Fifty Shades of The Artists’ and Writers’ Year Book
Every emerging writer is familiar with the Artists’ and Writers Yearbook. It holds dreams within its red and yellow covers and this week the 2014 Yearbook was launched
Alongside lists of publishing houses and literary agents, it includes useful articles: screenwriter and novelist Francesca Brill discusses finding your personal writing space. She can’t do a J.K. Rowling and work in the buzz of a busy cafe. Instead she needs a sensory deprivation zone. Neil Gaiman explains how he learned to “stop worrying” in order to become a successful crossover author.
The chapter titled ‘Notes from a successful writer of erotic fiction’, however, is anonymous. Artists & Writers explain it’s presence by saying that ‘Erotic fiction has recently experienced something of a renaissance’ which is a bit like saying Andy Murray quite likes tennis…
E.L. James’ series (Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed) have sold over 70 million copies worldwide, and set the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.
Not every erotic writer can expect to enjoy the same success, of course, and the nameless author argues it is not all about sex:
You still need the characters and setting, scenes and tension, dialogue and story arc.
The erotic author also needs a pseudonym because her mother won’t like it and her friends aren’t going to boast about knowing her.
Do you think that’s true? Or is it becoming more respectable?
photo credit: The Meeting Place Statue, St Pancras Station, London Jim Linwood via photopin cc
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i think its definitely become more mainstream, but i understand why writers would use pseudonyms. for example, i know a writer who writes for children AND erotica lol, the 2 genres don’t exactly go had in hand do they 😉
i think the problem is that as a writer of erotica you are immediately judged. i read an interview with Mr James who said that he was constantly being asked about his sex life….thats not entirely fair if you ask me….dont think my hubby would be too impressed with that lol
xx
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I have a friend before he uses a lot of pseudonyms when writing. Every name has it’s own character and a life to live. Pretty interesting how these type of guys live their life. lol!