Here’s an author interview with Sophie Morgan.
Take it away, Sophie!
- How did you start writing erotica?
Initially it was very much about writing about my own experiences. I’m very into D/s and, particularly early on when I was first getting into it, I found myself thinking a lot about what I’d done in the day or two afterwards. In a lot of ways my earliest writing (on a now long-defunct blog) was about trying to explain to myself and others exactly what I got out of submission and why and how it was hot even while a voice in the back of my head was going ‘why are you letting him do THAT?!’. It grew very much from there.
- What’s your favourite published work of yours and why?
I think I have to say The Diary of a Submissive. It’s my largest work to date by some distance and getting it completed to Penguin’s specifications at a tight deadline was a real challenge. When I managed it I celebrated with a lot of wine. And sleep. So much sleep.
- What erotic authors do you enjoy reading?
I read a lot, both books (I have a Kindle and the apps on my iPhone and iPad and am constantly reading if I get a few minutes) and blogs. I’ve loved Portia Da Costa’s work for years (she was one of my earliest Black Lace purchases), but other people who appear with regularity in my Erotica folder include Kay Jaybee, Charlotte Stein, Alison Tyler, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Violet Blue, Tiffany Reisz, Liz Coldwell, and Sommer Marsden. There’s lots of others though – I’m a big fan of Xcite’s anthologies and the quality of writing there is incredible. The days of erotic fiction being poorly written are long gone, as readers now we’re spoiled for choice.
- Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Lots of it is real life, but also being a big news geek I have a lot of streams of consciousness sparked by things I read in the paper where I go ‘what if when that happened *this* happened too…’
- Do you have any unusual writing rituals?
Not really a ritual but I am an incredible procrastinator. It’s the journalist in me – I find it very difficult to stop faffing and knuckle down until the deadline is looming, which is fine if you’ve got a 1,000 word feature to finish in a few hours, but less good when the book is 90,000 words. So if I’m properly writing, I’m very strict with myself – no TV or distractions, no internet, and I write fifty minutes of every hour, stopping at ten to (or around then – if I’m on a roll I’ll let it keep going) make a mug of tea and wander about my flat a bit. It makes for a bit of solitary existence sometimes but my boyfriend quite likes it when cricket season is on as he can watch it all day without me complaining. He does keep me furnished with tea and chocolate hobnobs though.
- Where’s your favourite place to write?
If I’m not at home I quite enjoy hanging out on a comfy chair in Starbucks or somewhere similar with my laptop. Give me a gingerbread latte and a wall to sit with my back to (so no-one can see what I’m writing) and I’m away. Again it minimises the opportunity for procrastination.
- Do your nearest and dearest know what you do, and if so, what was their reaction when they found out?
Some of my friends do, and my boyfriend does. His exact words when I told him were: ‘Seriously? That’s really hot. And you bake too? Awesome!’
- What was your ideal career when you were a child?
I always wanted to be a writer of some description. Ever since I can remember I’ve been a voracious reader and writer, right from making and illustrating books with treasury tags to give to my parents aged about six. I’ll be honest, the plots were simplistic.
- How do you get yourself in the mood to write?
Remove all distractions. Procure caffeine. Start typing.
- What’s the best writing tip you’ve ever been given?
Just keep writing. If you’re suffering from writer’s block and you don’t think what you’re writing is any good or saying what you want it to don’t be downhearted, just keep going. It’s much easier to edit something when you come back to it than start all over again. Also – and this came from my first newspaper editor and is as relevant for my non-news writing – don’t get het up about your first sentence. You can sit for ages pondering how best to start something, but sometimes it’s only launching in and getting the broad strokes of it there that will give you the inspiration for the initial intro hook. It doesn’t matter what order you write it in as long as it’s all there in the end.
- What are you working on at the moment?
I’m just finishing the proposal for a sequel to The Diary of a Submissive – watch this space! Also, I’ve got a lot of freelance work on as part of the book promotion, which merges my day job and erotica writing together in a way that boggles my mind a little.
- What’s the biggest writing challenge you’ve ever taken on? Did you succeed?
It has to be The Diary of a Submissive again. As for whether it’s successful – I guess we’ll wait and see!
The Diary of a Submissive by Sophie Morgan is published by Penguin on 30th August in paperback £7.99
The ebook is available to buy on kindle or itunes: