Interview with Sage Vivant
Interview by Jenna Glatzer

Sage is the creator of Custom Erotica Source, a business that creates customized erotica stories for clients.  Prior to starting this business, Sage spent 13 years in banking and federal bank regulation.  She couldn't stand NOT being a writer anymore, but didn't want to go through the traditional publishing rigmarole.  Hence, she went straight to consumers with her erotica writing.

How did you get started as a writer? 

I was always one of those people who ended up being the "writer" in every job I had, even when writing wasn't part of my job description. I'd be the one writing the reports, the memos, the press releases, the summaries, etc. By the time I was at my government regulatory job for a two or three years and already being asked to represent my region in the national newsletter, I began to realize more consciously that I was a writer and that it was time to start having fun with that talent. I kept my writing efforts focused on banking topics, and found myself getting published in a variety of banking-related publications.

After nine years, the government I worked for underwent some restructuring and I got a golden parachute kind of deal (if I wanted it). While most of my colleagues were worried about where else they might find jobs in banking, I just felt immense relief because I knew leaving my job would be the beginning of a writing career for me. When I decided to leave that job at the end of 1997, my intention was to become a freelance writer, but I also planned to launch Custom Erotica Source, my online brainchild, because I understood how difficult it would be to get published in a traditional sense. I'd battled enough red tape and procedures in the government to want to do *anything* to circumvent that same scenario in my publishing attempts, which leads me to your next question.

How did you come up with the idea for this very unique business?

I knew that breaking into publishing via traditional methods would be difficult, if not impossible. Yet, I was determined to write and have people *read* my writing. I asked myself what the world wanted to read about most and I came up with two answers: 1. sex 2. themselves. Custom erotica seemed the ideal answer. The Internet was the ideal medium to promote it -- I could never have had any success with this idea without the Internet. The online medium allows people to acquaint themselves in relative anonymity with the concept of custom erotica. They can read sample stories online to see whether the writing meets their standards and to give them a good idea about what to expect. 

Why erotica?

In addition to the answer above, erotica was always a genre that I'd found generally lacking. I remember being in college one summer, making up a class that I'd dropped the semester before. I was on campus with only a handful of other students and was indescribably lonely and bored. I seem to recall I was reading something that made reference to the Marquis de Sade, so I went to the library to check the guy out, so to speak. Once I started reading him, I got turned on to the whole notion of erotic writing and read other writers, too: Anais Nin, Lonnie Barbach, and even Henry Miller. While I found the genre intriguing, I also found it frustrating because it so rarely gave me exactly what I needed. So, I started writing my own. I didn't write much of it after that summer, but the experience really stayed with me. I wrote erotica again on a trip to Savannah, Georgia I took by myself in 1995 and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed it.

How many stories do you sell, and what are they like in terms of length, tone, etc.? 

Story sale volume varies wildly from month to month. Some months, only a couple of orders come in. Other months, particularly if Custom Erotica Source has received some publicity, as many as 12 orders might come in. 

The stories has always been 3,000 words, but I'm about to announce a new (more affordable) 1500 word product, as well as a one page product. I will announce these two new products this month.

Tone was an important issue to me when I launched the business. Because erotica is such a subjective genre, I knew that what was sexy to one person would not be sexy to another. So, I developed a three-tiered graphicness level and have sample stories of each level on the Web site. There's a mild level, which might be compared to a very steamy romance novel. The second level is definitely graphic, but avoids excessive graphic language and "non-mainstream" kinds of sex acts. The third level is a no-holds-barred festival of sex! Almost any subject will be tackled at that level, with the exception of nonconsensual sex, bestiality or violence. At no level will Custom Erotica Source include children under the age of 18 as either participants in or witnesses to sex acts.

You teamed up with several other writers and illustrators. How did you choose your team?

Some of them came to me, others I found through their Web sites. I required all of them to "audition" for me, even if I'd read stories they'd written elsewhere and liked them. Just because someone writes well doesn't mean they can write customized erotica. It's *extremely* difficult to bury one's own sexual stimuli and replace them with someone else's. In fact, I try to match writers with story requests that have similar sensibilities. For instance, there are some sexual acts or fetishes that do little for me and I know that I wouldn't be able to convey a genuine level of enthusiasm for those topics. So, I assign stories like that to writers who enjoy writing about them.

I've also got "Celebrity Writers," people who have published work in the genre. I feature them (at a higher price) in case people have favorite authors and would like to have their custom story written by someone whose work they know.

How does erotica differ from pornography?

Ah, the eternal question! Many people, even in the industry, say there is no difference. Some days, I agree with them. But I honestly do believe that what separates erotica from pornography is the role of the mind in the experience. For me, pornography appeals to our basest instincts -- we respond to it without thought and just let our primal programming take over. There's usually nothing wrong with that (unless that's the only way you get turned on, in which case, you're missing a whole lot in life) on an occasional basis. It's fun, in fact! 

Erotica engages mind and body. Erotica recognizes that sex is an endemic part of human life and celebrates that fact. We're turned on and excited so many times in a given day, yet we're taught to ignore those reactions. Erotica encourages appreciation of the sexual in everyday life.

How did you market this service?

That's been my biggest challenge. I have single-handedly promoted the business through press releases that have led to free publicity from newspapers, magazines, radio and television. I've exchanged links with hundreds of other sites. I advertise in some print media, but not much (it just isn't cost effective). I rarely pay for advertising on the Web because that, too, isn't generally cost effective. I now have a newsletter that I send to previous clients and anyone who signs up to receive it.

What are some of the problems you see with most erotica on the market today?

The erotica on the market today is vastly improved over what was available even ten years ago (and certainly better than it was when I was in college in the early 1980s), yet I still find that most of what I read doesn't excite me. Again, it's just too subjective a genre to have broad appeal. We're all too busy to read and if we believe we're going to read something that won't ultimately provide what we're looking for, we're even less likely to read it. That's how I feel about most erotica -- I approach it warily because I suspect it will waste my time.

Do you tell the people around you (family, friends) what you do for a living?

Actually, yes! My immediate family knows about my business but not my uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. All my friends know. I have discovered, though, that telling men who are potential dating prospects is very unwise. They are either frightened by a woman who is that bold about her sexuality or they assume I'm some sort of a madam or prostitute.

What's in the future for your company?

Most customized features and products and ultimately, a book of stories ("The Best of Custom Erotica Source"). One of my goals is to reduce (maybe even eliminate!) the stigma that erotica carries -- I want to help people see how beneficial a customized erotic story can be to their relationships.

Visit Custom Erotica Source here, or its new off-shoot, Eros Letters, here. Authors, please note: unfortunately, Sage is not seeking new writers at this time.