Last week Rachel Kramer Bussel threw a big party to celebrate the new anthology she edited, Best Sex Writing 2008. She held the event at Rapture Cafe in the East Village, bringing together a crack team of erotic readers.
I put together a lo-fi web video so you could see the event yourself. Click here for more information about Bussel's upcoming readings. Today, she explains how to build a better public reading to support your work.
Welcome to my deceptively simple feature, Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web writing. Jason Boog: Rachel Kramer Bussel:
At your book opening, you found some new, unexpected writers for your collection as well. How can writers build a vibrant writing community like you have? Any advice for building a better public reading/ book opening?
Reading widely, for one. I am constantly picking up books or visiting websites that might lead to something of interest, and those aren't all "sex blogs" per se. Continue reading...
I think you have to fully dive into your topic and make yourself accessible to people looking to find you. I get referrals all the time for my reading series In The Flesh and I love that.
Ellen Sussman just contacted me about her upcoming book Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex, and I think we're doing to team up for a Dirty Words night.
I picked up Colleen Curran's anthology Altared at The Strand and discovered one of my favorite essays in the book, Jill Eisenstadt's "To Have or Have Not: Sex on the Wedding Night." So read a lot and write to authors you like; review their books on Amazon, spread the word.
Not only do they appreciate it, but you'll find like-minded fellow readers. Nothing's a bigger compliment than someone telling me they read something because I recommended it.
I know not everyone can or wants to do this, and I don't always either, but I try to make myself and my reading series In The Flesh as accessible as possible. It's done mostly by invitation and referral, but sometimes people will contact me if they've published an erotica story, and I'm happy to read their work.
I often do public calls for my anthologies (I'm editing two right now on oral sex. I'm a real connector and I love writerly kindred spirits, plus I think writing can get lonely and boring so including other people, whether it's a book or writing club or a reading series or website you're putting together, can help feed your own writing and thinking as well as fostering this sense of community.
I also am a fan of holding readings at places other than bookstores. The social atmosphere of a bar or cafe or club is much more conducive to people having a good time.
Click here to catch up on Rachel Kramer Bussel's whole interview.
» The Publishing Spot Library: Rachel Kramer Bussel from ThePublishingSpot
Don't be scared to write about sex! To help us all, I went to the expert to help us become more comfortable writing about all things sensual. Rachel Kramer Bussel wrote the excellent Lusty Lady sex column at the Village... [Read More]
Tracked on: February 12, 2008 9:18 AM | Permalink to Trackback