This time around, the guys discuss what they’ve been up to and answer questions from a longtime listener concerning point of view, writing group sex, and explaining why they got into this in the first place.

They also make a major announcement concerning the fate of the show.

Tune in to find out!

Sign up for future updates at http://sexyfic.com

Episode 25: Formatting Your Self-Published Book in Microsoft Word and Scrivener

Welcome back to Episode TWENTY-FIVE of the Writing and Publishing Erotica Podcast. I am H. K. Kiting and I am Dean Chills and we’re your hosts for the show. This is the podcast where we talk about writing and publishing in general, and include the occasional tidbit about erotica specifically.

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

 

What’s your most recent release?

• H. K. Kiting: Hanging Out at the Oasis
• Dean Chills: Audio Book (Rick and Owen Get Hitched), Underwater Peril Trilogy, and Demonic Lust

 

Episode 25: Formatting a Book

 

Reader Mail:

My question has to do with formatting — specifically, how to make an attractive looking ebook after uploading a .docx file onto Amazon (or elsewhere). Quite frankly, the two books I’ve written both look like hot garbage, formatting wise. Each time I upload the .docx file into Amazon, the converted file is full of bizarre formatting errors: arbitrary paragraph indentions, words cramming together, line spacing all messed up. I initially wrote my first book with regular paragraph indentions, in size 12 Times New Roman font, with justified-aligned text. The results were a total eyesore. I re-uploaded the document after eliminating all paragraph indentions, double-spacing instead of pressing the TAB key, but even that leaves much to be desired. I seem to be the only person unable to make their .mobi files look even passable… and it is, quite frankly, a little frustrating. Do you have any advice on this? Or am I SOL?

 

• Henry’s Take on formatting his books

• Dean’s book formatting response:

• Other points and Writing Tools for making eBooks:

 

• eBook formatting vs. Print book formatting

 

• Word.

• Pages.

• Scrivener.

• Jutoh.

• Markdown/Text.

• Google Docs.

 
We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

This time around, the guys discuss recent changes in the payment structure for authors taking part in Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program. Is this the end of the world for authors? Why did these changes come about? What are they going to do in the future? What other options exist? Where in the Hell have these guys been for the past two months?

Tune in to find out!

Dean and Henry also speculate about what they think the next big concern is going to be for authors.

 

 

 

Episode 23:

Welcome back to Episode TWENTY-THREE of the Writing and Publishing Erotica Podcast. I am H. K. Kiting and I am Dean Chills and we’re your hosts for the show. This is the podcast where we talk about writing and publishing in general, and include the occasional tidbit about erotica specifically.

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

What’s your most recent release?

H. K. Kiting: Artist Series Complete and Welcome Home

Dean Chills: Bear and Chaser Go to the Party in completion

 

Episode 23:

Topic One: Keeping it Flowing

 Reader Mail: Do you guys have any ideas to keep the words flowing so you keep putting out consistent content for your readers?

–Writing Schedule

–Ideas

 Link to Youtube Video about writing Early: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGQMKwRy36E

 

Topic Two:

How do you convince someone to record your story as audio if you don’t want to do it yourself?

–ACX or Not ACX? If not ACX, then payment processing is a problem

–Revenue Sharing or just pay upfront?

Link to Zoom H4N Audio Recorder:

We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

 

Writing and Publishing Erotica Episode 22: Book Covers and Length

 

NOTE: There was no Episode 21. I had a blank script saved with that title, and thought we’d already recorded that one. We went on and recorded this one as #22. Episode 21 will henceforth be known as “The Lost Episode.”

 

Welcome back to Episode TWENTY-TWO of the Writing and Publishing Erotica Podcast. I am H. K. Kiting and I am Dean Chills and we’re your hosts for the show. This is the podcast where we talk about writing and publishing in general, and include the occasional tidbit about erotica specifically.

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

What’s your most recent release?

H.K. Kiting: Bamboo and the Artist Series

Dean Chills: Demon Trilogy and Bear and Chaser. Also, first four Rick and Owen books in Audio

 

Episode 22: Topic One: covers

Reader Mail: I was wondering if you could one question I have about book covers: what websites do you guys use? I’ve looked at Shutterstock, which has the best selection but is far too overpriced, IMO… especially since I have no guarantee of making that money back. I’ve also looked at Flickr, but am not always happy with the images that pop up when  I search specifically for “Creative Commons — Commercial Use.” I’ve checked out a few other sites, including public domain image sites, but nothing seems to be as of high quality as the more expensive places. I’ve flirted with the idea of contacting the Shutterstock photographers directly and getting permission from them, but that quite literally feels like taking away from their livelihood — and I would hate to ping Shutterstock’s radar if they found out I didn’t purchase an image from them (is that even possible?). This is, all in all, the one point on which I’m a little confused about. Do you have any sites you’d recommend?

And also:

I’m a recent listener to your podcast and I have not gone through all the episodes yet so forgive me if you have gone over this question already. I listened to your episode on Cover Art and I wanted to ask how you have gone about obtaining the pictures for your cover art. Do you hire people to pose for it or is there a site that you go to that commissions out photos? I ask this because I am thinking about going into erotica and I want to know how much I should expect to be pay for obtaining attractive cover art.

 

www.dreamstime.com

www.istockphoto.com

www.shutterstock.com

www.fotolia.com

www.stockXpert.com

www.123rf.com

www.bigstockphoto.com

 

 

Topic Two: More Reader Mail:

 

Hey guys! Love the podcast and have found it to be a wonderful source of inspiration and information about the world of self-published erotica. I’m currently in the middle of my first book, and it has been a blast to write! I do have a question about the veritable “meat and potatoes” of erotic fiction, however — namely, the sex scenes. You’ve discussed many tactics to make these scenes engaging and erotic, descriptive and readymade for one handed reading, but I’m still a little fuzzy on one particular aspect — the length. How long before the reader loses interest? How short before they feel ripped off? What word count should we typically aim for? Is it better to have one long sex scene or break it up into multiple erotic sequences? Is there some magic ratio between set-up and sex scenes we should strive for? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

And Should you use create-space to make a POD paperback if your story is less than 10K words?

We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

 

Episode 20: Mistakes and Social Media

 

Welcome back to Episode TWENTY of the Writing and Publishing Erotica Podcast. I am H. K. Kiting and I am Dean Chills and we’re your hosts for the show. This is the podcast where we talk about writing and publishing in general, and include the occasional tidbit about erotica specifically.

 

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

What’s your most recent release?

H. K. Kiting: Cement Shoes / Tales from the Compound Collections

Dean Chills: SexyFic Shorts – Grace Under Water, Soon to be Single, Diving for Diana ALSO in audio, Jack’s Anniversary, Gay in Galveston and Breathless Prisoner coming soon…

 

Episode 20:

 

Topic One: Mistakes and Regrets

What was your biggest mistake in this business… so far?

Chills… My Name / Gay or Straightness

Kiting… Farting around / Confusing Bi Story

 

Topic Two: Social Media

Why do you need it?

What do you do?

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Tumblr
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Youtube

We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

 

Episode 19: Kindle Unlimited

Welcome back to Episode NINETEEN of the Writing and Publishing Erotica Podcast. I am H. K. Kiting and I am Dean Chills and we’re your hosts for the show. This is the podcast where we talk about writing and publishing in general, and include the occasional tidbit about erotica specifically.

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

What’s your most recent release?

H. K. Kiting: Meat Land / Tales from the Compound

Dean Chills: SexyFic Shorts ALSO Breathless Prisoner in Audio

 

Episode 19: Kindle Unlimited

Topic One: KU

• What is it?
• When did you get in?
• What do you get paid?
• What were your results?
• Are you still in?
• What are your Predictions and future plans for KU?

 

Topic Two: Reader Mail

Hey guys,

I found your podcast last week and have finally caught up on all the episodes. It’s been really inspirational (and a good way to pass the time while walking to school).

I was wondering, do you know anything about erotica publishing in other languages? Do the major online publishing platforms have non-English markets? If so, do you think authors who write in languages other than English would ever be interested in translating their novels to reach a wider audience?

I’m not sure if these are the kinds of questions your interested in answering. If not, I apologize!

Thanks for the podcast. I’m looking forward to the next one

 

• Walking to school? I hope you’re not eight years old J
• Amazon at least has the ability publish in other languages, but I have no idea how it’s done.
• Is it a good idea? Yes, probably.
• Is it worth the expanse? That’s more debatable.

 We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

 

This week we tackle a couple of interesting topics: 1. A reader wrote in asking us to critique his cover of “Janko’s Gym” and discuss whether or not we like drawings or photos for our covers. We decided that he was very talented, but the drawing was probably inappropriate for an erotica. We liked his book though.

 

2. Another reader phoned in a question asking how we write from the opposite sex or gender’s point of view.

 

3. We introduce our plan for an erotica REVIEW podcast. Details will be coming soon, contact us if you’d like your book to be reviewed on the show. [email protected]

 

Links: Janko’s Gym: http://amzn.to/1A75GfP Arthur’s Tumblr: http://arthurlemat.tumblr.com Henry’s Tumblr: http://lovingair.tumblr.com Dean’s Tumblr: http://sexyfic.tumblr.com

Episode 16: Getting Things Done, Procrastination, and 2015 Goals

Welcome back to Episode SIXTEEN of the Writing and Publishing Erotica Podcast. I am H. K. Kiting and I am Dean Chills and we’re your hosts for the show. This is the podcast where we talk about writing and publishing in general, and include the occasional tidbit about erotica specifically.

If you haven’t visited our blog, go to SexyFic.com and take a look. All our books are listed there, as well as past episodes of the show. There’s also a notification list sign-up form that lets us drop you an email whenever we have a new book or podcast episode.

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

What’s your most recent release?

H. K. Kiting: The Bunker

Dean Chills: Working on sequel to “Jack’s Birthday Surprise”

 

Episode 16: 2015 Goals, Getting Things Done, and Procrastination

Topic ONE: Goals

Happy New Year!

Do you do anything specific with your writing at this time of year?

Chills: I am going through every one of my books, updating my “Also-bys” and looking for typos. I plan to review and republish everything by the end of January. I’ll probably go through it all again in July, at the very least to update the “Also-bys.” The best advertising for your books are your books.

 

What are your goals for the new year, writing and business-wise?

Kiting: A Book a week. Details?

Chills: Expanding my Non-Fiction books, but still getting out an erotica at least one a month.

 

Topic TWO: Getting Organized

Do you tend to procrastinate?

 

Is writing fun or work? Is it a “Job” for you?

 

What does your weekly work schedule look like?

 

How many hours a week do you work on writing?

What are your productivity tips? Any tools that you use for staying organized? (Calendars, to-do lists, etc.)

 

Chills: And as I mentioned at the beginning of the show, I have an offer for you to get a couple of my audiobooks for free. I have promo codes to get “Scuba Lessons #1: Pool Time” for free through Audible.com. I only have a handful of them, so I can’t give them out to just everyone, so here’s the deal. E-mail me and ask for one, I’ll send you the free code, but you have to promise to leave a review on Audible and/or Amazon for the book. Send me another email, pointing me to your review, and I’ll send you ANOTHER code for the second book in the series, “The Quarry.” If you review THAT one and contact me, I’ll send you a review code for the third book when it gets released. Three free books just for doing a couple of quick reviews. Now, these are gay-themed stories, so if that doesn’t interest you, please don’t ask for a code!

Kiting: We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

 

[14-01-04: Corrected and uploaded the correct audio file… Sorry!]

If you find enjoy this podcast or find it helpful then review us on iTunes.  Also, check out our books at SexyFic.com

What’s your most recent release?

H. K. Kiting: The Funhouse

Dean Chills: Forbidden WInter

 

Episode 15: Book Covers

We’ve talked a bunch about the act of writing itself, but we’ve never touched on one of the most important aspects of your book: The Cover. In many ways, the cover is more important than the contents of your book: it’s the first thing a prospective reader sees, and if they hate the cover, your book has zero chance of being bought.

 

What should be on an erotic book cover?

• Shirtless men and Fabio clones?
• Half-dressed women
• Faces or just bodies?

Amazon’s UNOFFICIAL rules:

• –Naked female torso including front view or sometimes side view.  Side boob inappropriate.
• –Arms or hands across breasts.
• –Naked butt.   On one occasion, upper thigh close to lower butt cheek was unacceptable.
• –No naked people in a clinch even if they aren’t “fondling”.
• –Any sexual position that implies penetration (Missionary, doggie-style, etc).
• –No naked characters straddling each other.
• –No handcuffs on wrists.  Handcuffs being held is fine.
• –No “O” faces.
• –No nudity.
• –No women on their knees in front of men (as in implied fellatio).
• –No men between women’s thighs (as in implied cunnilingus).
• –No men’s faces on breasts.

Still there is NO official list of rules other than a vague statement that their content guidelines are “About what you’d expect.”

Ways of getting a book cover made:

• Buy a premade book cover
• Hire someone to make a book cover
• Do it yourself

Doing it yourself:

• Tools (Photoshop, Pixelmator, etc.)
•  Abtract?
• Photos- Taken yourself or purchased from Stock Photographers [Jason’s Mummification]

Legal considerations:

• Model release (and especially decency clauses)
• Photo licenses and royalties. Not as simple as just buying from a stock site.

 

We really want to hear from you. If you have a comment, complaint, or topic suggestion, mail us at [email protected] or stop by SexyFic.com and leave a voicemail on the tab that allows you to record a message. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave a review for the show if you like it.

Episode 14: Audio Books

 

What’s your most recent release?

Dean Chills: Forbidden Winter

H. K. Kiting: Riding the Tide

 

Audiobook Samples:

Scuba Lessons #1: Pool Time

Scuba Lessons #2: The Quarry

 

 

Episode 14: Audiobooks

Dean: I mentioned a few episodes back that I had a few audio books out, and I got several emails asking how that works.

 

Question 1: Where can you sell audio books?

ACX – CreateSpace – Your own website – CD Baby

 

Question 2: Should I narrate my own books or not?

Doing it yourself:

Are you the same sex as the narrator?

Are you comfortable doing it?

Do you sound natural doing it?

Can you do the voices or accents?

Paying someone else to narrate your story

Paying outright

Where can you find narrators?

Revenue split through ACX

 

Question 3: What do I need to do it myself?

Equipment

Quiet space

Question 4: How much can I make?

40% on ACX sales. The Author and Narrator each get 20%. Pricing varies depending on length.

Createspace charges $4.95 + 15% of the sale

Your site: The Sky’s the limit

Sites Mentioned:             

ACX

Createspace

Audible

Gum Road

CD Baby