The romance market continues to be the best-selling literary genre today but what happens when the book is about the sex and less about the love? How do you write erotica that sells?

In her bestselling title, THE SIREN, Tiffany Reisz's main character describes erotica as sex plus fear. It's the fear of vulnerability tied to a sexual appetite that serves as titillating fodder to the erotic love story within.

Erotica is not just sex for the sake of sex.

Any literary or art form that arouses sexual desire or even love in an audience.

Basically, it is writing that has the potential to turn your reader on. It can encompass any sensuality, from a simple sensual bath to the description of an explicitly sexual act but it's primary goal is to arouse the reader.

But writing sex for the sake of sex is not really arousing and while fun, it's not really marketable. You need to write sex for more than just "getting off". There has to be a reason for the sexual encounter.

It's more than just sex for the sake of sex. When adding erotic elements to your story think about the need for the scene within the overall plot of the story, do they move the story forward?

How does the sex scene affect your reader? A sizzling scene should make the reader warm inside, make them want to root for their love.