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How to Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors
How to Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors features everything you need to know about adding sizzling sexual tension, scorching sex scenes, and emotional impact to your romance writing in twelve info-packed essays from bestselling and multi-published authors - so you can get published and get paid.
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First published September 16, 2011
79 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Jean Johnson
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 2, 2011
As a romantic fiction writer who likes to add some spice to her stories, I can always use a little help with keeping my amorous scenes fresh and exciting, no matter what they'll be like. After all, it's no fun when you read something and all the sexy scenes start to sound the same.
This book - a collection of essays from best-selling erotica and romance authors - has a little something for everyone, no matter if they write sweet romance, hot BDSM, male/male pairings, or wild fantasy stories with vampires and werewolves. Since it's a relatively short read I won't go into too much detail, but each essay has at least one good nugget of information that the reader will be able to take away. Obviously some will be more relevant to some readers/writers than others, (e.g. if you don't write male/male romance, that essay might not be relevant to you) but they are all well-written and educational.
My favorite part, however, was the last section - a short essay from the editor, Shoshanna Evers, about publishing. She put in an easy to read (and understand) glossary of publishing terms that should be especially helpful to those interested in publishing a book, but who are completely new to the industry. I read it, and will try my best to make my husband read that section, too, if anything so what I do will make more sense to him.
This book - a collection of essays from best-selling erotica and romance authors - has a little something for everyone, no matter if they write sweet romance, hot BDSM, male/male pairings, or wild fantasy stories with vampires and werewolves. Since it's a relatively short read I won't go into too much detail, but each essay has at least one good nugget of information that the reader will be able to take away. Obviously some will be more relevant to some readers/writers than others, (e.g. if you don't write male/male romance, that essay might not be relevant to you) but they are all well-written and educational.
My favorite part, however, was the last section - a short essay from the editor, Shoshanna Evers, about publishing. She put in an easy to read (and understand) glossary of publishing terms that should be especially helpful to those interested in publishing a book, but who are completely new to the industry. I read it, and will try my best to make my husband read that section, too, if anything so what I do will make more sense to him.
October 29, 2013
When I haven’t been immersed in my own writing I’ve been reading How to Write Hot Sex—Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors, edited by Shoshanna Evers.
Despite my fledgling fan base, I consider myself very much a rookie. If it weren’t for my critique partner, I’d have all sorts of strange things going on with body parts and sex toys would run amok with a mind all of their own.
One of my biggest problems as a rookie sex writer is forgetting where I’ve stuck things ;)
Choreography is key.
I tend to write sex scenes that incorporate BDSM. Props can prove problematic if you forget them. What goes on must come off—whether it’s ropes, nipple clamps, hand cuffs, or even just a condom—it’s important to remember where you stuck things (pun intended) :)
Isabo Kelly discusses choreography and other elements when drawing the comparison of writing sex to fight scenes. Her essay along with Cara McKenna’s reminder about comfort levels in real ugly and tips on how to add realism to sex scenes were probably my favorite two.
In closing, Shoshanna Evers goes over some info on publishing which is good for those who are just dipping their toes into the ever changing publishing waters.
But with so much fantastic information from seasoned pros it’s hard to pick what I liked the most. So I suppose you’ll just have to buy a copy and see for yourself ;) This book is a must read for anyone who wants to try their hand at writing erotic romance.
Despite my fledgling fan base, I consider myself very much a rookie. If it weren’t for my critique partner, I’d have all sorts of strange things going on with body parts and sex toys would run amok with a mind all of their own.
One of my biggest problems as a rookie sex writer is forgetting where I’ve stuck things ;)
Choreography is key.
I tend to write sex scenes that incorporate BDSM. Props can prove problematic if you forget them. What goes on must come off—whether it’s ropes, nipple clamps, hand cuffs, or even just a condom—it’s important to remember where you stuck things (pun intended) :)
Isabo Kelly discusses choreography and other elements when drawing the comparison of writing sex to fight scenes. Her essay along with Cara McKenna’s reminder about comfort levels in real ugly and tips on how to add realism to sex scenes were probably my favorite two.
In closing, Shoshanna Evers goes over some info on publishing which is good for those who are just dipping their toes into the ever changing publishing waters.
But with so much fantastic information from seasoned pros it’s hard to pick what I liked the most. So I suppose you’ll just have to buy a copy and see for yourself ;) This book is a must read for anyone who wants to try their hand at writing erotic romance.
May 3, 2013
I am an aspiring writer who follows Shoshanna Evers on Twitter.I saw her tweet this link and i am thrilled I downloaded this how to must have! What wonderful advice from all the authors who contributed! I strongly recommended this book to a few friend who has been contemplating taking "the writing plunge"also . She reported inspiration after a few pages into it! Thank you very much to all involved! Happy writing :)
November 30, 2011
There were some really excellent tips on writing sex. Definitely a must for any serious writer.
October 30, 2012
This is great for writers who only write a sensual scene here or there TO writers who write full on erotica.
Great tips an tools!
Great tips an tools!
July 29, 2025
A triumphant return to the Chanku world!
DARK STRANGER reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Kate’s storytelling in the first place. The world of the Chanku feels alive and untamed, with characters who carry both the weight of their past and the thrill of what’s yet to come. Anton, of course, is still the alpha we know and love, maybe a little wiser, but just as commanding.
What I love most is how Kate weaves heart, heat, and high stakes into every page. Even after a pause in her writing, her voice is stronger than ever. This book was like reuniting with old friends, comforting yet full of surprises.
If you’ve missed the Chanku as much as I have, DARK STRANGER is the perfect way to dive back in.
DARK STRANGER reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Kate’s storytelling in the first place. The world of the Chanku feels alive and untamed, with characters who carry both the weight of their past and the thrill of what’s yet to come. Anton, of course, is still the alpha we know and love, maybe a little wiser, but just as commanding.
What I love most is how Kate weaves heart, heat, and high stakes into every page. Even after a pause in her writing, her voice is stronger than ever. This book was like reuniting with old friends, comforting yet full of surprises.
If you’ve missed the Chanku as much as I have, DARK STRANGER is the perfect way to dive back in.
October 5, 2017
I like how diverse and inclusive the book is, with essays on a sex scene between two men, a sex scene with a trans woman, as well as sex scene with more than one partner. There's also a lot of info on kink and bdsm for those who, like me, don't know where to start.
Unfortunately, most part of the book is still about a heterosexual couple, especially the examples. I'd love it if there are essays about tips on writing a sex scene between gay men by a gay guy, or an essay by a trans author.
You'll probably find this book useful if you write a straight erotica. For queers, the essays in here might not be enough to satisfy you, but it's still a good start.
Unfortunately, most part of the book is still about a heterosexual couple, especially the examples. I'd love it if there are essays about tips on writing a sex scene between gay men by a gay guy, or an essay by a trans author.
You'll probably find this book useful if you write a straight erotica. For queers, the essays in here might not be enough to satisfy you, but it's still a good start.
August 25, 2021
Great knowledge!
This is a wonderful resource for writing all types of sexual writing. It was so important to get different points and opinions from all type of writers on all the different kinds of sexual types of encounters. Shosanna has done a great gathering all the need to know information to be sure to do a good job with your writing!
This is a wonderful resource for writing all types of sexual writing. It was so important to get different points and opinions from all type of writers on all the different kinds of sexual types of encounters. Shosanna has done a great gathering all the need to know information to be sure to do a good job with your writing!
October 1, 2022
This book was full of great advice. With the format of several shorter essays it was easily digestible as well. The final essay by Shoshanna Evers has info on traditional and self publishing.
I wish I would have read this before I wrote my first novel, would absolutely recommend to anyone who's interested in writing romance or erotica or anyone who wants to improve that aspect of their writing.
I wish I would have read this before I wrote my first novel, would absolutely recommend to anyone who's interested in writing romance or erotica or anyone who wants to improve that aspect of their writing.
December 12, 2025
This book was amazing and very informational for the subject matter and helped me improve my writing skills
April 16, 2014
This is a wonderful reference book for erotica writers of all heats. Even if you aren't a romance writer, you can benefit from this reference.
Cara McKenna's "Real Ugly" expands on descriptions. Don't just describe coffee as "coffee." Instead, wouldn't you want a sip of that triple-shot espresso with vanilla whip cream and shaved dark chocolate bits sprinkled on top?
Desiree Holt's "Five Sexy Senses to Rev Up Scenes" pounds into us to engage our readers with all their senses--draw them into the story by elaborating on these details.
Christine d'Abo's "Boys Will Be Boys" tells us terms that boys use with boys. I learned what a twink was, for example, and resolved to read some M/M romances to research more guy terminologies. If you're not a guy, do your research so that you can write a convincing guy's POV.
L.K. Below's "Law of Attraction" details the connection that builds between two characters. This is crucial for any kind of relationship you are writing about--romance, friendship, etc.
Kate Douglas's "Writing the Fine Line Between Erotica and Porn" points out the differences between emotionless, plotless sex (porn) and a sex scene that actually moves the story forward. If you want your readers to remember your characters, then definitely write those steamy scenes with the plot in mind.
Giselle Renarde's "How to Write Convincing Fetish and Niche Market Sex" beseeches the reader-writer to really do the research required to convince our audiences of the authenticity of our characters. What could be worse than a reader picking up one of our books and crossing us off their list for inauthentic characterization?
Charlotte Stein's "Sexy Sentences" illustrates different ways to edit our own work to quicken the pace, deepen the connection, and up the heat level. I literally crossed out two of the three times the word "shoulder" appeared in one of my three-sentence paragraphs when I went back to read my first draft.
Isabo Kelly's "Fighting Sex" is a prime example of what's possible in succinct writing, when you're successful in weaving emotion, choreography, and character in a scene.
Delphine Dryden's "So You Think You Can Kink?" elaborates about the BDSM world and how to have believable characters, scenes, etc.
Jean Johnson's "Biology: The Good, The Bad, & the Sex Scene" explains the differences in arousal peaks in both sexes--important when writing believable sex scenes.
Cari Quinn's "Rx for a Saggy Love Scene" emphasizes the small stuff, the dirty talk, the internal thoughts and emotions. Quite useful for deep POV writing.
Finally, Shoshanna Evers' "Getting Published" gives newbie authors seeking traditional publishing the comprehensive basics of that industry and more. The more refers to tips that indie authors may also find helpful.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, which is a great resource for any writer but most specifically those who strive to write erotic fiction.
Cara McKenna's "Real Ugly" expands on descriptions. Don't just describe coffee as "coffee." Instead, wouldn't you want a sip of that triple-shot espresso with vanilla whip cream and shaved dark chocolate bits sprinkled on top?
Desiree Holt's "Five Sexy Senses to Rev Up Scenes" pounds into us to engage our readers with all their senses--draw them into the story by elaborating on these details.
Christine d'Abo's "Boys Will Be Boys" tells us terms that boys use with boys. I learned what a twink was, for example, and resolved to read some M/M romances to research more guy terminologies. If you're not a guy, do your research so that you can write a convincing guy's POV.
L.K. Below's "Law of Attraction" details the connection that builds between two characters. This is crucial for any kind of relationship you are writing about--romance, friendship, etc.
Kate Douglas's "Writing the Fine Line Between Erotica and Porn" points out the differences between emotionless, plotless sex (porn) and a sex scene that actually moves the story forward. If you want your readers to remember your characters, then definitely write those steamy scenes with the plot in mind.
Giselle Renarde's "How to Write Convincing Fetish and Niche Market Sex" beseeches the reader-writer to really do the research required to convince our audiences of the authenticity of our characters. What could be worse than a reader picking up one of our books and crossing us off their list for inauthentic characterization?
Charlotte Stein's "Sexy Sentences" illustrates different ways to edit our own work to quicken the pace, deepen the connection, and up the heat level. I literally crossed out two of the three times the word "shoulder" appeared in one of my three-sentence paragraphs when I went back to read my first draft.
Isabo Kelly's "Fighting Sex" is a prime example of what's possible in succinct writing, when you're successful in weaving emotion, choreography, and character in a scene.
Delphine Dryden's "So You Think You Can Kink?" elaborates about the BDSM world and how to have believable characters, scenes, etc.
Jean Johnson's "Biology: The Good, The Bad, & the Sex Scene" explains the differences in arousal peaks in both sexes--important when writing believable sex scenes.
Cari Quinn's "Rx for a Saggy Love Scene" emphasizes the small stuff, the dirty talk, the internal thoughts and emotions. Quite useful for deep POV writing.
Finally, Shoshanna Evers' "Getting Published" gives newbie authors seeking traditional publishing the comprehensive basics of that industry and more. The more refers to tips that indie authors may also find helpful.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, which is a great resource for any writer but most specifically those who strive to write erotic fiction.
April 16, 2012
I can't really claim to have read this one. I flicked through large sections wondering why I'd bought the book. Oh yes, it was because I've been writing more sex into my books and wanted some advice from people who did that kind of writing more often than I. Apparently I don't need the advice since I considered the essays in this book incredibly obvious.
The only article I found useful was Jean Johnson's one on the biology involved in sex and how you can use that to improve your writing. Sadly, the information on female anatomy and arousal mechanics is a little out of date, but it was still a good read and useful. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to go back and dip in for those nuggets of glorious data because...
The formatting on the Kindle version is deplorable. Sections are bulk italic or underlined. There is no table of contents at all. Random access reading or finding references requires you to guess page numbers.
Other irritating features:
- The authors are all women. It might have been nice to see one man in there.
- The authors have a tendency to blow their own horns a lot. And a little oddly; writing for Literotica while a fine and noble thing, does not a good erotica writer make. I got a reader's choice prize for a Literotica story!
- There seemed to be an enormous desire to justify the genre. "We don't right porn, we write erotica. Well, it's romance really. Yes, there's a difference. Look this is it... What, you can't see it?" I think this comes down to editing. The editor should have picked the best self-justification exercise and told the others to drop it. It just comes over as insecure.
my overall impression of this book is that I now realise why there's so much over-priced, dreadful erotic fiction in the market. People read books like this, think they're going to make a mint, and away they go.
The only article I found useful was Jean Johnson's one on the biology involved in sex and how you can use that to improve your writing. Sadly, the information on female anatomy and arousal mechanics is a little out of date, but it was still a good read and useful. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to go back and dip in for those nuggets of glorious data because...
The formatting on the Kindle version is deplorable. Sections are bulk italic or underlined. There is no table of contents at all. Random access reading or finding references requires you to guess page numbers.
Other irritating features:
- The authors are all women. It might have been nice to see one man in there.
- The authors have a tendency to blow their own horns a lot. And a little oddly; writing for Literotica while a fine and noble thing, does not a good erotica writer make. I got a reader's choice prize for a Literotica story!
- There seemed to be an enormous desire to justify the genre. "We don't right porn, we write erotica. Well, it's romance really. Yes, there's a difference. Look this is it... What, you can't see it?" I think this comes down to editing. The editor should have picked the best self-justification exercise and told the others to drop it. It just comes over as insecure.
my overall impression of this book is that I now realise why there's so much over-priced, dreadful erotic fiction in the market. People read books like this, think they're going to make a mint, and away they go.
March 24, 2015
I write mysteries but, judging by my sales and the categories my books sell in, I also seem to write romance. After several discussions in various forums (including here on Goodreads) I'd come to the conclusion that my series going forward needs to contain erotic interludes between my two leads. I've never written a sex scene in my life. I needed a little guidance.
I bought this book with high hopes and it didn't disappoint. It's not a step by step guide, if that's what you're looking for. It's more of an overview by several authors of what works with readers and why it does. As at least one other reviewer mentioned, the biology discussion by Jean Johnson was fascinating. I write for a lesbian market though so all the guy/hero talk is useless to me but fascinating none the less. Maybe I'll try my hand at writing straight erotic romance one day...who knows, but I digress.
The writers contributing to this book are all multi-published and well known in their genres. Even though they're very diverse in the sort of erotica they write (romance, kink, LGBT, etc.) they all expound on a few of the same key themes. It's not a spoiler to say that you're going to read a lot in this book about writing emotion and letting your characters emotions show. This isn't about writing porn, it's about writing erotica - works with strong identifiable characters and a plot.
I bought this book with high hopes and it didn't disappoint. It's not a step by step guide, if that's what you're looking for. It's more of an overview by several authors of what works with readers and why it does. As at least one other reviewer mentioned, the biology discussion by Jean Johnson was fascinating. I write for a lesbian market though so all the guy/hero talk is useless to me but fascinating none the less. Maybe I'll try my hand at writing straight erotic romance one day...who knows, but I digress.
The writers contributing to this book are all multi-published and well known in their genres. Even though they're very diverse in the sort of erotica they write (romance, kink, LGBT, etc.) they all expound on a few of the same key themes. It's not a spoiler to say that you're going to read a lot in this book about writing emotion and letting your characters emotions show. This isn't about writing porn, it's about writing erotica - works with strong identifiable characters and a plot.
May 19, 2015
I've had this book in my possession since last year, and it didn't get a rating or review yet because it's easy for How To books to slip through the cracks since I rarely read them front to back, and because of that they never get "finished."
I briefly spoke with Shoshanna Evers in Dallas, and When I told her that I still use this book to flip through and get help for crafting good sex scenes when I might've forgotten something, and she was so happy and asked if I'd reviewed it, I drew a blank, and then felt like a jerk.
She and I laughed after that as I tried to explain, and she promised it was no big deal, but I still realized that I should do it since I had read through most of the book, got a lot of insanely helpful information out of it, and enjoyed it immensely.
So, yeah, my review for this book is a huge 5 stars. Each chapter, written by a different author, offers something a little different, and the book is short enough, and not one of these big honking behemoth books, that you feel overwhelmed by it. This can be a problem when you just want to get some tips and start writing, and not want to have to read through a giant tome that'll take you several days, or weeks, first.
Get this book if you've been struggling to keep your sex scenes fresh and want a little help with it, or just want to keep them up to parr with other erotic greats :)
5 Stars
I briefly spoke with Shoshanna Evers in Dallas, and When I told her that I still use this book to flip through and get help for crafting good sex scenes when I might've forgotten something, and she was so happy and asked if I'd reviewed it, I drew a blank, and then felt like a jerk.
She and I laughed after that as I tried to explain, and she promised it was no big deal, but I still realized that I should do it since I had read through most of the book, got a lot of insanely helpful information out of it, and enjoyed it immensely.
So, yeah, my review for this book is a huge 5 stars. Each chapter, written by a different author, offers something a little different, and the book is short enough, and not one of these big honking behemoth books, that you feel overwhelmed by it. This can be a problem when you just want to get some tips and start writing, and not want to have to read through a giant tome that'll take you several days, or weeks, first.
Get this book if you've been struggling to keep your sex scenes fresh and want a little help with it, or just want to keep them up to parr with other erotic greats :)
5 Stars
September 2, 2012
I really enjoyed this. Good, quick read, which is helpful when you want/need some advice but still have shit to do.
I particularly enjoyed the essays "Real Ugly", "Five Sexy Senses To Rev Up Scenes", "The Law Of Attraction", and "Fighting Sex". Really, though, I can honestly say I got something valuable from every section in this book, including the ones aimed at genres I don't (yet?) write.
Just because you don't want to write kink, m/m, or even erotica in general doesn't mean this book won't be helpful. It just means you have to be selective about what you take away from it. Overall, if you write about characters who have sex, you should read this book.
I particularly enjoyed the essays "Real Ugly", "Five Sexy Senses To Rev Up Scenes", "The Law Of Attraction", and "Fighting Sex". Really, though, I can honestly say I got something valuable from every section in this book, including the ones aimed at genres I don't (yet?) write.
Just because you don't want to write kink, m/m, or even erotica in general doesn't mean this book won't be helpful. It just means you have to be selective about what you take away from it. Overall, if you write about characters who have sex, you should read this book.
September 25, 2013
This is a great resource for anyone who wants to write erotic romance. I've been writing fairly explicit sex for about 18 months so far and some of this advice was familiar to me but there were some great tidbits I hadn't really considered as well and the encouragement was great. It was less of a "this is what to write" and more of a "it's okay to write this" sort of book for me, which is really what I needed.
April 29, 2012
This collection of short articles by various erotica authors is valuable to anyone who want to put more heat into their stories. One does not need to aim at full-on erotica to garner valuable guidance from this book. In fact, I would say that those looking to not cross some ill defined line between "spicy" and "erotic" will have much to learn from this book.
October 7, 2013
This is such an invaluable collection of essays for anyone who wants to start tackling writing sex scenes or hone their skills. There was useful info in each piece, it took me so long to finish How to Write Hot Sex because my eReader couldn’t highlight everything I wanted fast enough.
Overall an educational and entertaining read!
Overall an educational and entertaining read!
September 17, 2014
My editor wanted to see steamier love scenes in my writing, so I thought I would give this a try. There were some interesting points, but I did not find much that was helpful for my writing. Instead, I would recommend the '12 Stages of Intimacy' for someone who writes historical or regency romance. This book would be a better match for erotica and erotic romance writers.
October 13, 2014
Not a typical How To book with instructions and exercises, rather a collection of essays from published authors. They show what works for their stories, and offer suggestions and point out pitfalls to avoid. I liked this book, and think it will be helpful in my efforts to spice up a straight vanilla sex scene.
July 29, 2015
Pretty good collection of highly helpful essays on the ins and outs of writing good erotica/romance. I would say that no one author is going to find every entry here helpful, some might even be worth skipping if the subject is far enough removed form what you write. But that's okay, anthology's are meant to be read that way.
December 30, 2015
I think this book would be great for those who are new to writing erotic romance. If you've been doing it for a while or if you've read a tonne of it, maybe it's not as useful. I could have used a lot more details as I thought this was a little light on exact information. Well written though and good to use it to add to your knowledge.
November 26, 2013
This book gave me wonderful tips for writing my first erotica novel. I recommend it to any erotica writer who wants to add some extra oomph to their writing. Awesome book.
February 24, 2014
A must have for every erotic writer!
January 4, 2016
It's okay.
August 20, 2015
Very helpful!
October 25, 2011
This is a must read for anyone who write romance or wants to write romance. You will learn a lot.
September 15, 2012
Very Informational about all sex
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews