Don't be scared to write about sex!
To help us all, I went to the expert to help us become more comfortable writing about all things sensual. Rachel Kramer Bussel wrote the excellent Lusty Lady sex column at the Village Voice, and edited Best Sex Writing 2008.
Every week I ask a different writer Five "Easy" Questions about their craft. I break the interviews into pieces for easy reading. The Publishing Spot Library indexes those posts in a single place.
Follow this index to read more about Rachel Kramer Bussel...
Bussel showed us (complete with a web video feature) How To Build A Better Public Reading.
Then explained How To Go From Short Stories To A Novel.
Also tackling the juicy topic, How To Write About Sex.
And most importantly, she said How To Write The Best Love Letters.
"I want to feel like we are our own entity, existing in a private universe that nothing and no one else can pierce. That life is all about looking at her, in her, nothing more, nothing less. Without makeup, she is the perfect combination of girl and woman, and she fills me with a need to hold and protect her that leaves me raw and open and more vulnerable than any person should ever be."
That's our special guest Rachel Kramer Bussel in her short story, "The End." It was selected for The Best American Erotica 2006. Today, that sensual writer gives us a sneak peak at her love letter skills.
If you want to write your lover like that, you should take Bussel's love letter writing class before Valentine's Day. Check it out here. Most recently, Bussel edited Best Sex Writing 2008, and she's been our guest all week.
Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web writing.
Jason Boog:
You are teaching a class on love letters. Without stealing your thunder what's one piece of advice you would offer to a young lover as they write? What are the best books/writers to read for love-letter inspiration?
Rachel Kramer Bussel:
I'd say being totally honest, open, and raw is key. Continue reading...
Last week Rachel Kramer Bussel threw a big party to celebrate the new anthology she edited, Best Sex Writing 2008. She held the event at Rapture Cafe in the East Village, bringing together a crack team of erotic readers.
I put together a lo-fi web video so you could see the event yourself. Click here for more information about Bussel's upcoming readings. Today, she explains how to build a better public reading to support your work.
Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web writing.Jason Boog:
At your book opening, you found some new, unexpected writers for your collection as well. How can writers build a vibrant writing community like you have? Any advice for building a better public reading/ book opening?
Rachel Kramer Bussel:
Reading widely, for one. I am constantly picking up books or visiting websites that might lead to something of interest, and those aren't all "sex blogs" per se. Continue reading...
"Amber lingered at La Petite Coquette, her hand reaching out to stroke all manner of silk and lace in all the most beautiful colors ... her eyes were solely on the luxurious merchandise, the bras scalloped with flowers along their artfully stitched edges, the camisoles that promised to caress her every curve, the panties that offered her tight but imperfect ass the promise of supermodel stardom."
That's a sexy little number by Rachel Kramer Bussel, the short story writer and editor of Best Sex Writing 2008. Today she explains how she struggled to move from erotic short stories to her first novel.
Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web writing.
Jason Boog:
You are finishing a novel right now. What's been the hardest part of that process? What would be your advice to first-time novelists as they start their projects?
Rachel Kramer Bussel:
I've been writing my novel for a year and a half and the entire process has been hard. Continue reading...
Sex. Sex? Sex!
It's a major part of our lives, but we don't usually talk about it around the watercooler. And since the topic is shrouded in so much cultural wrapping paper, your average writer has absolutely no idea how to write about human beings being sexy.
Today, I went to the expert to help us become more comfortable writing about all things sensual. Rachel Kramer Bussel wrote the excellent Lusty Lady sex column at the Village Voice, and edited Best Sex Writing 2008.
Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web writing.
Jason Boog:
It takes a lot to write frankly and vividly about sex. There are so many clichés and taboos to steer around. What's your advice for a writer looking to write more physical, sensual, and sexy nonfiction? How can we avoid clichés and stop gettting hung up on taboos?
Rachel Kramer Bussel:
I think the first thing to do is to forget about anything you think you "should" do. Continue reading...
