Writing [Tutorial] When & How to Smut

[autumnveir]

I'm not a romance genre writer nor planning to write one but oh my god, I thought this post is just a rant of what a single person wants in an entire genre and that everyone who disagrees are [insert insults here].

Everything is detailed, the reasons, the guidelines, as well as few warnings and words to not your words as absolute. I'm a male no-romance author and I am enlightened that I should describe everything in an adventure novel (currently writing one).

How do you End a Harem Fic?
-- No idea. From what I've seen so far, the story keeps going until the Main Character dies.

Yeah , actually, everything ends with a world-threatening conflict that just happened to coincide with low ratings. They solve it and there, happy ending.

Ahem! Please note the term Fantasy. Just because someone fantasizes about something does not mean they have any desire to do such things in real life. For example, Stephen King fantasizes about gruesome murders all the time -- he even writes them down so other people can fantasize about them too! However, he has never harmed anyone in real life.

Ah, yes, the undying everything causes violence. Thanks for adding that warning, or else, someone will think all men are bad because... nevermind. It happened anyways.

 

[OokamiKasumi]

I'm not a romance genre writer nor planning to write one but oh my god, I thought this post is just a rant of what a single person wants in an entire genre and that everyone who disagrees are [insert insults here].

Surprise!
-- They were instructions. LOL!

Everything is detailed, the reasons, the guidelines, as well as few warnings and words to not [take?] your words as absolute. I'm a male no-romance author and I am enlightened that I should describe everything in an adventure novel (currently writing one).

Description is Love -- and an author should always love their readers.

How do you End a Harem Fic?
-- No idea. From what I've seen so far, the story keeps going until the Main Character dies.

Yeah , actually, everything ends with a world-threatening conflict that just happened to coincide with low ratings. They solve it and there, happy ending.

That's how you do it. I see...
-- Thanks!

Ahem! Please note the term Fantasy. Just because someone fantasizes about something does not mean they have any desire to do such things in real life. For example, Stephen King fantasizes about gruesome murders all the time -- he even writes them down so other people can fantasize about them too! However, he has never harmed anyone in real life.

Ah, yes, the undying everything causes violence. Thanks for adding that warning, or else, someone will think all men are bad because... nevermind. It happened anyways.

Yeah... I tried, but someone always makes a fuss.

Anyway, thanks for reading my essay! I hope it proves useful in your writing endeavors.

 

[InfantryTerminator]

DISCLAIMER: As a multi-published author, I have been taught some fairly rigid rules on what is publishable and what is not. If my rather straight-laced (and occasionally snotty,) advice does not suit your creative style, by all means, IGNORE IT. Less competition for me. :) ​

Published doesn't mean jack sh*t nowdays. Just look up reddit subs mocking men writing women to see how abyssal low requirements are. Hell, I even have multi-published author that writers absolute garbage fantasy stories that start with 10+ pages of political-spiritual rambling.

I also looked up your books - Most of your work doesn't even reach 4 star ratings on goodreads, and besides one book, you haven't published anything successful since 2010 - the golden age of erotica. Yet you're busy giving writing advices on non-professional sites while your presence on sites with higher standards (like RoyalRoad) doesn't exist for some reason. Because, let's look reality in the face, your guides would be quickly criticized by experienced authors.

 

[Agentt]

Published doesn't mean jack sh*t nowdays. Just look up reddit subs mocking men writing women to see how abyssal low requirements are. Hell, I even have multi-published author that writers absolute garbage fantasy stories that start with 10+ pages of political-spiritual rambling.

I also looked up your books - Most of your work doesn't even reach 4 star ratings on goodreads, and besides one book, you haven't published anything successful since 2010 - the golden age of erotica. Yet you're busy giving writing advices on non-professional sites while your presence on sites with higher standards (like RoyalRoad) doesn't exist for some reason. Because, let's look reality in the face, your guides would be quickly criticized by experienced authors.

The point isn't to act superior though? It is to help newbie authors

higher standards (like RoyalRoad)

Also, Royal Road isn't high standards dude. Yes, people in the comment section love to point out mistakes, but that's only for isekai, everything else is very normal there.

 

[Erys]

everything else is very normal there.

 

[Agentt]

Well, true, only the commenters are arrogant,

 

[Erys]

Well, true, only the commenters are arrogant,

And the people on the forum.

 

[Agentt]

And the people on the forum.

We aren't arrogant, we know we are trash, we are scum. Lowest of low, we are closet masochists who get pleasure from webnovel stealing our novels

And the people on the forum.

Oh, you meant RR forums, i am not active there

 

[OokamiKasumi]

Published doesn't mean jack sh*t nowdays. Just look up reddit subs mocking men writing women to see how abyssal low requirements are. Hell, I even have multi-published author that writers absolute garbage fantasy stories that start with 10+ pages of political-spiritual rambling.

I also looked up your books - Most of your work doesn't even reach 4 star ratings on goodreads, and besides one book, you haven't published anything successful since 2010 - the golden age of erotica. Yet you're busy giving writing advices on non-professional sites while your presence on sites with higher standards (like RoyalRoad) doesn't exist for some reason. Because, let's look reality in the face, your guides would be quickly criticized by experienced authors.

Oh wow... Who pissed in your Cornflakes this morning, Mister Troll?

As for my books... GoodReads? That's all you checked? Seriously? Snort. Also everything I have written, beyond fanfics, has been successfully published by one of four actual publishers. Not one was ever rejected, or self-published.

Do you seriously consider RoyalRoad a professional site? Seriously?

 

[Agentt]

one of four actual publishers

Mm? Is this a name?

 

[OokamiKasumi]

Mm? Is this a name?

Kensington Publishing
eXtasy Books
Loose Id Books <-- defunct, moved my titles to eXtasy.
Mojo Castle Publishing

Better?

 

[Agentt]

Kensington Publishing
eXtasy Books
Loose Id Books <-- defunct, moved my titles to eXtasy.
Mojo Castle Publishing

Better?

@.@)

Oh wow... Who pissed in your Cornflakes this morning, Mister Troll?

As for my books... GoodReads? That's all you checked? Seriously? Snort. Also everything I have written, beyond fanfics, has been successfully published by one of four actual publishers. Not one was ever rejected, or self-published.

Do you seriously consider RoyalRoad a professional site? Seriously?

Oh wait, 4 actual publishers meant 4 real publishers, as opposed to self publishing.

When you said 4 actual publishers, I thought you live in a country where there are only 4 publishers, and yours was published by one of them.

 

[OokamiKasumi]

@.@)

Oh wait, 4 actual publishers meant 4 real publishers, as opposed to self publishing.

When you said 4 actual publishers, I thought you live in a country where there are only 4 publishers, and yours was published by one of them.

Surprise?
-- I have multiple titles in all four of those publishers.

Kensington is one of the 7 biggest mainstream publishing houses in the US. However, the royalties payments are piss poor and every 6 months. An average book contract gives the author 8% to 12% of the 'Net, which is what's left over after 60% has been taken off the cover price by the distributors. That's 8% of the 40% left over, and the agent gets 15% of that 8%.

The other three are reputable ePublishers that pay at 30% to 35% of the cover price and payments are monthly.

 

[Agentt]

Kensington is one of the 7 biggest mainstream publishing houses in the US. However, the royalties payments are piss poor and every 6 months. An average book contract gives the author 8% to 12% of the 'Net, which is what's left over after 60% has been taken off the cover price by the

That kinda sounds unfair

 

[OokamiKasumi]

That kinda sounds unfair

It is supremely unfair, which is why so many authors flocked to epublishers, and self-publishing.

 

[InfantryTerminator]

Oh wow... Who pissed in your Cornflakes this morning, Mister Troll?

As for my books... GoodReads? That's all you checked? Seriously? Snort. Also everything I have written, beyond fanfics, has been successfully published by one of four actual publishers. Not one was ever rejected, or self-published.

Do you seriously consider RoyalRoad a professional site? Seriously?

Someone who post mediocre at best guides and pretends to me more successful than they are.

I've checked out GoodReads, Amazon, AO3, Fanfiction, and your game on itch.io out of curiosity. I always do my research before I tell someone they have head up their arse or other harsh words. Some people just need a slap from reality, but you need to adjust the force properly

While RoyalRoad isn't professional in sense of quality control, its a high traffic site and has manual reviewing before story gets published here. A lot of people earn tons of money from Patreon alone and end up on Amazon.

Kensington Publishing
eXtasy Books
Loose Id Books <-- defunct, moved my titles to eXtasy.
Mojo Castle Publishing

Better?

Kensington Publishing - Deleted or incomplete profile, you also doesn't appear on author list. Same case for Mojo Castle Publishing.

As I said, any kind of insanity can be published, and the "cheap" publishers are famous for making up quality in quantity. You can clearly the same tactic in eXtasy who allows stories with low quality cover, not even bothering to give them something of decent quality. Or Mojo Castle Publishing who didn't even finished their online shop.

Overall, not so much of a achievement.

 

[OokamiKasumi]

Someone who post mediocre at best guides and pretends to me more successful than they are.

Well, since you have decided that my guides are mediocre, and that I am pretending to be successful -- despite over 30 titles published to my name...

Where are your writing guides?
Also, how many titles have you published?
Who are your publishers?

After all, in order to judge me, you must surely have much better qualifications than I. Right?

While RoyalRoad isn't professional in sense of quality control, its a high traffic site

High traffic = Professional?
I see, then all those thumbnail porn sites must surely be Professional, seeing as they have far more traffic.

and has manual reviewing before story gets published here.

There isn't a public story site that doesn't allow readers to post their reviews.
-- Since when is "manual reviewing" superior to editors provided by an actual publisher?

A lot of people earn tons of money from Patreon alone and end up on Amazon.

I make the bulk of my money direct from my publishers. Third party sales on Amazon and other book sites are just bonus.

Kensington Publishing - Deleted or incomplete profile, you also doesn't appear on author list.

Not having a profile listing doesn't change the fact that Kensington published a couple of my books.

Same case for Mojo Castle Publishing.

Just because the Mojo Castle site is down doesn't change the fact that Mojo is still selling my work through 3rd party distributors, such as Amazon, and Amazon can't claim copyright on any of my work -- as Amazon Does on all self-published work handled by them. This IS in their fine print, though it's a pain to find.

Amazon's copyright claim --for 75 years-- on all self-published work posted on their site is why I will NEVER use them, even if I did choose to self-publish.

As I said, any kind of insanity can be published, and the "cheap" publishers are famous for making up quality in quantity.

You're right, "any kind of insanity can be published." No argument there.

You can clearly the same tactic in eXtasy who allows stories with low quality cover, not even bothering to give them something of decent quality.

You're judging eXtasy by their Cover Art?! LOL!

Darlin', because of the money eXtasy made me, I quit my day job in 1996! Hello! It's 2022!

Or Mojo Castle Publishing who didn't even finished their online shop.

The condition of Mojo's site, doesn't change the fact that I'm still getting royalty checks from Mojo for book sales.

Anyway...

Your arguments and "examples" are digging you a rather deep hole, and I'm bored now.

You should probably run along and go play with children your own age. Us grown-ups have more important things to discuss, such as how to write a story. Something you don't seem to be interested in.

 

[Gryphon]

You see, this is great and all, but this just makes me more confused about my own story. On one hand, my story is very plot heavy, especially outside the smut scenes. The main plot is a murder/mystery/thriller, however, if I took away my smut, then my story would lose a lot of its edge and dramatic weight, cause the smut scenes in my story isn't just for fanservice. The whole point of the smut is to enhance the themes, character work, etc. But at the same time, I feel like I'm lying to my audiance because the main plot isn't smut, but the smut being removed would only damper the story.

My brain is so messy.

 

[Erys]

Amazon's copyright claim --for 75 years-- on all self-published work posted on their site is why I will NEVER use them, even if I did choose to self-publish.

Imagine outliving the copyright claim, this is why I use Litres.

 

[OokamiKasumi]

You see, this is great and all, but this just makes me more confused about my own story. On one hand, my story is very plot heavy, especially outside the smut scenes. The main plot is a murder/mystery/thriller, however, if I took away my smut, then my story would lose a lot of its edge and dramatic weight, cause the smut scenes in my story isn't just for fan-service. The whole point of the smut is to enhance the themes, character work, etc. But at the same time, I feel like I'm lying to my audience because the main plot isn't smut, but the smut being removed would only damper the story.

My brain is so messy.

It sounds to me like you achieved a perfectly balanced adult pulp fiction. Congrats!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Imagine outliving the copyright claim, this is why I use Litres.

If one wants to Self-publish, one needs to read all the small print.
-- Some vanity presses/self-publishers are definitely better choices than others.