November Workshop

*** Permission to Forward Granted and Encouraged***

BDSM in Romance - Understanding and Writing the Lifestyle for Romance Writers

By Sascha Illyvich

November 4-10, 2012

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION: This workshop is for authors particularly in the romance genre who dabble BDSM in any form, be it writing spanking stories, light bondage, or like myself, heavier darker things.  Many folks think that once a book is written the author’s job is done.  Not so.  As any seasoned author knows, once we finish writing, we have edits, cover art choices, more edits, and of course the hype.  Marketing, promotions.  PR Hell as it is known in some circles.  That’s the toughest part of any author’s job IMO and will make or break any author dumb enough to rely solely on the publisher.  Our job as authors is a business and needs to be treated like such, even if we DO get to have a little more fun than any corporate schmo.  So, in order of author responsibilities:  1. Establish the Brand (I’m Sascha Illyvich, paranormal erotica/BDSM romance author)

2. Maintain the Brand (Primarily through PR, I write about wolves, fae, vampires, but you’ll never see me write a western!)

3. Grow the Brand (I write paranormal romances, which puts me in with the anime crowd who likes dark fantasy!)  This workshop will focus on Number 3:  Grow the Brand.  What authors often fail to realize is that in including different elements like spanking or light bondage that they are writing for their normal audiences but with a little more effort could target not just the fringe readers; those who are closeted about their darker desires, but those who are a little open with their darker desires.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER: As the Acknowledged Bad Boy of Romance, I have been writing and published in this genre for the last twelve years, worked two large BDSM events in Houston with HPEP, been actively involved on mailing list discussions, read a few books, met and spent time with Jay Wiseman (Author of SM 101: A Realistic Introduction)   I occasionally write for Paddedkink.com, a BBW BDSM site.  I've been on numerous BDSM panels am an active Lifestyle Dominant and have been vetted.  Oh, and as I mentioned before, my Mom is a Lifestyle Domme – meaning when she realized that she enjoyed kinky sex, she sought out knowledge and became who she is today, teaching her son proper play.  My previous workshop, Writing from the Male POV and creating better heroes was a success both at Coffee Time Romance and at Collette Thomas’s Erotic Workshop yahoo group.  I have taught this workshop for HHRW RWA chapter and Savvy Authors.

WORKSHOP FEES:

$15 for Members
$20 for Non-Members

To pay via PayPal, please send payment to workshops@passionateink.org and make the subject line WORKSHOP: BDSM. Please be sure the information field includes the name and email address you will be using for the workshop.

To pay via check, please include WORKSHOP: BDSM in the memo area. Also, please include a note containing the name and email address you will be using for the workshop.

Mail checks to:

Robin L Rotham, Treasurer
P.O. Box 2412
Norfolk, NE 68702

***Permission to forward granted and encouraged.***