first scenes
in a mystery, the first chapter has a murder. if that's true, then in an erotic romance there should be sex or a hint of it, right? my first chapter is more mystery than sex. if the first scene should hook the reader, then a reader of erotic romance wouldn't be hooked by my first scene. is this a problem? just wondering if your projects start out with sex in the first scene/chapter? and should i rework my beginning?

I'm probably the worst person to answer this LOL because I nearly always build my stories up very slowly with a lot of scene setting and a long slow-burning fuse to the first hint of sex. Dunno why, I just can't seem to fling myself headlong into a sex scene before I've fully developed the characters. I don't think it's a problem per se, as long as the writing in the first chapter/scene is grabby enough in its own right to hook the readers. My own 2c - porn readers want sex with very little plot, but erotica (and especially erotic romance) readers want plot, well rounded characters and believability to go with their sex. That's a sweeping generalisation, of course, but I think it holds pretty true. :)

Yah, I've got to agree with Tav. If you want to write pornish, then do the no plot route, or the bare minimum of plot. It's a matter of personal taste, what a reader wants, and on my part, I want a plot, the believable characters, a purpose behind a story that includes sex. But...I've read not a few no plot, or almost no plot, fifty thousand word novels since starting my proofreading for Torquere, so there's also a market for the bare minimum of brainwork.

Let the story and the characters tell you. That's my advice. If the characters want the sex off the bat, go with it. If they don't, then don't. I've given up (more or less) on arguing with my men. LOL

Do what the characters say. However, if you are doing it for the erotica market... have 'em in bed or at least fantasising about getting everyone in bed by chapter 3. Actually there's no rule of thumb.

cool. i think i'll let the story do what comes naturally and trust it. thanks you guys. you rule!

I find that once I get into the swing of writing my characters want to screw like bunnies anyhow (although there are occasional "strikes" - pokes the boys).

My erotic romance norml doesn't have sex until chapter 3 or 4--

my first sex scene isn't for a while but it builds in sensuality for pages and pages.