Two Girls Kissing: Writing Lesbian Literary Erotica
with Amie M. Evans

Coming Up with Story Ideas

Sometimes generating short stories ideas is difficult. Everyone experiences writer’s block. I’ve heard students and seasoned writers complain that if they could just figure out what to write about or could just get started that they would be fine, but getting started was causing them to be blocked. Some times you just cannot focus on an idea or come up with a story start that speaks to you. New writers may feel pressure to select the "perfect" idea and fear that their choice will be "wrong". Established authors may feel that they have exhausted their supply of original ideas or that they simply keep retelling the same story with small changes. All of these things cause additional stress that with further interfere will the writer’s ability to come up with an idea for a story.

Whether you are experiencing block or just interested in a few new writing exercises, here are some of the methods I use to generate ideas for my short lesbian erotica.

Have you ever had one of those days or weeks were everything you encounter strikes you as potential material for a short story? Mundane events and items trigger a reaction in your mind and you are over come by ideas for stories or characters. These are Aha! Ideas: story and character ideas that seem to come to you rapidly and from no where. If your muse is speaking to you at warp speed, it is usually impossible to address all of the ideas that bombard you. I record these ideas in full detail in my writer’s notebook for use later when my muse is on vacation and I cannot seem to generate a single good idea.

If you do not keep a writer’s notebook, then you should start. A writer’s notebook is a notebook of your choosing that you keep with you at all times and dedicate exclusively to ideas for your writing. I use a small assignment book that fits into my purse. Whatever your preference in notebooks is, select one that prevents you from ripping out pages. Make a pact with yourself to use the notebook only for writing ideas. Avoid putting to-do or shopping lists, phone numbers and notes to your self or doing any actual writing in the notebook. Essentially the notebook contains your notes on potential story ideas or brief character sketches.

You can record story ideas, character sketches, dialogue you over heard, and tape clippings or pictures that inspired an idea for a story or character. You can record brief sentences, actual scenes, or detailed plots. It is up to you. For example, a photo from a magazine may inspire a story idea. Rip it out and paste it into your notebook. Be sure to include as many details about your idea as possible. This can be done informally in fragments and with bullet points using key words instead of your best prose. But be sure to include enough detail to remind your self in three or four months of the original idea. The notebook serves as a holding place until you have time to actually use the ideas. This is of great value when your muse isn’t talking to you.

Use actual sexual encounters as a starting point for your erotic story. Change characters and/or details, unless you are writing memoir. Feel free to enhance your encounter. Make the sex hotter or more elaborate, create conflict where none existed, enhance your self and your partner(s). Turn real life into fiction. Not all real life makes for good literature; however, using an actual encounter as the seed for a fictional story can bring new inspiration.

Likewise, use your fantasies. Have you always wanted to have sex in the locker room of your gym, but are too timid to actually do it? Are you curious about bondage, a three way, or a group sex parties, but don’t want to or haven’t had the chance to actually try it? Write about it in a story. All of your sexual fantasies are potential erotic short stories.

In addition to letting you know what kinds of stories editors are looking for; calls can serve as inspiration for stories. Some calls are more helpful then others to generate story ideas. For example, all of the calls for "The Best" of anthologies are vague and not really helpful for generating story ideas. The editors are looking for the Best of lesbian erotica with no strict themes in mind. Other calls are looking for specific stories that you may not have thought about writing until you read the call. Themed anthologies, such as cowgirls, bikers, NYC stories, athletic/sports dykes, prison, pirates, or Drag Kings, etc…, may serve to spark a story idea or an Aha! moment for you. Some editors go so far as to list even more detailed specifics about what they are looking for in a story. Likewise, check calls for other types of erotica. There maybe a call for a themed gaymale or straight erotic anthology that will spark a story idea for a lesbian erotic story.

Sex-Aid and How-To Books are a great resource for both learning about sexual acts that you aren’t familiar with and for finding inspiration for a story idea. Reading about different sex acts can inspire you to write a story centered on that sex act. Likewise, books like 101 Nights of Grrreat Romance, where the pages are sealed and need to be torn open to reveal a predetermined sexual scenario, can be great fun and a source of strong inspiration. A few of my favorite reference books are listed in the Resource Section. Page through them until something inspires you or select a topic and read about it for inspiration.

The Slips of Paper Method is one of my favorite writing exercises. Use the Slips of Paper Method to generate just about anything from characters to places to story ideas to conflicts by changing what you list on the slips. Essentially you will have three piles of slips and select one from each pile to generate whatever it is you are looking for.

To get started, cut about 40 2x2 inch slips of paper and separate them into three piles. It is best to have at least ten slips in each pile, but feel free to have more and to reuse them.

To generate a character: list 3 physical traits on each slip of paper in pile A; 3 personality strengths on each slip in pile B; and 3 personality weaknesses on each slip in pile C. For example: Character A: A: blonde, 5’10, c-cup; B: driven, focused, loyal; C: self-centered, compulsive, fear of failure. Character B: A: short red hair, muscular, 5’5; B: committed, determined, honest ; C: closed minded, sneaky, stubborn.

To generate an erotic short story: list one to two conflicts on each slip of paper in pile A; list a location on each slip of paper in pile B; and list two sex acts on each slip of paper in pile C. Select one slip from each pile and use them with the characters you have generated to write a story. For example: A: Character A is dating character B’s best friend; B: at a ski resort in a hot tub; C: oral and bondage. Use these with the two characters above to write a story.

Be creative with what you list on the slips and daring with the combinations you make.

Personal ads are one of the best free tools for inspiration for story ideas. In addition to character traits, many of the ads contain ideas for locations and activities, and, when put together with another randomly selected ad, they often include built in conflict.

Cut out 20 or 30 women-seeking-women ads and put them into an envelope. Keep the envelope near your writing area for use when needed. Randomly select two ads from the envelope and read them. The ads will provide basic character information that you can build on and often activities and settings can be drawn out of the descriptions.

What’s not written in the ads is as important as what is. Contemplate the ads and consider what you know about psychology and human nature. Then, ask yourself:

What is the person who wrote this ad like physically? Emotionally? What is she looking for in a partner? Are there hints of potential areas of conflict, locations for scenes, activities you might write about? Now write a story about the two people in the ads as a couple or having a sexual encounter.

I normally write character driven fiction, so strong, fully developed characters are critical to starting my writing process. I often find that if I know who I am writing about the other elements of the story (plot, conflict, location…) reveal themselves to me as I write. I usually start with detailed character sketches and let the characters reveal their story to me. The same can be true in reverse. By establishing one element of the story (the conflict, location, sex act…) the other elements will reveal themselves to you as you write. Experiment by establishing different elements and writing about them to generate story ideas.

1.  The Slip Method: Generate two characters and a story idea then write that

2.  Personal Ad Exercise: Randomly select two personal ads and construct characters based on the information in the ads. Write a story about the two characters using information from the ads for setting and potential conflicts.

3.  The Book Method: Select a sexual activity you haven’t written about and read the entry in the resource book of your choice. Write a story centered on that activity.

4.  Elements Exercise: Pick one element and start to write about that element. Experiment with different elements as starting points.

5.  Combine any two of the above methods to generate stories. For example, 1 & 3 or 2 & 3.

• Sex Deck: Playful Positions to Spice Up Your Love Life by Dr. Dawn Harper
• Whole Lesbian Sex Book, Second Edition by Felice Newman
• Big Big Love by Hanne Blank
• Screw the Roses Send Me the Thorns by Philip Miller & Molly Devon
• 101 Nights of Grrreat Romance by Laura Corn
• Daily Sex: 365 Positions and Activities for a Year of Great Sex! by Jane Seddon

If there is an issue you would like me to address in Two Girls Kissing, please email it to me, Amie M. Evans, with the column title as the subject line. To be added to my confidential monthly email list, please email me with subscribe as the subject line.

Amie M. Evans
February 2007

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"Two Girls Kissing: Writing Lesbian Literary Erotica" © 2006 Amie M. Evans. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Amie M. Evans is a widely published creative nonfiction and literary erotica writer, experienced workshop provider, and a retired burlesque and high-femme drag performer. She is on the board of directors for Saints and Sinners GLBT literary festival and graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in Literature and is currently working on her MLA at Harvard.
Read Amie M. Evans' bio at the Erotica Readers & Writers Association.

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