Romancing the Story: Writing Romance, Storytelling, and Book Structure

Ep 50 - Romance versus Erotica and Defining the Genre with Cassandra Rose Clarke

May 08, 2023
Romancing the Story: Writing Romance, Storytelling, and Book Structure
Ep 50 - Romance versus Erotica and Defining the Genre with Cassandra Rose Clarke
Show Notes Chapter Markers

"(For erotica) You have to have an escalation for how the s*x scenes build on each other, in that sense of things getting more and more serious."

Cassandra Rose Clarke knows how to play with genres. She teaches writing classes across multiple genres and has written over 70 novels - working with official tie-in books like Star Trek, Halo, etc. We chat on what defines an erotica as opposed to a romance - and how language is essential in building the right emotion for salacious scenes. We also theorize on genre-mixing and how stories can incorporate erotic elements.

Cassandra's Books:

https://amzn.to/3VlZHkl

Connect with Cassandra:
http://www.cassandraroseclarke.com/
Instagram: @cassandraroseclarke
Twitter: @seeorsea
Facebook: @authorcassandraroseclarke
Tumblr: @cassandraroseclarke
Goodreads: 5331983.Cassandra_Rose_Clarke

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Custom Book Blurb Service with Jessie (Separate from DIY course):
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Time Stamps

[0:04:35] Erotica and romance can overlap.
[00:06:21] Erotica and romance can overlap.
[00:12:39] Erotica should have emotional connection.
[00:16:41] Erotica often requires explicit content.
[00:21:04 Erotic scenes enhance storytelling experience.
[00:26:09] Fantasy romance is legitimate genre.
[00:30:56] Exploring sexuality in speculative fiction.
[00:36:04] Language and context shape intimacy.
[00:44:49] Integrate sex scenes with plot.
[00:46:12] Pay attention to language in sex scenes.
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Books Mentioned:

Linnea Sinclair's Books

https://amzn.to/3pm0e9T

Finley Fenn's Books

https://amzn.to/41gjoeX

Strange Love by Ann Aguirre

https://amzn.to/3NPOR4A

The Red by Tiffany Reisz

https://amzn.to/3VIHVbb

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The YouTube Channel
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Support the Show

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Connect with Me:
Twitter - @RomancetheStory
Instagram - @RomancetheStory
Facebook - @RomancetheStory

Music:
Strawberry Flavor Love by Daystar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMi0dxVgqvo

Support the show

Erotica and romance can overlap.
Erotica and romance can overlap
Erotica should have emotional connection
Erotica often requires explicit content
Erotic scenes enhance storytelling experience
Fantasy romance is legitimate genre
Exploring sexuality in speculative fiction
Language and context shape intimacy
Integrate sex scenes with plot
Pay attention to language in sex scenes