The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Erotic Romance (Paperback)

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Key Phrases: writing erotic romance, erotic romance authors, erotic romance novel, The Least You Need, Slip of the Tongue, Harlequin Blaze (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The basic rules for turning basic instincts into blockbuster success.

Erotic romance reigns supreme as a big category of women’s fiction—a billion dollar business serviced by a new breed of uninhibited writer. This book is the necessary how-to for first timers and a terrific guide for seasoned professionals as well, who are putting their racy—and lucrative—fantasies to paper. Now, for the first time, a veteran erotic romance author shows exactly what to do—and how.

• The first book to guide writers to succeed in this multi-million dollar genre
• Explores how to set up a plot and write good, steamy sex scenes
• From a best-selling experienced author
• Includes resource section for research tools and further reading
• Interviews with top editors in the field
• Foreword by Kate Duffy, editorial director at Kensington Publishing and founding editor of the genre

About the Author

Alison Kent is the pseudonym known to the tens of thousands of readers who enjoy her erotic romances. Some of her titles include The Beach Alibi, Larger Than Life, and The Bane Affair.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592575463
• ISBN-13: 978-1592575466
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #149,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica > Writing
  #12 in	Books > Romance > Writing
  #37 in	Books > Reference > Writing > Genre Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing about love & sex, October 24, 2006

By	H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

My understanding of the romance genre is so old that I had no idea that the romance genre had even sprouted an erotic subgenre that allowed for explicit sexual content. I still thought of romance books as teases--something that got you all hot and bothered and then shut you out of the "good stuff". While there's still plenty of romance to be found that follows that set of expectations, now you can find erotic romance as well.

However, lest you think it's about gratuitous sex, it's part of the definition of the genre that the sex has to further the plot and the character arc. It can't be tacked on. Sex is part of how the characters change, fall in love, explore themselves, and so on. But because it's an erotic romance rather than erotica, it's still about falling in love.

Warning: This should be obvious, but I'm going to make it very clear just in case. This book is about writing in a genre that includes explicit sex scenes. That means that this book contains material about writing explicit sex scenes. It isn't meant to be titillating in its own right, but it is frank and blunt and doesn't shy away from necessary detail and discussion.

Alison Kent has a knack for writing; that much is obvious (in fact, I think I'm going to have to get my hands on some of her fiction!). She's thorough, informative, blunt, frank, and above all, entertaining; I never felt that she sacrificed one aspect for another. She's utterly comfortable with her subject matter, which makes her the perfect author to write about such a potentially sensitive topic.

She discusses all sorts of writing topics, applying them to the erotic romance genre quite handily. She also provides thorough coverage of the unique needs of erotic romances with respect to the role of sex in the plot and writing erotic sex scenes.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in writing romance, erotic romance, or erotica--although the focus of the book is definitely erotic romance, writers of the other two types of story will find much of value here as well. It would also make a fascinating read for fans of the genre who want to know more about how it works and what their favorite authors do. The tips and hints are highly useful; the range of topics covered is extensive; and the author makes the book fun to read (not to mention extremely informative). I have a newfound respect for the genre now.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will prove an invaluable resource, October 6, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Alison Kent (the pseudonym of an experience author in the genre of erotic romance) draws upon her considerable expertise in "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Erotic Romance" to help aspiring authors master the specialized genre of the erotic romance. All too often writers veer into crude pornography while trying to avoid prudish conventions in storytelling. "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Erotic Romance" will take the novice writer through a series of practical and effective techniques for creating compelling characters, interesting plots, and engaging dialogue laced with sexually provocative eroticism. Enhanced with advice and examples drawn from successful romance writers and editors, "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Erotic Romance" will also prove an invaluable resource that includes lists of available publishers in this select genre. If you want your writing to be hallmarked with chemistry, spice, plot twists, complete characters, and "page turning romance", then add "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Erotic Romance" to your instructional reference bookshelf.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone who wants to add tension, October 5, 2006

By	Kate Rothwell "reads and writes" (CT, USA) - See all my reviews

This book goes beyond erotic romance and is, I think, a gem for anyone who wants to write romance of any sort. The exercises are great. Most of the topics worth thinking about even if your stories never gets beyond the bedroom door. It's all about the TENSION.

I got a lot out of it, but I wish this book had been around a few years ago when I was a newbie writer.