So - the print erotica market has been abandoned by the last major publisher. On one hand, I'd like to believe that no publisher would be stupid enough to kill a profitable line, but on the other hand, we're talking about NY publishing houses. Look how quickly the Neon line imploded.
Where does an author of erotic literature submit hir/her/hir work now?
Most ebook publishers publish more erotic romance than literary erotica, so it seems as if that avenue isn't the best fit for the literary writer.
The only print erotica coming out now seems to be anthologies.
But...
I just finished reading Gordon Dahlquist's The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters and The Dark Volume. Those books are saturated with sensuality I haven't seen in ages, probably since Interview With the Vampire. (Don't go off on an anti-Anne Rice rant. For a book that had no sex scenes in it, it still had you reading with wiggling fingers clamped between your moist thighs. Just admit it and move on.) Could it be that we're the ones who missed something? From Killing Johnny Fry:A Sexistential Novel (Walter Mosley) to SoMa (Kemble Scott) contemporary literature is infused with erotic content (some good and some oh so very bad). Even pop culture books are dabbling. True Blood, the Anita Blake series, several writers for Bantam's paranormal lines... to some degree, they're all sexing it up.
For all those writers from Black Lace who don't want to write romantic erotica or who aren't interested in e-publishing, let me toss out this idea. Try writing a literary or contemporary pop culture novel. Use your honed erotica skills to bring good sex writing to the reading public. Submit your work to publishers outside the erotica genre and see who bites. After all, they've invaded our playground. The least we can do is show them how the naughty kids do it.
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3 comments:
You are too right about this. There are so many books out there from the big publishing houses that are laced with sex, erotica writers should take a serious look at these markets. There's no reason not to submit something to NY Houses these days. BUT... it has to be something more than the current run of the mill erotic romance. To break into the big publishing houses, I think a writer needs to seriously consider adding plot, characterization, and setting to their books. You can't just string together a bunch of sex scenes and send it out there. It's got to have something more.
There's many publishing houses that will pump out erotica for the sake of meeting demands in the niche. Developing a great story will definitely improve a writer's appeal.
I was so dishearted to hear that Black Lace gave up the erotca ghost but I agree with you, there are many venues still open, still thriving, and some new ones to reestalish.
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