Calling all aspiring erotica and nonfiction sex writers…
Are you wondering if you’ve written a bestseller or a dud?
Are you struggling with your plot, characterization or sex scenes?
Do you have an idea for an essay or article but don’t know where to start?
Have you written a story, article or essay but can’t get it published?
Do you need guidance marketing your writing and personal brand?
A professional critique may be all you need to strengthen your manuscript and give you the confidence to submit it for publication.
Get a thorough, written, affordable critique within four weeks from a professional erotica author, journalist, essayist, editor and writing instructor!
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I was so nervous the first time I submitted a story to an erotic anthology way back in 1999. Was it any good? Were my characters believable? Did the pace work throughout the story? Was the ending logical? Had I missed anything important?
I agonized, waiting for notification from the publisher to let me know whether my story would make it into the book or not. I both dreaded and longed for that letter to arrive, so that I would know, one way or the other, if my story was good enough to get published.
Finally, the big day arrived. My story was good enough! It was to be published in an anthology available on bookstore shelves across the country.
I could hardly believe I’d done it. I was a law school student, after all. What did I know about crafting erotica that kept readers turning pages, lusting after the next paragraph, until they’d devoured the whole story and longed for more?
I didn’t have anyone to help me build my characters, assess the pace of my plot, or help me identify areas of inconsistency in my story. No, I just had to hold my breath as I hit “send” and hope.
I was thrilled when I finally saw that story, “Monica and Me,” which wound up being accepted into two anthologies. The first time I saw my name printed in that book, I stared in awe, then cried happy tears right there in the bookstore aisle. It was a triumphant moment that helped inspire me to write the next story, and the next; now, over 16 years later, I’ve published over 100 short stories in anthologies, magazines and online.
I wonder if you’re like me? Have you finished your story or are working on it and feel like you don’t know anymore how good it might be? You’ve probably gone over it a thousand times already and lost any sense of objectivity you might once have had.
On the other hand, maybe you have indeed finished your manuscript, have gotten it proofread, and feel relatively confident that you’ve turned out a masterpiece. Now what? Writing may be the easy part for you, but sometimes everything that comes after the writing is the hard part. Do you know how to query editors, publishers and literary agents? Do you know which people to query? What is the erotica publishing industry looking for right now?
I can help you with all of this. That first story I submitted while I was still in law school was many years and bylines ago. I am now recognized as a major contributor in the fields of erotica and nonfiction sexuality writing. I am also a prominent editor, with over 60 anthologies to my name, many of which have been bestsellers and won prizes, including the IPPY (Independent Publisher Book) Award and Samois Anthology Award from the National Leather Association-International. I have taught erotica writing classes all over the country as well as online for close to a decade. I have helped hundreds of new writers get their start submitting their work and getting it published, and now I’m offering to help you break into the thriving field of erotica writing.
“Rachel’s critiques provided me a better understanding of how to write erotica and where my own work was falling short. Her critiques on my first several stories enabled me to move within a matter of just weeks from a complete novice to a writer whose stories were accepted by two publishers. Her suggestions were just what I needed to make the transition. I found her extremely easy to work with and her observations to be right on target. If you are looking to move from unpublished to published, you can’t do yourself a better favor than submitting your work to Rachel before approaching a publisher. Her skills as an editor are the best–I couldn’t have made a better investment in myself and my writing than to hire her as my personal editor.”
— CeCe Marsh
No matter how good you think it is, your story, novella or novel can benefit from a solid critique, to point out both its weaknesses and its strengths and highlight areas where you can maximize the erotic tension and give the reader even more of an emotional payoff. I don’t believe in tearing down new writers, but rather in showcasing the ways you can use your unique writing talents, experiences and perspective to maximum advantage in the erotica marketplace. I truly want to see you succeed. I know that building on your strength, while also working to improve in other areas, gives you the best chance of getting that coveted byline.
My critique service includes a thorough written line-by-line edit as well as an overall evaluation of your plot along with suggestions on which markets would be most likely to be interested in publishing your work and what formats would best suit your writing and intended readership. I will help you see where your story needs to improve and I’ll give you suggestions on how to best make those changes.
You will also receive guidance on where to submit your story for publication. Based on my extensive research, including personal interviews with erotica editors, publishers and agents as well as having my own writing published in over 100 anthologies, such as Zane’s New York Times bestselling Succulent: Chocolate Flava II and Purple Panties, and others from publishers including Cleis Press, Go Deeper Press, Harlequin, Running Press, Simon & Schuster, and others, I know what today’s editors are looking for. I also know what will turn them off immediately. I will help you craft a winning query so your story has the best possible chance of success.
All of this will come in a written report within four weeks of sending me your manuscript for critique.
“In her individual critiques, Rachel was very supportive and helpful in reviewing my stories for their ideas, plots, themes, and quality/effectiveness of writing–marking the manuscripts, inserting comments, and providing language for suggested rewrites. Her suggestions were just that–suggestions–but geared toward improving the stories (which they did) and making them salable.
In both the group setting and one-on-one, Rachel’s expertise, patience, and professional generosity shone through. I am glad to know her as an erotica resource and literary friend.”
— Marcus Wyche
I also offer an add-on to the basic written critique service that can enhance your chances of success even more. A one-on-one phone call with me provides you with the opportunity to ask any questions you’d like about the specifics of your writing, the submission and publishing process, as well as subjects related to selecting a pseudonym, creating and optimizing your social media accounts, and building your author brand.
No matter how many times you’ve gone over your writing with a fine tooth comb, the fact is that every author can benefit from a critique and the experience of having another set of eyes, in this case a professional one, offer their take on your words. So I’ve made my critique service both easy and affordable. There are different fee levels based on how long your manuscript is. All you have to do is select your manuscript length from the list, make your payment, and follow the instructions for sending me the file. Within four weeks, you’ll receive a thorough, written critique from me and you can immediately start revising your story based on my suggestions.
You owe it to yourself and to your manuscript to make it the best quality you can produce, so if you’re looking for feedback from someone who’s been publishing her own erotica for the last 17 years and has worked with hundreds of authors on my anthologies, you’ve come to the right place.
My critiques start at $200, depending on word count and which service you select. This is a small price to make your work stand out to editors and launch your work into the world for readers everywhere to enjoy. Make this valuable investment in yourself today.
You can also select a one-hour exploratory call to help you work through key questions about your writing, whether that’s where to start, where to submit your writing, what name to use for your writing, how to build your author brand, whether you should write erotic fiction or nonfiction, and anything else related to erotica, erotic romance or nonfiction sex writing.
When you choose the option that best reflects your word count and send payment, you will immediately begin reaping the benefits of an expert evaluation.
Remember, this is what you’ll get:
• Line by line edit
• Critique of your story, novel or novella’s plot or your essay or article’s voice, style, and grammar
• Suggestions on where to submit this piece of writing and future writings
If you opt for the phone consultation, you’ll also receive advice on the following topics, as well as the opportunity to ask me any questions you may have about your writing and your erotica career:
• Timing and procedures for submitting your work
• Selecting a pseudonym
• Creating and optimizing your social media accounts
• Building your author brand
This is a lot of value for the investment you’re making into producing a high-quality piece of erotic fiction or nonfiction sex writing. While no program can promise you will get published, I can guarantee that my services will dramatically increase your chances of having your work accepted for publication and give you a strong foundation to continue expanding your erotic writing and launch the career you desire.
As I wrote earlier, I will never forget seeing my published story for the first time. It was an amazing and inspiring experience that helped spur me on to continue experimenting with my writing and crafting lesbian, bisexual, gay and heterosexual erotica and push myself beyond what I initially thought I could accomplish in the erotic genre.
Can you imagine what that’s like? We’ll work together to get your story, novel, essay or article fleshed out and ready to submit. Maybe I can help you create your own experience of standing in a bookstore, looking down at a book with your name in print. If this sounds like the kind of writing critique you’re looking for, let’s begin today.