinions (or K M Strange’s tongue in cheek humour) ever make you doubt that. 😘

The Hunt

Hey, Strangers!

How is 2022 treating you all so far? I have had a pretty productive month, and I am finally on the last legs of the final part of the Sophisticated Beasts series.

I’ve also learned something about myself, something I think I’ve been trying to avoid for a while now. When I started writing as K M Strange, I didn’t believe I had any capacity beyond writing erotica, and I was totally okay with that. But while I was writing these three shorts for Beasts, I found I was having the same trouble as I had with Garden of Eden; the further I got into it, it became less about the sex, and more about the adventure.

I did a lot of research for this because I really wanted to make sure the story was wrapped up in a way that was exciting and even (mostly) historically and culturally accurate. I actually learned some interesting stuff about Russian folklore and history while I was writing it too which has been a great experience for me.

I was raving to my husband last night about the story and the twist I’d come up with and how delighted I was about how it had come out and he listened to the whole monologue before patiently asking, ‘Uh huh. And, when do they have sex?’

I realised then that, though I have written a good sex scene for it (I mean I think it’s pretty good) I wasn’t as excited about it as I was literally everything else.

I walked away from the conversation feeling a little out of sorts, really. It never occurred to me that I might be able to write stories that would have sustenance just as they are, not because of the sex. But if I’m really honest, I think I’ve learned that I can do exactly that.

So, what now? Do I make a side-step into adventure based romance? Do I try writing something completely straight? (Like, not even a little bit sexy? Not even a side-boob?!)

Honestly? I don’t know. I have an idea for my next story, and I’m seriously considering writing it as an actual, just-in-one-piece novel, and possibly not as erotica.

Huh. Did I just grow a little? Is this my author glow-up moment?

Well anyway, if you’re interested in reading the Sophisticated Beasts saga, the full story is available for pre-order here.

Alternatively, if you’ve read the first two parts you can email me directly and I’ll send you the third part for free as soon as it’s edited and completed.

Winston Churchill said, ‘To improve is to Strange, to be perfect is to Strange often.’

Yeah…I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what he said.

No Pressure, 2022

Hello, readers and a very Happy New Year to all of you!

(I know I’m the last out of the gate with this, but hey, fashionably late is how I roll.)

So, I feel like most of us can agree the last few years have hardly been the best. You know, globally. I daren’t even say, ‘I didn’t have a great year,’ because I fully expect to hear a roaring, ‘No shit, Strange!’ from the world in response.

I did actually have a few personal, non-COVID related grievances though. I mean, it’s still not a competition, but let’s just say I’m now the oldest living woman in my family at the tender age of 30-something.

Closer to 30. #justsayin.

Anyway, in a truly unique and unpredictable manner, I’m writing this post with the intention of discussing my plans for New Year and my hopes that it, and I, will be much improved.

Are we talking about resolutions, Strange? Yes, dear readers, I’m afraid we are. As well as general plans and ideas.

…still there? Anyone?

Well, for those of you still with me, let’s start with resolutions. When I was younger I used to make a list of like ten that never came to fruition. As I have grown wiser, (I think I mentioned I am the matriarch and therefore automatically the wisest woman in my family now) I make fewer, much more achievable goals. This years are as follows:

1) Eat healthier. No, seriously. Not like, eat less chocolate or whatever, I’m actually pretty healthy as it is, I’m just trying to level up. My rule of thumb is, if I can’t honestly say it’s good for me, it’s not going in my mouth. -Insert fellatio joke here.-

2) Learn a language. I love languages and I can make very polite observations in about five. For example, ‘Eyeh, Baka, ei-tai!’ Is ‘No, idiot. That hurts.’ In Japanese. Spelled phonetically lof course. But I’ve decided I need to finally be fluent in at least one.

3) Make significant progress to making writing my career and giving up my day job. That ones fairly self-explanatory. So long, London Underground!

And that’s it. Nothing too major. But all of it (barring maybe the language one,) is because 2021 taught me one thing above all else; my life isn’t of value to me as much as it is to my family. I owe it to them to live as long and as fully as I can so that my son is not left without his parents in his early-thirties.

In the short-term, I’m currently working on the third and final Sophisticated Beasts story, and it’s flowing easier than some of my previous stories already, which I feel must be a good sign. I’m working hard to apply the feedback I’ve gotten from last year, (particularly from Priscilla Bettis, a horror author who is far too talented and well-known to waste her time giving some newbie erotic author a full and thorough review for every book and yet always takes the time to, anyway. Do check out her new book, The Hay Bale, if you feel like being chilled to your bones!) to improve my writing as much as possible.

I’d love to know, readers, what are your resolutions or projects for the new year? Anything I can check out?

So, here’s to 2022. It literally can’t be worse than 2021, right? Right.

“Celebrate endings—for they precede new beginnings.” Jonathan Lockwood Huie coined that phrase, and the makers of the Matrix swear by it.

K M Strange: Myrrh Than Just a Pretty Face

Hello, everyone! I hope you’re all getting as excited for the festive season as I am.

I just got back from a friend’s wedding, the first adult gathering everyone in my family has attended since we all started having kids. It felt so great to be dressed up and dancing with my husband again.

The wonderful thing about having children is of course…everything. 😏

One of the drawbacks, however, is remembering who you are as an adult human being. Or, more specifically, learning who you are now that you have to be a parent as well as a person.

Being a mother has been incredible, you all know my feelings on this. But it’s been a while since my husband and I have had an extended period of time to be together and explore our more private selves.

But yesterday, I had a taste of that side of us again. My hair and make-up were done perfectly and I chose a dress that I knew would accentuate all my best assets. Did I feel good? Oh yeah. Did I look good? Damn straight. But I don’t make this much effort for me, I do it for him. I want my husband to look at me and be proud to have me on his arm. To know other men are looking at me and nodding their approval at him.

Mr Strange and I flirted, chatted, ate good food, drank champagne…and danced. The way that man holds me, moves me, touches me…it sets everything inside me on fire.

The wedding was held in a large, flint cabin and there was a point in the night where Mr Strange and I were in a balcony room with a log fire. I looked over and he was sitting on the sofa, leaning back with confident ease. To me, he looked every inch the warrior I married. Easily the most handsome and masculine man in the room. I went and knelt by him, in my floor-length dress and stilettos, resting my head on his lap. The cosy atmosphere of the room leant itself so that this gesture didn’t look out of place; just a couple getting cute by the fire. But to me, it was like coming home.

So, yeah, I’m a little blissed out (not to mention exhausted!) today. I feel like Cinderella after the ball. Except I came home with both of my sparkly shoes and I was in bed by 9.30pm. I’m in my thirties, okay? I do everything she did in a day, with a three-year-old strapped to my calf.

That’s the first reason for my elation. The second is: I finally did it! The Christmas book is out and available on Amazon. I agonised over the title for a while, but eventually, I decided that for a Christmas short, cheesy was acceptable. So, please hold your groans.

‘All I Want For Christmas Is You…And Him.’

Oh, yeah. I went there.

I’m pretty happy with how it came out. It’s got a little Christmas magic with a lot of debaucheries. I’ve even managed to squeeze in some genuine character growth. Is it Dickens? Nah. But is there some dickings? You bet.

Yup. I went there too.

Anyway, if you’re in the mood for a charming Christmas special from your girl Strange, it’s currently on offer here. As ever, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

Until next time, deck those halls, darlings!

Strange

Unleashed in London

No, no. That’s not the theme of my plans for Halloween. It’s the title of the second book in the Beast of Backar series…which is available now!

I don’t want to say that I enjoyed writing this story immensely, because I feel like I say that a lot. At a certain point, you gotta just be like, ‘We get it, you like writing!’

But…I sorta did. So, there it is.

The story takes some pretty drastic swerves from the first one, and I felt like I ended up giving myself waaaay more plates to balance than usual, but I must admit I enjoyed the challenge.

I introduced some key new characters, and I played with some different themes in terms of the actual erotica. I will say that there probably isn’t as much actual sex as my readers might be used to, but I wanted to stay true to the story and not just force it in (haha) for the sake of it.

I suppose that seems counter-intuitive for an erotic writer? But I feel like it would be cheap of me to insist on sex-scenes that don’t need to be there, just to acquiesce to the norm.

To be fair, the sex scenes I have included are pretty damn hot, (if I do say so myself) and I worked hard to try and expand my horizons. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you read the story, you’ll see what I mean. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

The other point I feel is worth mentioning is that I did, for the first time, include a small amount of non-consent/reluctance. Nothing major, but more than I have before. As I said, I wanted to test the boundaries of my writing a little and explore a newer genre.

I know this can be a controversial topic, especially in this day and age. But I struggle to demonise something that is not intended to cause people distress. Of course, in real life, any act of legitimate harassment is abhorrent, and I, like many people, have experienced my share of it.

But, in my opinion, fantasy is a completely different thing. Non-consent between two consenting adults is, like any other kink, no one else’s business. I feel the same is true about stories, porn, or, hell, the images you see in your mind when you’re being especially thorough in the tub. If you’re into it, awesome, have a party. If not, keep walking.

Anyway, I think this is one of my most unique works so far, and as I said before, I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can find it here

Albert Einstein said, ‘A person who never made a mistake is someone who never tried anything new.’

It was little consolation to Mr Strange after I lost the key to the handcuffs…

Take care,

Strange

It’s Autumn, Witches!

I know I’m a little late with this particular title. According to my kids season poster, by which I plan my year, Autumn started in September.

But I haven’t had time for blogging since then! I’ve been very busy wearing orange jumpers, drinking and eating pumpkin flavoured everything, and generally rolling around in leaves like Tinkerbell’s crazy cousin that no one talks about or invites to family events.

I’ve always believed that magic loves Autumn. Not just because I’m obsessed with Halloween, but the world just feels more magical at this time of year, doesn’t it? On a crisp, cool morning, I would swear you can smell the mysteries of the world in the air.

Aside from succumbing to my Autumn madness, I have actually been writing, (albeit with leaves and pine cones sticking out of my hair) and I’m pleased to say Beast of Backar 2 is half way finished.

There have been several aspects of this story that are a little new to me. I’ve been exploring some different themes in terms of relationships and trying to manage more characters than I usually have on a page at any one time.

I’m really enjoying it though, as always. My favourite part has been getting to know deeper layers to my characters, even delving into their darker sides!

The book should be edited and ready for release in about two weeks, stay tuned!

Creatures of the Cryptoeroticos: A Fantasmagoria of Erotic Tales is actually selling really well! And, I had a quiet release of an extended standalone version of one of its stories, The Price of Perfection.

Emily Bronte liked Autumn too, she said, ‘Every leaf speaks bliss to me, falling from an Autumn tree.’

This was just before I snatched the leaf from the air and ran away, gleefully screaming, ‘Imma make a collage!’

Strange and Bronte; Best friends and basically the same person.