Selling your work to a paying website

[Karinthia]

This discussion has probably been done a few times, but I am new to this site and hoping to get some help and information.

I've written some femdom pieces and posted them to various newsgroups. Today I received an email from a lady who owns a paying website who would like to buy my story (Yippie!). What do I do now?? I have not a clue how much to ask for, what to make sure happens or what I should look out for.

Has anyone been thru this before? I'll be happy getting any kind of advice as I am going into this blind.

Thanks!
Karinthia

 

[Weird Harold]

I've written some femdom pieces and posted them to various newsgroups. Today I received an email from a lady who owns a paying website who would like to buy my story (Yippie!). What do I do now?? I have not a clue how much to ask for, what to make sure happens or what I should look out for.

In this sort of situation, if you have any doubt, contact a lawyer! If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

You might PM Closet Desire with a little more detail. He's both an author and publisher and should have some pertinent comments.

 

[Axeltheswede]

pay site pay rates

Pay rates for erotica are all over the board. Everything from a dime a hit up to $300 for a 5k word specialized story.

Generally, sites dedicated to a specific fetish pay the best. Sub-genres like breast enlargement, femdom, giantism, spanking, balloon sex, and water sports serve small but dedicated subscribers. Gay markets usually pay better than straight. Short (1k to 3k) stories pay $75 to $150 if you can get the attention of a general porn pay site.

The editor making an offer usually has a standard pay range. It may take all your search skills to find that info. A good place to start is the Erotic Reader & Writers Assoc.

Good luck. Hope you get all you can. Understand before you sign just what rights you are selling.

 

[Closet Desire]

I'll have to admit...

...ignorance about paying web sites. Doh!

I've never dealt with them or known anyone who did so I won't even take a chance offering advice about how to go about it.

I have had dealings with the Erotic Readers & Writers Association and it might be a good place to start. There might not be any information posted but there are discussion threads with folks just like you who have been there, done that, so to speak.

Good luck with the venture. Once you find a buyer who likes your work it's a lot easier to get repeat business.

Cheers!

 

[TrinaT]

Congrads on the offer!! I've done some research on the legitimate website publishers and have found several that will work with you over the course of your work. If you have any questions on protecting your work, definitely contact an attorney and also consider looking for help on copyright laws. There are numerous sites on the web concerning copyrights.

Best of luck,

Trina T.

 

[Guest]

I only do novels, and they go on a pay-to-download site which gives me a straight sales percentage royalty. PM me if I can be of any help.

 

[Karinthia]

re:

Hi, everyone! I just wanted to say thank you for all the advice and offers of helped I've received so far. It is appreciated.

I've got some more information to throw out there or muddy the waters and thought it might be some help to others out there that might be in the same boat as me. Some of this might be a repeat from this thread or old information, so bear with me <g>.

It seems like the standard rate of pay is 3 cents a word. not too much, is it? If you write something that has a following but not alot of writers, you can charge (or are offered) more. The standard "thing" is to allow someone to post/keep your work for six months, with them keeping no rights to it whatsoever. After that time, they delete it off their site.

One good place to find a buyer for your work is http://www.erotica-readers.com/ One of my friends joined the discussion group contained within and is quite pleased with it. I think it is comparible to what you folks are doing here (which I'm real thankful for!)

K

 

[Axeltheswede]

Selling work

It is nice of you to come back and share your further experiences.

I have found writing to sell in the erotica genre is an ongoing process. One site leads to another. A sale in one fetish market may prompt interest by another.

One other fact is clear. You have to do some research. To write a story dealing with a specific fetish you have to know it. You really have to understand, appreciate, and cover the "hot buttons" peculiar to that fetish.

Some, I have found beyond my understanding. Balloon sex is one of these. I can't seem to get past the humor.

 

[Guest]

Re: Selling work

... Balloon sex ...

My enormous ignorance again. Is that with? Or on a bed of? Or hanging under? Or ...?

 

[Karinthia]

Re: Selling work

Axeltheswede
>It is nice of you to come back and share your further experiences.

I just wish I had alot more information <g>. The way I see it, the only way places such as this work is if everyone puts in their two cents where they can. Mine wasn't worth *that* much <g>, but the thought was there.

>I have found writing to sell in the erotica genre is an ongoing process. One site leads to another. A sale in one fetish market may prompt interest by another.

I was thinking the opposite, really. If you write for a hard to find topic (I write femdom) then wouldn't the person who buys your story want to keep you to themselves, so to speak?

>One other fact is clear. You have to do some research. To write a story dealing with a specific fetish you have to know it. You really have to understand, appreciate, and cover the "hot buttons" peculiar to that fetish.

You've hit it dead on. You have to write what interests you first and foremost, tho. I've realized that if I don't, the characters seem lifeless and the plot (when there is one <g>) is pretty bland. When I let my imagination go, then I find the audience. Here's hoping that made sense.

>Some, I have found beyond my understanding. Balloon sex is one of these. I can't seem to get past the humor.

I think you need to clue me in on that one <g>. I can only picture two people doing it with those "talk balloon's" over their heads.

K