Starter resource list for new erotica/erotic romance writers

[catherineldf]

Done as much for my sanity and future reference as for the general good. Need I point out that most of these are not worksafe?
Also see my subsequent post on asking advice of published writers. Trust me, it will be related.
This is not meant to be exhaustive; for that, you actually have to sign up for one of my workshops which also gets you my sage insights and thoughts, among other things.

1. Erotica Readers and Writers Association (ERWA): market lists, list of publishers, book and film reviews, how-to columns, chat, links, etc. This is the Grand Central Station (or equivalent) of information for erotica writers. Start here.

2. Other online market guides: Ralan's Webstravaganza (sf/f/h as well as adult markets); Tristan Taormino's Pucker Up Double T news; Erotic Authors Association LJ; Just About Write - writing for lesbian markets which are pretty much all different flavors of romance, market lists, interviews, etc.; also see individual publishers websites.

3. Other market guides (subscription): Gila Queen's Guide to Markets ($20 a year) - different themed issues, including romance. There's always an erotica listing as well. Cynthia Ward's Market Maven ($20 year) - primarily science fiction and fantasy, occasionally  some sf/f/h erotica/erotic romance-friendly markets.

4. Books, specific. Elements of Arousal: Writing Gay Men's Erotica by Lars Eighner (excellent starter book, desperately needs to be brought back into print and updated); Susie Bright's How to Write a Dirty Story; The Erotic Writer's Market Guide by the Circlet Press Collective; Lavender Ink: Writing and Selling Lesbian Fiction; Writing Erotica by Edo von Belkom.

5. Books, general: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Dave King and Renni Brown; many, though not all, titles by Donald Maas.

6. Writers' organizations: Erotic Authors Association; Romance Writers of America and specific chapters for erotic romance, GLBT-themed romance, etc.

Comments

[urlgirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this, it's really useful :) Coincidentally, I've been thinking about getting back to writing erotica more seriously, and was just at the library Saturday, where I grabbed Edo von Belkom's books with no real prior knowledge of them. I tend to cast my net pretty widely with writing books, knowing I'll toss back about 80% of them on account of their being... not useful. It's nice to see your thumbs-up on those books!

Also adding to the above: the EAA maintains a community on LJ at erotic_authors that among other things publishes a public Google calendar of posted calls for entries, by closing date. It's very handy, that. The calendar itself is here. (http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=bbein1bi581i0e0liio90g1umg%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York)

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

It is actually buried in there but I didn't use the right community name or mention the calendar - thanks!
The list above is more a list of what's available than works I recommend. They all have their uses; I didn't include anything I absolutely loathed. But Bright's book, for example, is more about how Suzie Bright got to be Suzie Bright rather than something that most other authors can emulate. The Belkom book is a better overview.
And yay for getting back to writing! :-)