Forum: Author Hangout

Help! (Okay, I feel better now)

I'm writing an erotic novel. I finished the rough draft with 10 chapters, 81 (Word) Pages and 42,300 Words Total (so far).

I'm in the process of reading it from the beginning to find the first line of errors/continuity. But I'm seeing that I have over used certain words, and I'm hoping to get idea's for replacements. I've used an urban thesaurus to help with some, but there's still a lot left and I don't want to keep using the same 5 or so words over and over again.

Being erotica, I'm sure you can figure what words I'm talking about. But yes, it words like "cock" and "pussy".

I'm trying to stay away from 'clean' versions, like vagina or penis (just sounds too clinically for erotica) but I also don't want to use words that seem childish. I also want words that every one would know (you wouldn't believe some of the words the urban thesaurus threw at me... about 90% I had no clue what they were talking about).

So please, any help/suggestions would be awesome!!

(PS: I'm also looking for a couple beta readers, if anyone is interested. Each chapter is saved as a separate file, so I can send them individually if needed).

Thanks.
JP

Being erotica, I'm sure you can figure what words I'm talking about. But yes, it words like "cock" and "pussy".

Why?

If his hand was a focus of the story, would you be looking for alternatives? If he is called Tim, do you see other names for him?

The issue isn't overuse of a noun, the issue is i crafting your descriptions so that excessive use simply does not occur.

I'd agree that using penis and vagina is to clinical, it can however show insecurity, prudishness etc (in the character or the author) similarly 'thingy' etc.

Also the context matters, you might cup a girl's sex in your hand, lick a girl's pussy, but if you're writing a bdsm scene, pussies don't get whipped, cunts do.

Generally a penis is like a cock, only smaller. No idea why, but many girls/women associate size with nomenclature.

Oe way to avoid using cock or pussy repeatedly is to reference the relevant part of each. Doing so is actually educational, just ensure you get it right..!!

but I also don't want to use words that seem childish.

So, I guess my suggestions of snootcher, cooter, and snizz are useless?

I don't want to keep using the same 5 or so words over and over again.

I think I use less than 10 words to describe a woman's hoo-ha and no one's complained.

How many times are you using the word pussy in a 42,000 word story?

There is a humorous short story on here someplace. I can't find it or exactly remember the title. The title includes the name of the main character and it's a garbled spelling of cliche.

The reason I mention this is that the entire story exists only to use every possible naughty word or euphemism ONCE AND ONLY ONCE.

If someone can find it, you will have LOTS of new word choices.