Letters to People Who Write

Every now and then, people send me their writing for feedback. Today's request came from a new writer who's hoping to perfect the ancient art of smut. I hate smut beyond all reason, but I can fake it. I really can pretend I respect the genre. Just watch. 

Dear Smut Writer

As you suspected, your piece is all description and very little of anything else, but that's not the real problem. I imagine, judging from your piece, that you haven't made a skeleton for your story or developed your characters, so everything you're writing is on the surface. There's no meat. 

You've got to go deeper. You're not going to get anywhere unless your story has legs. You've got to know who your characters are, what their lives are like, and what is happening in the story long before you ever write your first word. It's common practice among writers to develop the chapters nobody will ever read--the ones before Chapter 1, and that's what you need to do. 

Let's say the product your readers see is the skin. That's it. That's all they see. But the skin can't do anything unless the muscles and bones are there, too, so you have to arrive at the story with all those things in place already. You've got to know exactly who you're writing about before you even begin your first draft. 

Coming out of the left field, I would suggest you read some Hemingway, because he doesn't play. He's sparse, so you will be able to see what a story skeleton looks like more easily. And most of his books are short, so bonus--faster learning. A Movable Feast is a great book with a strong story. Consider starting there. 

As a new writer, smut might not be the best place to start. Erotica is a challenge for even the most experienced of writers. Not only are you dealing with all the elements of writing, but your own shame and a weird collection of story mechanics. And the language is terrible to deal with. There's a reason some of the greatest writers in fiction have won The Bad Sex in Fiction Award. This is not an easy thing to get right. You might want to start with ordinary short stories and work your way up. 

You're starting at doctorate level, so you don't have the tools to achieve the storytelling skills required of you. 

And it's storytelling skill you need.

Best

Red

There's a reason I hate smut. Very few people can do it right, so you could say I respect the genre after all. I just don't respect the standard of work it's attracted, yet smut is what every Fetlifian wants to write. Think carefully about whether that's a good decision.