My op-ed about Josh Hawley's book cancellation and the First Amendment

For NBC News THINK, I wrote about Senator Josh Hawley's book cancellation the First Amendment. It's my first op-ed of 2021, but hopefully not the last!

How to get a literary agent for your nonfiction book

If you write memoir or other nonfiction, I think you'll appreciate my interview with literary agent Iris Blasi of Carol Mann Agency, and part two focused on memoir specifically. Each part links to the other so you don't have to worry about missing any of it. While she delves deep into exactly the types of books she is and isn't looking for, and how authors can position themselves to get signed by a literary agent, I think much of what she says could be applicable to other agents, in my layperson opinion. This is my first two-parter for Forbes.com, which I did for length.



And please follow me on Twitter or Forbes, because I have agent and editor interviews coming up and all sorts of interesting bookish content. October marked 12 months for me of having books as my beat there, which means a total of 84 articles. I'm so proud and excited to get to focus on one of my favorite subjects, and branch out for other publications, like my article on why book subtitles are so long for Washington Post Book World and curse word book titles for MEL Magazine. There's more book pieces coming soon too!

NOTE: I am NOT a literary agent or in any way employed in the publishing industry. The last time I wrote about how to get a cookbook literary agent and get your cookbook published I received many emails asking me what cookbook authors should do. The point of these articles is: I don't know so I'm asking the source! That's what I recommend you do: read the guidelines of the agency, submit accordingly, ask questions if they aren't answered on the site. But I'm not some magical publishing genie who has the answers, nor am I someone who can afford the time to dole out free advice.

In the erotica and sexuality nonfiction realm, I do consult with authors and offer professional manuscript critiques based on my work as a writer and editor, and can help with writing book proposals, market research, and advise on social media, author branding, getting articles and essays published to bolster your platform, etc. My consulting rates are going up January 1, 2020, though you can book me in 2019 at this year's rates for services to be completed in 2020. There's more information about what I do here and student and client testimonials here. I have room for one more client in December, and then any other work would have to be done in January.

Get the scoop on the new comic book about Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Over at Forbes online, I wrote about the forthcoming Devil's Due comic book about Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez titled Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Freshman Force: New Party Who Dis? I interviewed the founder of Devil's Due and two contributors and even have an exclusive sneak peek at the comic! Hope you'll check it out, and if you want to read seven articles a month from me about book publishing news and trends, follow me at Forbes (make an account at Forbes.com and then click that link and the "Follow" button under my name and select your preferred frequency.

Kim Kardashian West will write foreword for freed convict Alice Marie Johnson's memoir After Life

My latest for Forbes online mentions a different Kardashian than my Lamar Odom article. This new one is about criminal justice reform and the forthcoming memoir After Life by Alice Marie Johnson, which will have a foreword by Kim Kardashian West. Hope you'll check it out (whether you care about either of those topics, or just want to support my writing). You can also follow me at Forbes's site if you want to get emailed when I write new articles. I write seven per month. If you're a book publicist, editor or literary agent and have a potential story idea related to book publishing news or trends, feel free to email me at mail at rachelkramerbussel.com with the subject line "Forbes" and I'll consider it (though I have most of my story ideas set through April, I'm always on the lookout for timely subjects).

New articles: Somali refugee Congresswoman Ilhan Omar memoir and US tour of The Bookshop Band

My latest articles for Forbes online, which I didn't get to post last week, are about Somali refugee turned Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's memoir book deal and The Bookshop Band doing their first U.S. tour. I interviewed Representative Omar's literary agent and her editor, who said, "Her voice on the page is very much as it is in real life—fresh and positive even when she is tackling serious issues, with real empathy and deep knowledge. Her story counters everything we keep hearing from the current administration and the right-wing media about refugees, immigrants, Muslims and women. This memoir presents an urgent and important counter-narrative."

Hope you'll check them out and follow me on Forbes if you want to be emailed when new articles drop. I write seven each month.

Why there are so many New Year/New You self-help books out in January

I've been on a roll at Forbes online, writing about everything from the writing career of American Book Award winner MacKenzie Bezos, who's getting divorced from world's richest person, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, to the controversy over Kathleen Hale Is a Crazy Stalker and have lots more in the works over the next few months. One I'm particularly proud of (and was excited to see Goodreads post on Twitter and Facebook) is about why so many self-help books are published in January. If you're curious, check it out. I'm really enjoying getting to geek out about books and learn more about the industry. And if you visit my Forbes profile page you can follow me there and get emailed whenever my new articles are posted. You just have to make an account with the site (for free) and then click "Follow" under my bio.

Free wine tonight at our Galentine's Day Best Women's Erotica panel at Jersey City bookstore WORD

Yes, I meant to post this earlier, but if you're in or near Jersey City (or want to pass this on to anyone who is), join us tonight for free wine (how many readings can boast that?) plus real talk about erotica writing, what I look for from anthologies, our inspiration for fiction and much more, and a raffle prize from Brooklyn sex toy store Shag featuring a mini massage candle, clothespins for sensation play, coffee mug, store coupon and more! Plus they have a cafe so you can buy a hot (or cold) beverage. And books, of course!

WORD is at 123 Newark Avenue across the street from the Grove Street PATH Station, so easy to access from Manhattan too. Can't make it? Get to WORD for a signed copy of Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 2, which makes a great Valentine's Day or any time gift! I'll be reveling in my Jersey girl pride in my NJ Maya Brenner gold necklace. In all my years of doing readings, I've never done one in my home state so I'm especially excited! Thank you to The Hudson Reporter for covering tonight's event.

February 13, 7:30 pm
Galentine’s Day women, erotica and writing panel
Join editor Best Women's Erotica of the Year series editor Rachel Kramer Bussel and BWE Volume 2 contributors Abigail Ekue, Stella Watts Kelley, Vierra Lai, and Annabeth Leong for a fun Galentine's Day panel on erotica, writing and culture. We'll chat about what makes a story sexy, the writing process, how to get published, and the cultural impact of writing stories that reflect a wide range of women's experiences. Free. Wheelchair accessible.
WORD, 123 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ, 201-763-6611
Facebook event page

LitReactor student success story: new fiction in Lit Select food erotica anthology Love Slave: Sizzle

Few things make me happier than to hear that my students have enjoyed my classes, save for when they tell me that work they created in my class is now published, and that that came about because of me. It feels like coming full circle and a wonderful validation of all their hard work and the community that's formed in my LitReactor classes. So yesterday when writer LN Bey announced that their story "Just Desserts" was published in the new food erotica anthology Love Slave: Sizzle from publisher Lit Select, I was thrilled. In LN's words from a recent blog post:

This is a food-themed erotica collection; I wrote this story as an assignment in Rachel Kramer Bussel’s online erotica writing class via LitReactor and I’ve been saving it for just such an anthology. I am especially happy about the acceptance because I mentioned it in my last blog post as an example of how I sometimes enjoy playing with the tropes of erotica in my stories, and now I look much more knowledgable since the story will be in print (or online, anyway)!

It's also wonderful to see that Lit Select has several calls for submissions posted on such wide-ranging topics ranging from "what went wrong?" to sports to enchanted forests to second chances. When I say that erotica is a democratic genre always in need of new writers, this is precisely what I mean. You don't need to have studied it, in my classes or anywhere else. You don't need intense research, unless you're writing about some specific aspect of sex like rope bondage, in which you'd want to make sure you're being accurate. You really just need imagination and dedication. Of course, we go over lots more than that in my classes, but I want to shatter the myth that to get published you need to somehow work your way up. You need to write the best work you can and make it as unique and polished and exciting as you can, but that is something I truly believe more people are capable of than they realize. I think many new writers shy away from submitting their work because they are nervous about it, and I always tell them the worst that can happen is it gets rejected. My work has been rejected umpteen times, but that doesn't stop me from continuing to submit it. In fact, those rejections have served me especially well in the last four and a half years of working for myself, because rejection is something I face daily and I know that my livelihood depends on continuing to persevere on the projects I am proud of and believe are worthy. Believing in your work, being passionate enough about it to pursue it in the face of rejection, researching markets and finding the right fit, is part of being a writer, and those are values I try to instill in my students. Again, I never pressure anyone to submit their work, but I do encourage my LitReactor and other students to get used to the submission process because it's a wonderful feeling to have worked hard and been rewarded for that.

I've written before about why I put a focus on my erotica students submitting their work, and I stand by it. Of course, not everyone wants to send out their work, but I want them to know what markets are available and what the possibilities are. Especially if, like LN, they have a novel coming out, whether self-publishing, as in LN's case, or traditionally publishing, getting your work seen by an audience beforehand has a great impact in terms of name recognition. This is all the more so if you're talking about an anthology, where, I believe based on editing over 60 of them, the final product is far greater than the sum of its parts, because you have so many people's combined talent and creativity in one package. You will undoubtedly be tapping in to an audience that may overlap with yours but that will also be different, because the publisher and your fellow authors will have wider networks than you alone do.

I don't share every student victory here, but since this book is out now and I think food erotica is a fun theme and something I often teach, I wanted to share it. Also, there's an early bird discount for my next LitReactor class, which will run May 17-June 14 and will likely be my final one for the year as I focus on other projects; sign up by April 15th to take advantage of it. Those classes are limited to 16 people and it's likely to sell out, based on past experience. It'll be my seventh time teaching the class and, having just wrapped up my sixth, I'm looking forward to working with another dedicated, enthusiastic group.



If you prefer in person erotica writing workshops, my next one will be a three-hour class Friday, April 1st from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Chicago (actually, Rosemont, Illinois). It's being organized by the wonderful conference CatalystCon but you do not have to attend CatalystCon to take my workshop. Full details are at the CatalystCon site and you can register here. Hearing fellow students read their work aloud and having that space and time to focus on expanding your writing boundaries is a wonderful way to kickstart your writing and you should go home full of story starts and prompts that will keep you writing for a long time to come. Official details:

April 1, 2016, 9:15 am - 12:15 pm
Erotica 101 workshop, CatalystCon
In this three hour workshop Rachel Kramer Bussel, professional erotica author and editor of over 50 erotica anthologies, such as The Big Book of Orgasms, Cheeky Spanking Stories and Serving Him: Sexy Stories of Submission, will take you through the ins and outs of modern erotic writing. Learn how to get started, find your voice, and write against type. You’ll discover how to incorporate everyday scenarios as well as outlandish fantasies into your writing, and make them fit for particular magazines and anthologies. The class will also cover branding yourself as a writer, using and selecting a good pseudonym, and using social media to promote your work and do outreach. She’ll also talk about submitting your work and keeping up with the thriving erotica market, including anthologies, ebooks, magazines and websites. Please bring paper and writing implements or a laptop to use for in class writing exercises. A bibliography with erotica resources will be provided.

This class will take place on Friday, April 1, 2016 at the CatalystConhost hotel. You must purchase a ticket to this workshop separately from CatalystCon on the registration page and do not have to attend CatalystCon to take the workshop. $45/person.. Register here.

Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, IL 60018

Join me for 29 days of erotica writing in my LitReactor class starting February 11th

I just wrote out my daily lesson plan and posting schedule for my upcoming LitReactor online erotica writing class, which runs February 11-March 10, and I'm so excited about it and wanted to share because the last day to register is next Wednesday, February 10th. There's information about each week's topics, lectures and assignments at the LitReactor site, but I wanted to give you a breakdown of what else happens in class. I just mapped out my 29 days of posting which cover everything from threesomes to humor to point of view to author branding to self-publishing to pen names, and beyond.



In addition to the weekly writing assignments and critiques (from me and fellow students) which form the core of the class, I will be posting daily in the LitReactor bulletin board with additional information. That includes at least 17 exclusive to the class Q&As with successful erotica writers (both traditionally published and self-published) as well as publishers, anthology editors and literary agents seeking new erotica authors. Want the inside scoop on a publisher but don't know who to ask? I will get as much information for you as I can.

You may be thinking, Wow, that sounds great, but I have a job and a family and a life, how am I going to keep up with posts every day? Well, the good news is, LitReactor will give you access to the classroom materials indefinitely (pretty much forever, as far as I know). I prefer students focus on turning in their homework every week so they can get feedback, and read the additional materials if/when they can. But your login and class access won't expire so if there's something you're interested in and want to return to, you can.

I'm also available throughout the 29-day period to answer any questions students may have about their writing process, publishing, marketing, branding, etc. Plus, not an official part of LitReactor but part of what I give back to my students: you'll get invited to join my private online group to extend any questions and discussions and share camaraderie and information with others who've taken my classes.

What do I know about erotica? Well, I've been published in the genre since 2000, in over 100 anthologies, including the Best American Erotica, Best Women's Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica and Best Gay Erotica series. I've edited over 50 anthologies, hosted an erotic reading series in New York for five years, and use my journalism experience to go in depth with erotica writing professionals to bring my students practical tips about how to break into the field.

This will be my sixth time teaching the class, and I believe each one gets better as I learn and expand my knowledge to best offer students relevant, useful support, encouragement and feedback. I recommend having at least five hours a week to devote to the class in order to get the most out of it, but if you are interested in erotica writing at all, I believe you'll learn a lot. Questions? Email me at rachelkb at gmail.com with "LitReactor" in the subject line. Can't make the class but want one-on-one feedback? See rachelkramerbussel.com for private consultation rates (and stay tuned for my new erotica teaching focused site launching in the next few weeks).

Find out more:

Q&A with me at LitReactor

"6 reasons I encourage my erotica writing students to submit their work"

"How journalism helps me teach my erotica writing classes"

What my most recent LitReactor students said about the class

What previous LitReactor students have said

Why used bookstores aren't killing authors' careers

For the new year, I've wanted to try all sorts of new things: routines, behaviors, ways of thinking. The latter seems like it will be the most challenging to crack. I can't really blame myself for not sticking to routines when I spent the first week of the year packing to move and the second week moving and unpacking. But I'm trying. I now devote Fridays to bookkeeping, inputting everything I spent on my business the week prior. I've done my best to get out and jog/walk a few times a week (now to figure out the key card to my gym!).

One of the ways I want to change my bad thinking habits is to expect more good things, of the world and myself, and part of that means rather than lamenting and berating and obsessing over what I haven't done (but meant to), I celebrate the things I have, while also, of course, keeping myself accountable and on track to catch up with what needs to be done.

I'm on a plane right now to L.A., for my two writing workshops tomorrow. During my bus ride into New York, and again when I got on the plane, I made copious to do lists, basically rehashes of all the other to do lists I made earlier this week of articles I need to write, emails I need to send, various tasks I need to accomplish. I write them down to remind myself, but what often winds up happening is that I look at them and cringe and start to hate myself. So I'm working on better systems; I don't have the answer yet, though if I come up with anything useful, I'll share it.

Which brings me to this week's writing. I have a new piece hopefully going up next week for a site I haven't written for before, but one that did go up today that I was happy I got to write is about why used bookstores aren't taking money away from writers or at all akin to piracy, as was suggested by writer Kristen Lamb. I offered up my thoughts on used bookstores and quoted various writers I know, none of whom was dead set against used bookstores, and some were even very pro-used bookstores. Tiffany Reisz told me, "I’d no more apologize for buying a used book than I would for buying a used car."



Are my trying to form better thought patterns and my new article connected? Yes. My work world moves so fast that sometimes, even though I share most of my pieces on my various social media channels, I forget to take even a few seconds and savor the feeling of a new byline, a new piece that I worked hard on, whether it took an hour or twenty hours. I want to try to take that time more often, as a way of stepping back and also pushing myself forward. My old way clearly wasn't/isn't working, because all it does is leave me feeling overwhelmed and, often, hopeless, thinking my glass isn't just half empty, but dry as a well and never to be watered again, when the rational side of me knows that's not true.

So here's to spending a few days in the state where I used to live, writing new words, and savoring the ones that are harder to come by, but just as, if not more, meaningful than the ones that roll easily off my fingers.

3 reasons to pre-order Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1

I'm eagerly awaiting the release of what I consider my very best work as an anthology editor, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1, and am setting aside most of January to promote it far and wide. Yes, for the next few weeks, I'm thinking of my primary job as "marketer" rather than writer or even editor. It's been fascinating so far to get to learn about things like feminist bookstores (I can now tell you what towns those 13 remaining ones in North America are located!) and sex toy stores and hear from stores that are excited to stock the book, such as Good Vibrations, Come As You Are and Good for Her (I hope to add to that list soon). It's been fun to get postcards made and to hear from early reviewers who are eager to read it. So as part of my marketing campaign, I wanted to share one major way you can support the book.



Taking over a long-running series means the stakes are high, and I want to do well by my publisher, my authors, and myself. So I wanted to share 3 reasons to consider pre-ordering the book, so it's either at your door by January 12th (and, if history has proven correct, earlier, if you pre-order from Amazon) or on your e-reader on that day. Without further ado:

1. Lock in a great price

While the price on a book's paper cover doesn't change, how much stores actually charge for it may, especially online. Right now, BWE of the Year 1 (my shorthand) is only $12.88 in paperback on Amazon. That's a savings of $4.07!

2. Enter to win a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate (if you order on Amazon by January 11)

I'm giving away 5 $25 Amazon gift cards to anyone who pre-orders the print or Kindle edition on Amazon.com (U.S.). If that isn't incentive to pre-order, I don't know what is! Here's the instructions:

1. Pre-order the paperback or Kindle edition of Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 from Amazon.com (US) by January 11, 2016.

2. Forward receipt to bweoftheyear@gmail.com by January 11, 2016 at 11:59 pm EST.

3. You'll recieve a reply within 72 hours confirming that you're entered!

4. Winners will be selected and notified on January 12, 2016.

3. Support me and the series

Pre-orders signal to retailers that there is customer interest in a book, which usually prompts them to cater to those customers accordingly and order more books. More books in stores means more opportunities for the book to come across a customer's radar.

Now, I'm a very small fish in a gigantic, author-filled pond. For other authors, pre-orders may help them get on bestseller lists. For me, it can mean the difference between a book selling hundreds vs. thousands of copies in its first quarter, which translates into my paycheck. If this book does well, it's likely to mean more resources available to me to do more readings and events and book giveaways. If it does very very well, then if I get to edit more volumes, I'll be able to pay authors more. Ultimately, the better this book does, the greater a percentage of my time I will be able to devote to anthology editing.

If it does well, it will hopefully mean I get to editor more books in the series (I already have a contract for the second volume, and will post the call for submissions on January 1 at bweoftheyear.com. Now, my book won't succeed or fail based on pre-orders alone, but if you are planning to read it, ordering it from your favorite independent bookstore or an online store goes a long way for the same price.

Here's what February Media says about pre-orders:

When a customer pre-orders a book, the sale of that book counts towards the first week’s sales. For instance, if you sell 300 books 3 months before the book goes on sale, those 300 sales are added to whatever books are sold in stores on the on sale date.

Josh Cook explains it thusly:

First pre-orders represent an early return on investment. One of the biggest challenges publishers face (that bookstores don't quite so much) is the sheer distance between the investment and the return. Typically, the time between the initial expense of an author advance (I'm not even counting the cost of an acquisitions editor) and actual sales of the book is a year at minimum, a year in which the publisher pretty much spends money constantly on the book. And even once sales begin, publishers really don't know what they've made back from their investment until months after the book has been released. It is a lot of time to keep the lights on. Pre-orders inject early cash into the economic equation of bookselling. (Via money to bookstores who then pay publishers.)

In other words, pre-orders will help Cleis Press know their faith in me has not been misplaced. It will help show them I'm not just good with words, but with sales, which is, of course, what ultimately drives the business of books, like any other business. Pre-orders are powerful, and basically multiply your consumer spending in a way that can have a ripple effect for authors, all the more so when we are talking about small businesses.

For instance, most of the bookstore lists I've been privy to related to my books have shown that small independent bookstores typically order 1 or 2 copies of a new book of mine (remember: small fish, gigantic pond). Now imagine if you're a store that's ordered 1 copy to put on your shelves on January 12th, the release date, and you get a pre-order. And then another. And then maybe another. You know that your one lone copy won't be enough. You'll need more for those pre-orders and are therefore logically more likely to take an extra copy to stock on your shelves. To my mind, it's pretty much basic supply and demand.

Ready to pre-order? Here are handy links:

Amazon (print)

Kindle

Barnes & Noble (print)

Nook

Powells

Books-a-Million

IndieBound (find your nearest local bookstore)

Cleis Press

Amazon UK (print)

Amazon UK Kindle

Amazon Canada (print)

Amazon Canada Kindle

How journalism helps me teach my erotica writing classes

I have to admit that when I first started teaching erotica writing classes about 6 or 7 years ago (I wish I knew when I taught my first one!), I didn't know what I was doing. I had a bit of impostor syndrome going on because I felt outclassed, yet simultaneously compelled to do this thing that felt new and risky and uncertain. Part of it was a natural outgrowth of my belief in forming community around writing.

Ever since my very first short story, "Monica and Me," was published in the anthology Best Lesbian Erotica 2001 and I organized a reading at Bluestockings Bookstore in Manhattan, and later went on to organize numerous others as well as run a five-year erotic reading series, community has been vital to my spirit and to my sense of what erotica writing is all about.

I started out writing erotica on a whim, at the tail end of law school, not knowing what I was doing but wanting to try it anyway. That first story led to writing more stories, which led to co-editing an anthology, which led to today, when I've got my 61st anthology, Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 coming out. Just as I learned by doing both how to write erotica, how to organize readings, how to make book trailers, and all the attendant work of crafting erotica and putting out anthologies, so too have I learned how to teach my writing classes.

One skill that's helped me is my journalism background. No, not the journalism school I didn't go to, but the school of real life, where I've been freelance writing since around 2000, when I had various full-time jobs, and through the last four years of working for myself full-time. I've had to learn how to call up strangers, how to investigate online and off (though mainly online).

What I didn't expect was my journalism background to aid me in teaching erotica writing. I considered them two different types of writing: journalism was nonfiction and serious, erotica was fiction and less serious. But what I've found is that teaching erotica writing is an interesting hybrid of all my skills. Especially when I teach online at LitReactor for my 4-week Between the Sheets erotica writing class, I have time to dig deep into the topics I'm covering, and research answers to students' questions. That's been wonderfully educational for me, because it's broadened the scope of the class. Because a student early on asked a question about literary agents, I now have a list of literary agents who accept erotica and erotic romance, complete with details on what they are and aren't looking for, to provide to my students, and I'm constantly on the lookout to add to that list.

Same with topics like self-publishing, author branding, social media, taglines, incorporating multiple partners, and so on. Having the freedom to have that time to investigate, and having the confidence that comes with asking questions on behalf of my students, has meant that my original vision for my LitReactor class has been dwarfed by what it's become. It means that it's a constantly evolving project that changes each time I teach it, because different students have different questions.

I don't tend to think of the world as "right brain" and "left brain," but it's undeniable that I have a very artistic, creative, freeform side, and a more diligent, detailed, research-oriented side. Both of those converge perfectly for me when I teach, and are, I believe, part of what my students appreciate. It's not that I know the answer to every single question they may ask, but that I'm able to find out answers and provide resources to the questions I can't answer from personal experience. It's made me fearless in contacting major players in the erotic publishing world, and to my delight, almost all of them have responded to my queries and passed on valuable information.

So if you want to pick my brain for a month about erotica (and actually, longer than that, because all students get invited to my private online group of alumni to continue the discussions, questions and camaraderie), I recommend my LitReactor class, ideally if you have at least five hours a week to devote to it. That's what I consider the minimum input to get the most out of the class. With my February 11-March 10 class, LitReactor is offering an early bird price if you register by December 31st. The price will go up by $25 on January 1st. In the meantime, I'm contacting more publishers, editors, literary agents and authors to interview for this class to enhance it even further.

Questions about the class? Email me at rachelkb at gmail dot com with "LitReactor" in the subject line.

The curse of copyediting, or, there will be probably be typos in my new book so I'm apologizing in advance

Now that my new anthology Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 1, is officially shipping from the printers to my door (and to bookstores everywhere very soon), it's time I confessed something that I dread but know to be an inevitable truth: there will be typos in this book. I mean, I could be wrong, and between my ace copyediting skills and my publisher's copyeditor, this could be one of the very few books that ever makes it to publication without typos. But I don't think it will be.



I realized this as I spent many hours revisiting the stories in the book to copyedit it. I wound up turning in 74 changes to my publisher, then thought, If I found 74 errors, there's got to be more. This is what keeps me up at night as an anthology editor. I already hate it when mistakes find their way into my writing, which is sometimes my fault for making errors, and sometimes means those inaccuracies have been introduced after the piece has left my computer/control. But either way, my name is going to be on the spine and cover of this book. As I learned in my intellectual property classes in law school, the individual stories may be copyrighted to the authors, but the book itself is my work, and my reputation is at stake.

So as much as I'm eagerly awaiting a giant box of books arriving at my home, I'm fearful. Because these are the kinds of things I asked my publisher to change:

change “Michoacan” to “Michoacán” (thank goodness for Google!)

change “onto to each other” to “onto each other”

change “Holyhot guy” to “Holy-hot guy”

on one line, I changed "my hands" to "my hand," and two lines later, changed "my hand" to "my hands"

Were they mainly small changes? Mainly, yes, but some were big. Either way, I know that when I'm reading an ebook or print book and there's a typo, it pulls me out of the story. Sometimes I have to pause and think, Is this what they really meant? I even called out a typo when writing an otherwise positive piece about a food erotica story, because when I read the sentence "Suddenly I felt it envelope my cock" it definitely pulled me out of the story.



Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, and for me, knowing there were so many typos that I found gave me pause. Will I be considered a horrible editor writers don't want to work with if there's something there shouldn't be in their story? Or will writers understand that there are so many steps along the way of the publishing process that catching every single error in 65,000+ words is probably close to impossible?



I will certainly say that copyediting my book, one I'm so proud of and think is my very best work ever as an erotica anthology editor, one that I'm hoping goes on to be my bestselling anthology, gave me much more empathy for other authors and editors. I say this as someone who's seen my last name misspelled on the cover of an anthology I had a story published in, which, I won't lie, made me a little less inclined to promote it. But we are all human. It doesn't matter that I teach erotica writing classes or have been widely published or "should have caught it." The reality is: I'm not perfect (as you can probably tell by my poor Twitter screenshots embedded here). I make mistakes, just like everyone else, and I take responsibility for them, which is what I'm preemptively doing here.



Typos don't care that I was a full-time magazine editor for seven years and spent much of that time wielding a red pen and the copyediting marks I was taught at that job, or that this is my 61st anthology or that I believe in it so strongly and am counting the days until publication. It doesn't matter how many hours I hovered over those pages with my red pen, circling and underlining and noting questions and Googling. All that matters is the final product. In a day or two, that final book, in all its glossy, sexy, unchangeable glory, will be in my hands. I will be proud of it, and I hope the 22 other contributors who wrote amazing, daring, wonderful stories, will be too. But I apologize in advance for any typos you may find. I promise, I did my best, and I will continue to do so next time. Cliffhanger: stay tuned for my January announcement of a new call for submissions.

Just announced: my next LitReactor erotica writing class starts February 11; register by December 31 to save $25

Want to learn how to write erotica, and how to market your work and get it published? You're in luck!



My next LitReactor 4-week online erotica writing class will start February 11th. And for the first time, they're offering an early bird discount! Register by December 31st and pay $350; register January 1 or later and the price will be $375. This will be my sixth time teaching the class, and each time I refine and learn more about how to best serve my students.

You can take the class from anywhere in the world, in any time zone, on your own schedule. You read the weekly lectures and assignments when you want to, and can participate in weekly homework assignments. I would say the people who will get the most out of the class will be able to dedicate at least 5 hours a week to it. I also encourage questions and enjoy researching the answers for my students. You will also be invited after class ends to join my secret Facebook group for my erotica writing alumni to continue to the conversation.

On the LitReactor site, you'll see a breakdown of the weekly lectures and assignments, plus quotes from former students. In addition to what's listed there, I also offer extra material, including over a dozen Q&As exclusive to the class with erotica professionals such as publishers, editors, agents as well as authors, including Tiffany Reisz, Elizabeth SaFleur, Charlotte Stein, Cecilia Tan, Rebekah Weatherspoon and others.

Have a question about the class? Email me at rachelkb at gmail dot com with "LitReactor" in the subject line and I'll get right back to you!

6 reasons I encourage my erotica writing students to submit their work

Updated November 29, 2015: All these reasons still apply, and I've now added a list of agents who represent erotica and erotic romance and details about what their looking for to my LitReactor curriculum. My next 4-week LitReactor online erotica writing class, Between the Sheets, runs February 11-March 10, 2016, and costs $350 if you register by December 31st, or $375 if you register January 1-February 10. Registration will remain open until the class sells out (maximum of 16 students) or until February 10th, whichever comes first. If you have questions about the class, please email rachelkramerbussel at gmail.com with "LitReactor" in the subject line. If you're interested in private consulting about your erotic writing or nonfiction sex writing, see my website (scroll down) for rates.



Original post:

I'm gearing up for 3 classes I'm teaching sooner, online at LitReactor August 13-September 10th, and in person September 11th at CatalystCon in Burbank, California and the weekend of September 19-20 at SHE (Sexual Health Expo) in New York City (more about each at the end of the post). I've been thinking a lot about why I choose to conduct my classes the way I do, with a large emphasis, especially in the online classes, on submitting your work. I know this is not everyone's primary motivation for taking my classes, but to me it has multiple purposes, which I wanted to share here so you have a better sense of my philosophy about teaching and erotica. This is, of course, my highly subjective take on it, and my classes can't guarantee any students will be published, but I do heavily slant them in that direction for the reasons listed below, though you will also learn plenty whether you intend to submit your work or not.

1. Fulfillment and validation

I will never forget standing in a bookstore seeing my first erotica story, "Monica and Me," in print in an anthology for the first time. I had the double honor of having that one published in both Starf*cker edited by Shar Rednour and Best Lesbian Erotica 2001 by Tristan Taormino. I had tears in my eyes when I saw it, because it was such an honor. I'm not suggesting that publication is that only means to fulfillment, but that for me, and, I believe, for others, it's a sign of having achieved a goal you've worked toward, especially if you came into erotica reading sexy anthologies, as I did in college. That moment meant the world to me and inspired me to keep writing stories.

It was something I'd dreamt about and worked toward, and that made it all the more rewarding, to find my words tucked into pages next to authors I'd admired, as well as those new to me. I loved the idea that anyone sauntering into the store could pick it up and find my words. I believe the act of preparing a story for submission, of studying the guidelines, writing something to suit them, crafting something to suit a specific topic, and seeing those actions rewarded with a byline is a powerful, important experience. As you'll see in the LitReactor student testimonials, getting published based on the class's writing assignments was one of the things they appreciated about the class.

Having your work validated as worthy of publication can be an ego boost and a sign that you are heading in the direction you want to go. At the very least, it's a sign that somebody found value in your work, appreciated the effort that went into it and the outcome. Got you. Now, let me be clear: I am not at all saying this is the only way to achieve that or that you need anybody else to be a gatekeeper. I ardently support self-publishing, which is why in my LitReactor class I offer interviews with those who've self-published and share their resources so others can follow that path. But if publication is a goal for you, then meeting that goal can give you a wonderful sense of accomplishment, which can in turn push you to keep writing, creating and experimenting, especially in areas you may not have thought you could achieve success.

2. Money

I'm well aware that students pay money to take my classes, and I would love to see them make some of that money back and be compensated for their time. Most erotica short story markets do pay, and while you aren't going to get rich on the approximately $50 or $100 you will make per story, these can add up if you sell (and resell) multiple stories, plus you never know when one story may spark a novella or novel, or lead to something greater down the road. While these small sums may not seem like a lot now, imagine this: you sell 3 stories this year, 6 the next, 10 the next...then you go on to put together your own collection of short stories!

3. Building your writing career

Which brings me to...an erotica career. I certainly got into editing erotica via writing short stories, and I know numerous other anthologies editors and authors of longer works who have as well. If you take my LitReactor class, where I offer exclusive interviews with authors and publishers, you'll find out why one of them says that short stories are key to breaking into one market.

As I see it, they help in multiple ways. One: you get readers. Yes, you can also do this in other ways, such as blogging and posting your stories online and social media, but if you publish a short story in an anthology of multiple authors, you are going to be reaching both your natural built in audience of followers, and everyone else's, including the publisher. You're introducing yourself as an author, and who knows who might be reading? You then get to add that credit to your site and bio, and amplify your reach. The book may be reviewed in prominent publications that your posting on your own site may not reach. I've had agents contact me to ask for author's contact information after reading their short stories in my books (FYI, I never give out people's contact info, but I do pass on requests such as this).

I fully believe that if you have an eye toward building a career as an erotica writer, you have to find some way to reach as wide an audience as possible. You can't be in every location or publication at once, so getting your name out there, especially to readers you might not have connected with previously, is key. I've had people email me based on reading my stories in Zane's New York Times bestselling anthologies Succulent: Chocolate Flava II and Purple Panties, who found me via my bio in the books listing my website, who said they were reading my work for the first time and were impressed. These publication credits are part of your calling card, your introduction to both publishers and readers.

What I think is especially interesting about this one is that most people don't approach taking an introduction to erotic writing class thinking, I want to build a career of this (though some do, of course). But I didn't know this would be my career either. It was an escape from the tedium of law school for me, and look what happened. You really never know. I'm not claiming you will be the next bestselling author whose books are turned into movies or TV shows; I also can't guarantee you will get published. I don't necessarily mean "career" in terms of "making a living off erotic writing." What I'm talking about is building a byline, a brand, a platform to then go on and write as much or as little erotica as you'd like; along with practical writing craft information, I do my best to set students up with knowledge of how to go about making a name for themselves in the erotica marketplace to help cultivate readers, to help people find your work, to help yourself stand out. I see submitting your work as one step, often the first step, in doing this.

4. Confidence See #1. Selling my first short story gave me a mental rush, a boost, and crucial motivation to keep penning my stories. Yes, I still faced (and face) rejection, but I also got over that idea of don't even bother; nobody will want to read your work anyway, because I knew it wasn't true. I knew that my ideas were worthy, whether they were about a woman with a dishwashing fetish or a sexy bachelorette party or french fries. Especially because that story was based on a personal fantasy, I started to believe in my take on eroticism, rather than trying to follow what I thought I was "supposed" to do. I've even heard from students that their first rejection didn't deter them, because they knew what the process was like and were able to turn around that story and try to find a new home for it. After all, if you want to get published by someone else, eventually you will have to submit your work, and my philosophy is, why not start out strong and get your work circulating? It gets easier the more you do it.

5. Professionalism

Even if you don't intend to submit your work, the act of following the marketplace and seeing what publishers are looking for can give you important information that you can then use however you like. It doesn't mean that you have to follow what editors or publishers are looking for, or that you can't go rogue and use a call for submissions or writer's guidelines as a springboard for your own equally valid but very different idea that you publish elsewhere, but it gives you a sense of what is currently being requested and, presumably, what types of stories there's an audience for. This is valuable data for your own marketing purposes, and may have the bonus outcome of sparking your creativity; I know I've written plenty of pieces inspired by a given call for submissions that I wouldn't have had the ideas for otherwise.

Even if you ultimately keep your writing on your computer, I still believe in the power of preparing your work to submit it, because it forces you to go over ever last word, to make sure you are putting your best foot forward in the completed work. You can't cut corners when you know someone else is going to be evaluating it. You get something out of that process whether your work is accepted for publication or not, or whether you actually submit or not. It gets you to format and edit and revise and pay attention in a way that writing purely for yourself may not, and that will in turn serve you well if you later decide to submit your work or if you self-publish.

6. Community

Since I published that first story, then organized a reading for Best Lesbian Erotica 2001 at New York's Bluestockings Bookstore, and later went on to host In The Flesh Reading Series for five years in New York and organize numerous readings at events across the country (and once in London at Sh!), to including international authors in my Gotta Have It book trailer, community has always been an important part of my erotic writing, all the more so now that I teach it. One of the greatest aspects of both online and in person classes is the sense of camaraderie that's fostered, one that I also see reflected across numerous erotica group blogs and across social media, and in person at live erotic readings such as Esoterica in New Orleans and The Erotic Literary Salon in Philadelphia and Bedpost Confessions in Austin.

You do not have to leave your house to be part of the erotic writing community, though. You do not have to be published, either, but where this ties in is that if you have your work published on a website, in a magazine, in an anthology, etc., you are, I believe, joining forces with the others in the publication. You are linked to them, even if you never interact with them. I've discovered the work of numerous writers, ones I've read for pleasure and ones whose work I've pursued as an editor looking to publish new authors, by reading bios in anthologies. I've scoured mastheads and clicked through to read more of a given author's work. It's this sense of community that made me realize I want that sense of community fostered in my classes to continue, so I've set up a secret Facebook group where attendees can keep the discussion going and help boost each other's work and learn from one another.

Those are my reasons for encouraging students (and anyone, really) to submit their work. I also value those who are writing for private or personal purposes, but I've seen that those who start out with those intentions often wind up submitting their work just to see what will happen, and that often, it's fear or nervousness or assorted worries that keep them from doing so, rather than just opposition to it. For those people, I especially like to encourage them to see the value of their work and where it might fit in the market.

If you've made it this far and are interested in my approach to teaching erotica writing, here's a little more about each of my upcoming classes (any future ones will be announced on Twitter, Facebook and in my monthly newsletter, which you can sign up for on the left-hand side of rachelkramerbussel.com, and posted on my site's calendar page).

LitReactor.com, August 13-September 10



Click above for the week by week breakdown of what's covered in my lectures and assignments. Great for those who want to dig deep into erotica writing, cultivate a community of fellow students and devote a full month to their work (I suggest having at least 5 hours a week available to devote to coursework, though that is optional, and you will retain access to the classroom materials forever once class is over, though you will get much more out of it by actively participating during the class). Take this class from anywhere in the world, participate on your schedule at any time, with the username of your choosing (meaning you can be completely anonymous). Maximum participants: 16. You get weekly lectures from me, weekly assignments, critiques by me and fellow students, extensive market information, based on my asking publishers what they are currently looking for, a dozen Q&As with authors (both self-published and traditionally published) such as Tiffany Reisz, Sommer Marsden, Elizabeth SaFleur and Feminista Jones, among others, as well as anthology editors and longtime erotica professionals such as author and Circlet Press founder Cecilia Tan. I do this so that students can get various perspectives on what editors and publishers want, and paths that authors have approached their work. I've taught 3 previous sold out classes of 16 people for LitReactor and have loved the collaborative environment the site fosters. People from around the world who are eager to learn help each other with constructive criticism, useful suggestions and creating the best work possible. And although the class officially ends September 10th, I will be around through the end of September to answer any final questions. You also get access to my secret Facebook group for class alumni. No prior writing experience necessary. Register here; registration ends August 12th or when class sells out. 3 spots are left as of this posting. $375.

CatalystCon, September 11, Burbank, California



Here I teach an extended 3-hour workshop (along with one that same day on nonfiction sex writing, covering journalism and personal essays), where we do extended exercises, go over the marketplace for erotica, which includes a handout (which will also be emailed to participants) and discuss any questions and concerns authors may have. This has been a wonderful environment for my workshops because most attendees are coming in with a base of knowledge about sexuality that greatly fuels their writing, and often simply need encouragement and guidance about how to cultivate, complete and submit their work. No prior writing experience necessary. Register here. $45.

SHE (Sexual Health Expo), weekend of September 19-20, New York City (exact date/time TBA)



This will be my first time teaching at SHE, a consumer expo that's previously held events in Los Angeles and Scottsdale. I'm especially looking forward to attending for the first time, and am pretty sure being surrounded by sex toys and assorted sexuality topics will help foster creativity. I will be teaching a 50-minute erotic writing workshop which will including writing exercises, an overview of the erotica writing marketplace, including a handout and a Q&A. You also get access to my secret Facebook group for class alumni. No prior writing experience necessary. Register for SHE here. $25 (for admission to SHE).

Bookstores where you can find Best Bondage Erotica 2015, or I love the words "on our shelves now"

If you've been to more than a handful of independent bookstores in the United States, you'll know that often erotica is scarce. I make it a point to visit bookstores while traveling and aside from Barnes & Noble (where you can also buy this book and I hope you will because that shows them there's a market for kinky erotica from independent publishers), it's often slim pickings. So I want to give an extra special, you-make-my-anthology-work-possible shoutout to the stores that do carry my books. Please buy from them (not just my books but any books), because that is the way they will know there's an audience for the types of books you like. Plus you can always ask your local bookstore to order a book for you.

Based on the information I've received from my publisher Cleis Press, these stores have ordered Best Bondage Erotica 2015 and should have it in stock. There are surely others, but these are the ones I could check out and link to, and I'm happy to update this if other stores want to get in on this hot book action. They are in no particular order save for the order the list was given to me. To make this totally clear, most of these stores have ordered 1, 2 or 3 copies of the book. I've never worked in a bookstore so don't know exactly how the process wrks, but I imagine if people are buying and asking for the book, they will order more. In the long run, that is what determines if books like these keep getting published. If they don't have it on the shelves, ask for it, and if they do, if you send me at bestbondagerotica2015 at gmail.com a photo of the book in their store along with the store name and city that I have your permission to post online (with credit if you want it), and you also send me your mailing address, I will send you a postcard or bookmark in return!



Bluestockings, New York City (Lower East Side!)

Schuler Books and Music, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Okemos, Michigan

Joseph Beth (they have locations in Lexington and Crestwood Hills, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio - contact individual stores for availability)

Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, Arizona (they also have a store in Phoenix)

Skylight Books, Los Angeles

Unabridged Books, Chicago

Harvard Bookstore, Cambridge, Massachusettes

Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle

Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, Colorado

Powell's, Portland, Oregon

McNally Jackson, New York City

Boulder Bookstore, Boulder, Colorado

Shakespeare and Co. Booksellers, 939 Lexington Avenue between 68th and 69th, New York City (sadly, their website tells me the downtown Broadway store, which I fondly remember shopping in when I lived in the NYU dorms from 1996-1999, has closed. Boo. That's why we need to support indie bookstores.)

Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California

Chaucer's Bookstore, Santa Barbara, California

The Book Loft, Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Left Bank Books (St. Louis, Missouri)

City Lights Books, San Francisco (I'm not seeing it listed on their site, but it was on the list I was given)

Books Inc, San Francisco Bay Area (I'm not sure which locations have it, so call ahead and ask/order)

Self Serve, Albuquerque, New Mexico (it's not in their online store but I know it's in their brick and mortar store)

From memoir to sitcom: Accidentally on Purpose

I loved Mary Pols' memoir Accidentally on Purpose, my favorite pick from last year's BEA. And now it's going to be a sitcom on CBS this fall with Jenna Elfman!

Want to know what it's like to see your life (kinda) and memoir made into a sitcom? Read Mary Pols' blog.

someecards.com rocks BEA

Love this and their holiday-themed postcard book is off the hook! Check out their site for more hilarity. See all my 2009 BEA photos in this Flickr set.

I won 2 gold IPPYs!

I won! That is, the IPPYs (independent publishing book awards).

I won the GOLD for erotica (Tasting Him: Oral Sex Stories and Tasting Her: Oral Sex Stories tied!) and for Sexuality/Relationships for Best Sex Writing 2009. Congratulations and thanks to my awesome independent publisher, Cleis Press, and my amazing contributors. This is inspiring, especially as I put together the 2010 edition of BSW.

I get my gold medals at the ceremony on May 29th (I'm also signing FREE copies of Best Sex Writing 2009 that day from 12:30-1:30 at BEA)

The Amazon.com plot thickens

The Amazon (or #amazonfail - click to see what's happening all over Twitter on this issue) issue gets more complex. While Amazon openly admits they are removing "adult" material from searches and bestseller lists, they have no problem selling many versions of the Hitachi Magic Wand.

Rona commented on my last post and clued me in that mine wasn't an isolated incident. Their exact language, according to Ashlyn D. of Amazon.com Associate Member Services:

In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude "adult" material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.

There is a petition online, which I'm not signing because in light of my heterosexual erotica books like Yes, Ma'am and He's on Top also losing their Amazon sales rankings, I can't agree with this line:

Please tell us, Amazon, why the explicit books with a heterosexual focus are allowed to keep their sales ratings while the non-explicit romances, the histories and the biographies that deal with LGBTQ issues are not.

Although the petition raises some very good points about treatment of GLBTQ topics/issues versus heterosexual ones.

My take: It's not "censorship" ("the institution, system, or practice of censoring b: the actions or practices of censors ; especially : censorial control exercised repressively" according to Mirriam-Webster). I don't use that word lightly. Amazon is not preventing anyone from purchasing my books, and buying a product is not the same as "free speech." They are just making it harder for their own customers to find products they carry; that's what I don't get. It seems like it'd be better for them to just not sell them in the first place than sell them but try to keep them from doing as well as they could.

This is an Amazon business decision, one I happen to see as an extremely poor decision, and one I don't understand from a business perspective. Then again, I'm constantly told Barnes & Noble hates erotica, so maybe it's time for erotica publishers to look into direct sales and alternative distribution?