Question for all ….

Question for all ….

Babyccb​(sub female) • Jan 16, 2026

Hey all,
I’ve been writing poetry for a while—mostly exploring power dynamics, submission, dominance, surrender, the raw emotional/psychological side of kink, that kind of thing. Built up a decent collection now, and I’m thinking about turning it into a full poetry book (self-publishing probably, clean formatting, maybe some art to match the vibe).
Quick poll for the community: How many of you would be interested in picking up a BDSM-themed poetry book from someone in the scene? Like, would you buy it, read it, share it, or nah?
No hard sell—just gauging real interest before I sink time into polishing, covers, etc. If yes, what pulls you in most? Darker/edgier stuff? Sensual and intimate? Specific kinks/themes? Length (short chapbook vs. longer collection)?
Honest feedback appreciated—thanks for any thoughts

Anerion​(sub gender queer) • Jan 16, 2026

Hmm, in my case the way I tend to "invest" in BDSM media is by getting an emotional connection with the work first, and then spending money on it. For example, I read some BDSM comics (Sunstone, Black Label…) on DeviantArt where they were available for free before putting some money into these works to support the authors.

But then again, I’m not much of a material person (I tend to support on internet platforms rather than owning a physical copy) so I might not be the target audience.

And generally speaking, I only buy books from authors I already like or that have been recommanded to me.

Anyway, even though I’m not sure that helps, I hope it did a little, and I wish you luck on this publishing journey! : )

Solitary Stranger​(dom male) • Jan 16, 2026

I don't believe our community, as lovely as it is, is big enough to use as a consensus for the overall kink population. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad question to ask here but please use it as more of a starting point than as representative for the BDSM market.

TopekaDom​(dom male)​{Chaos } • Jan 16, 2026

Me personally? I don't do poetry as I am not that smart about reading.

However, I think it is great to hear you are taking that step! Good for you!

Two pieces of advice though:

1: Pay a good editor to go over it before you publish. It is your baby, but another set of eyes is always good.

2: No matter if you do a hard copy or just electronic, pay for good artwork on a cover. Covers are what get the attention. Don't skimp.

Literate Lycan​(dom male) • Jan 16, 2026

Good morning,

Topeka has good recommendations. Good cover art catches the potential reader. And always have a second and third set of eyes, whether a professional editor or just a few friends who know how to read well.

I'd also recommend letting a few friends in the community read your work in advance. In this manner, they can review and catch issues and provide feedback. More importantly, when you publish, ask them to post reviews. That was advice given to me when I published. I simply asked, "If you like the book, put a review. If you don't like the book, don't." 😎 Upon the first few days of publication, I had a few solid, favorable and honest reviews which helped garner interest and then more reviews came in from new readers.

As Solitary said above, our community is small and definitely a niche market. But I'm certain some individuals here would be of a mind to pick it up to show support.

Anerion's advice is also very solid: maybe share some pieces of your poetry that you will either include in your book or that will stand alone here and elsewhere, with the caveat that you plan to publish a larger work. Gives you a little advertising and shows the reader your potential. It would garner additional interest.

If I'm aware of someone else I know publishing a book, I typically will pick up a copy simply because I enjoy supporting authors. I do the same when I go to Fairs or conventions and meet local authors. So I might be inclined to pick up your published work.

Best of luck to you!
LL