Want to be a sex blogger? Take this online class by Epiphora and JoEllen Notte

I've emphasized my love of online classes before, based on the ones I've taught for LitReactor, but today I want to share news about this class on The Business of Blogging About Sex, taught by two women who know this from many years of experience, Epiphora, whose blog's tagline is "where sex toys go to get judged" and JoEllen Notte, aka The Redhead Bedhead. I will also be contributing a segment on writing erotica. They'll cover topics such as setting up a blog, posting, making money and getting readers. While I haven't taken the class myself, I can vouch for both of them being smart professionals who certainly know what they're talking about, and you can read testimonials by people who've taken the class. This is a class I wish I'd had access to before I started blogging.



Here's the class's official description:

Whether you're brand new to sex blogging or want to take your current blog to the next level, The Business of Blogging About Sex will kick you into high gear. Each week will focus on a different topic, giving students the skills they need to be well-rounded sex bloggers. Epiphora and JoEllen will teach you how to set up your site, pinpoint your niche, publish captivating content, obtain products for review, build a loyal following, use social media to your advantage, and much more. Since dildos can't pay your bills, they'll also spend a week discussing avenues for blog monetization, including affiliate links, banner advertising, and sponsored posts.

In addition to instruction and personalized feedback from Epiphora and JoEllen, students will be treated to tidbits of advice from over 30 successful industry leaders, plus a photography tutorial and critique from ace blog photographer Penny of Penny For Your (Dirty) Thoughts. Finally, attend two private video hangouts with Epiphora and JoEllen, where you'll meet their pets and they'll answer all your blogging questions with brutal honesty.

Snapshots from Portland She Bop reading and see you again at Q Center September 18th

I'm off to the airport to get to Los Angeles but wanted to share two photos from last night's reading at She Bop in Portland, Oregon and let you know there's now a huge stack of signed books and I will go back and sign more next week when I'm in the neighborhood for my September 18 erotica writing workshop at Q Center. Advance tickets are preferred but you can get them at the door as well. Details below. Thank you to everyone who packed She Bop! It was a pleasure and a lot of fun.


Readers Emily Bingham, Stella Harris, me (Rachel Kramer Bussel), Laurel Isaac and the appropriately baseball-attired Tiffany Reisz (her jersey says "Reisz" on the back and she read from her baseball erotica story "Bringing the Heat" Hungry for More)

Before the reading I wandered around and found a macaroni and cheese restaurant, which I of course had to try (the veggie had spinach and broccoli and was awesome, especially with hot sauce) and then in walked sex geeks Queeraschino Cherry and The Redhead Bedhead, who reviews sex toy stores and runs the newly launched Portland Academy of Sex Education. I was wishing I had company and like magic, there they were!



September 18, 6-8pm
Erotica 101 writing workshop, Portland, Oregon
Professional erotica author and editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, editor of over 50 anthologies such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Flying High and Best Bondage Erotica 2014, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing, from getting started, finding your voice, and incorporating your surroundings, pop culture, and personal experiences into your stories to crafting a range of characters and settings and submitting your work. The workshop is tailored to help get you published and highlight timely calls for submissions.

In this supportive, welcoming workshop environment, you'll learn how to write vividly about everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies, and make them fit for particular publications in the thriving erotica market. This workshop will address the recent boom in erotica inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, provide examples of well written erotica, and will include multiple writing exercises. You'll be given a handout listing major markets and further reading suggestions. No previous writing experience required. Please bring laptop or pen and paper. $25/person; register at Brown Paper Tickets.
Q Center, 4115 N. Mississippi Avenue, Portland, Oregon

The Bedhead Redhead's Superhero Sex Shop Tour

I love that blogger The Redhead Bedhead, whose tagline is "On a mission to save the world from mediocre sex," has visited so many wonderful sex toy stores as part of her Superhero Sex Shop Tour, including Good Vibrations, where we held the recent reading for The Big Book of Orgasms, Self Serve in Albuquerque, where I just did an erotica writing workshop, and Nomia in Portland, Maine, where I'm doing one on Tuesday, December 3rd, from 7:30-9, which, hint hint, is about to sell out, so call the store at 207.773.4774 to register. Check out all her posts and recommendations.