Today we’re welcoming the brilliant Candy Snatch to our blog. Regular readers will know how obsessed I am with the financial side of sex writing – specifically trying to ensure that those who attend Eroticon can get enough advice/tips/contacts from us that they can cover the cost of their ticket. Well – Candy Snatch has done just that. And she’s here to tell you how…

I remember when I first saw an Eroticon post on my Twitter timeline. I’d not long launched my blog and guessed it would be a great way to learn more about the industry, so I bought a ticket. This was a real leap of faith for me. I’d literally only been running my new site a few months and didn’t really know anybody else who was attending.

I went to Eroticon 2017 with the hope of gaining knowledge, meeting people and hopefully brushing up on my skills. I attended as many of the talks as I could and felt empowered and inspired by them all. Despite attending Girl on the Net’s fabulous pitching talk I felt like I was a million miles away from pitching my work.

During the last rest break of Sunday I found myself having a sparky discussion with the wonderful Pixie at Kink Craft about the problems surrounding plus size fashion. Pixie mentioned Kink Craft were in the process of launching a line of plus size latex and kindly let me have a look at a few of the dresses.

We hit it off straight away bonding over the trials and tribulations of plus size design and the lack of choice. Pixie mentioned to me that she had seen some of my posts and offered me the chance to pitch an article on plus size fashion to Kink Craft. I was elated! I gave Pixie my card and she said she’d email me after Eroticon.

Travelling home I was stunned to have lucked into my first opportunity for paid writing. Pixie contacted me as promised and I wrote the piece with all the enthusiasm of our initial conversation. After clicking send I had a horrible moment of self-doubt. Was it good enough?

I was thrilled when Pixie said she loved the article and asked me to submit an invoice. I’d not even considered the prospect of having to raise invoices. This is how far I felt I was from paid writing.

During my correspondence with Pixie she asked me if I’d consider doing some paid modelling of one of their gorgeous latex dresses. I was so flattered and excited to be part of their launch I jumped at the chance!

Despite a bumpy start with location issues we soon found ourselves in a beautiful derelict church on a windy afternoon. I had great fun throwing my best pout whilst pretending to be a latex clad princess. The finished pictures turned out better than I could possibly have imagined!

Whilst stood on that wind battered hill in a pretty latex ballgown I’d received an email from Girl on the Net passing me a writing referral request from a company called YNOTCam. Sat at home that evening I read through the email and on the back of my confidence boost from my Kink Craft photo shoot I decided to pitch.

YNOTCam are a site aimed specifically at webcam models. Their site publishes articles on a wealth of subjects from technology to health and beauty. I decided to pitch an article on the importance of net neutrality given the recent changes at the FCC in America.

I researched like a demon and sent my pitch across. And tried not to obsess on it. I woke up a few days later to an email saying not only had they accepted my pitch but they would like to offer me regular weekly writing work with their site! I leapt out of bed and did a naked joyous victory dance.

I’ve since submitted articles under my pen name of Katy Seymour on the recent Ransomware attacks and revenge porn (awaiting publishing) and am in the process of writing one about sex toy toxicity and lube ingredients.

I recently purchased my ticket for Eroticon 2018 and realised with a jolt that I have earnt enough to cover both this years and last year’s ticket. Thanks to Eroticon 2017, and the knowledge and networking I managed to take away I’m now earning money for my writing. I’m growing as a writer with each article I produce and the research for each piece teaches me things I’d never have known.

I feel so proud that my Eroticon experience paid for itself. That’s a hell of an achievement for someone that’s not even been in the industry a year.

Candy Snatch is a UK based sex toy/lingerie blogger, sex positive writer, Wank Ninja & Fuck Gadgeteer. Check out her blog and follow @CandysReviews on Twitter! And of course if you’d like to join us at Eroticon 2018 – grab yourself a ticket! 

Girl on the Net