You know you can mine your exciting past for interesting stories about sex and relationships, but you're not sure how to do it without shaming your parents or sounding like a repeat of "Sex and the City." Never fear: Jonathan Small is here. The West Coast Stuff editor-at-large, Cosmo advice columnist and author of The Best Places to Kiss in Southern California provides some secrets of sellable relationship/sex stories:

They turn a stereotype on its head

Have you spotted a new dating trend in which men are suddenly seriously into commitment, or one in which women are becoming ruthless players? Write about it. Magazines are much more interested in presenting a new twist on 21st century relationships and sex matters than recycling the same old predictable stories we've all been reading for years.

They reveal secrets about a specific gender

Each month, magazine coverlines promise to reveal his "secret sexual needs", or "her mysterious moan zones". It seems readers can't get enough of stories that demystify the opposite sex. The challenge for writers is to find a fresh topic to tattle about. Simply revealing, say, what a guy wants in bed is not good enough. You need to explore new frontiers and fill in the blanks with surprising and informative insights.

They're about real people tackling real issues

While it's a common perception that most magazine stories about relationships and sex are comprised of fake people and anecdotes, it's simply not true. The best pieces always involve actual people with stories a writer couldn't possibly make up. Editors realize this, and here's where you come in. As a freelancer, you have the time, contacts, and reporting skills to find real people with compelling stories. If you can deliver on this, you will find yourself very busy indeed.

Want to learn more? Take Jonathan's course, How to Write about Sex and Relationships, next week in Los Angeles.