By M.Christian
YNOT – By his own admission, Sascha Illyvich is difficult to classify. A respected author of erotic fiction — his novels have been listed as “recommended reads” by both Night Owl Romance and Road to Romance, as well as nominated for The Romance Studio’s Cupid and Psyche Awards — he also is a radio host (Unnamed Romance on Radio Dentata), a writing teacher and a BDSM player. In a previous life, he produced traditional adult content and interviewed porn stars for print publications.
Illyvich has watched the adult industry change for 11 years, and he’s tried not only to keep pace, but also to learn from the industry’s stumbles. Although it’s a tad more respectable to write sizzling, explicit romance novels than it is to “make porn,” Illyvich believes the two fields of endeavor can — and should — learn from each other. Both will benefit.
He took a few minutes to discuss that philosophy with YNOT.com.
YNOT: Please tell us a little about what you’re up to these days.
Sascha Illyvich: I continue to write for Sizzler Editions and Total E-bound, and I editor for Sizzler Editions’ Intoxication Romance line. I’m also part of the WriteSex panel, a group blog defining erotica for writers in any genre. Readers can find my work, plus free reads at SaschaIllyvichAuthor.com.
Marketing is one area in which you’ve been very successful. Share a few examples of how you think the adult industry has gotten internet marketing right … and where the industry may need to improve.
One of the biggest things any successful marketer must learn is that customers are people. Here’s an example: I recently emailed Brad [Mitchell] of MojoHost to thank him for his hospitality, and what I got in return was a gentleman’s response thanking me for allowing him the pleasure to host my sites. I’m a little guy in adult, meaning I don’t play a huge role like some others do, but Brad’s treatment of me indicated he thought I was important.
Marketing isn’t about numbers — not really. It’s about people.
You’re a successful writer, and there are some interesting parallels between how that realm is evolving after the onset of the so-called Digital Revolution and what’s going in adult. Can you share some thoughts about that?
[Fiction publishing] really hasn’t changed per se — it’s just become easier for anyone with a pen and the ability to string words together to become published. Higher quality needs to remain the focus of both publishers and adult content producers. Neither erotic writing nor adult content can remain fresh without new voices, but those new voices need to to pay their dues, stop whining and learn from experienced masters all while taking the lessons and making them their own.
Far too often, adult entertainment websites fail to engage users on a level that will keep them coming back for more. Adding erotic stories is one way to spice up a product offering. Why?
Literotica is the largest adult story website, with traffic that easily could encompass fan fiction readers [as well as readers of more traditional erotica]. I think Literotica’s traffic speaks for the value of story content.
Adding a story section to almost any adult site could increase market share by attracting not just the average voyeur male, but also any woman who likes her sex dirty, rough, raw and filled with sensation — not necessarily emotion, though that helps. Adult misses out on this market by having too much invested in their current audience and not stepping away to see missed opportunities. Laser focus is great, but without a broader view, a company or site cannot grow as fast.
Where do you see adult entertainment heading in the next few years, and what can adult businesses do to prepare for the changes?
People are going to want more immediacy if they’re going to be asked to spend money. It’s the nature of business. Deliver a product your customer can appreciate; deliver a product that holds the value you’re asking of it. Consumers are going to expect and demand higher quality. That means while the tube sites may continue to rip us off, the quality of content we’re putting out needs to remain higher.
