Writing about sex: Island author gives workshop on erotica

When Kathleen Hamilton started writing erotica, she mostly relied onmemory and fantasy.

Her first book was called Sex After Baby: Why there is None, and todaythe accomplished Island writer, poet and playwright teaches others how to pen a story about thetouchy subject.

"I didn't really have much of a sex life then but I had a really good fantasy life and a really good memory," she told MainstreetP.E.I. on Wednesday.

"I think I just wanted to recreate those experiences."

A challenging topic

Hamilton said the Delta of Venus: Erotic Writing Workshop is for anyone interested in writing erotica but not quite sure how to do it.

It's a good subject for a workshop because many writers find the topic challenging, she said.

"Writers have a fear of being judged, of being vulnerable," she said. "And that can make for a situation where I think they are trying too hard."

The workshops Hamilton leads are meant to feel as non-threatening and relaxed as possible.

Nobody has to read their story aloud unless they want to, and the first rule everyone agrees on is confidentiality, she said.

"And then people feel safe to write freely and maybe explore," she said.

Connect with the reader

Hamilton added that literature on sex has taken off in recent years, as more books have come on the market.

The stories appeal to readers because they get to experience something fairly profound, she said.

But the rules for writing good erotica are much the same as for any other story: it needs interesting characters that transform, an intriguing story, and concrete details that evoke the senses, she said.

"The reader needs to connect with the character before they care what they do in bed," she said.

The Delta of Venus workshop will be held at the UPEI faculty lounge on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

It costs $25 for members of the P.E.I. Writer's Guild and $35 for non-members.To register, call 902-964-2297.

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