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Missing Out on the BDSM Bandwagon
While I’m almost certain this is a problem that will never arise for the majority of readers, I’ve recently faced a dilemma in my written erotica regarding subject matter.
You may know that Amazon’s Kindle reader has revitalised the erotica industry, making it more acceptable than ever to read erotic fiction. Well, I say ‘acceptable’ but what I mean is that it’s more covert than ever. You can read erotica on the commuter train to work, and unless anyone leans over and reads the words ‘heaving bosoms’ on your Kindle they’ll be none the wiser.
This resurgence in popularity has led a lot of authors to publish eBooks. I myself have 20 erotic collections for sale on Amazon, and they make a tidy sum each month. The problem is that I’d like to make more, but to do so I’d have to push beyond my own comfort level.
While I enjoy writing erotica, it’s a fact that there are many different sub genres. You may have noticed the recent popularity of 50 Shades of Grey, the BDSM themed novel that’s hovering near the top of bestseller lists worldwide. I’d love to write something with that sort of mass appeal, but the truth is that I don’t know my cat o’ nine tails from my nipple clamps. I just have no grounding in that sort of sex, either practical or theoretical, so I’m not sure I could do it justice.
With other sub-genres, though, it’s easier to guess what people are looking for. I recently wrote a series of babysitter sex stories that has proved immensely popular, selling upwards of 100 copies each month and netting me several hundred dollars of monthly royalties. Kinks such as these are easy to write, and fairly easy to understand. Provided the protagonists are of legal age (which they, of course, are, whether real or fictional), the babysitter fantasy is simply a youth thing. Readers want to fantasise about younger women, and a college-age babysitter fits neatly in that mental space. Young, lithe and relatively innocent, they make the perfect morally acceptable fodder for a sexual fantasy.
BDSM, though? I’ve tried, but I just can’t get my head around it. The thing you learn with erotica is that you have to truly understand the fantasy to be able to write the story. You need to know what the reader wants, and when it comes to domination, submission and pain I just don’t.
Oh well, it looks like I’ll be missing out on this particular gravy train. Good luck to those who can catch it, though.
Party costumes and erotica
As can be seen by flicking through pages of mass market publications provocative photos are used extensively in marketing. It is a well established practice for certain industries to use lightly dressed models posing voluptuously over motorcycle engines.
Judging by the sheer volume of such shots, the technique appears to work very well on its target market.
In the fashion sector, top ladies brands such as Esprit and Moschino use imagery in a slightly more sophisticated way with the purpose of selling their clothes. The message might be “Dress like this and become irresistible to the opposite sex”.
Of all these forms, erotica is most associated with showing adults in a state of undress and usually involved in some form of sexual activity. As long as the imagery is tasteful then the fashion industry embraces its use.
A feature of this form is that genitalia are not visible and any display might even be illegal.
One formal definition could describe erotica as photos that contain near total nudity in an overt sexual practice but with genitalia hidden.
The costume industry has tapped into this vein by launching designs that are quite in keeping with going partying and having a good time. So influences of 70s fancy dress are successfully combined with erotica both in the selling of the outfits and in promoting their use for going partying.
Erotica Does not Have to Be Taboo
In some circles, erotica inspires thoughts of Harlequin romance novels while other people conjure up images of even naughtier stories. But it’s important to remember that at the heart of it, erotica is fiction in its purest form. It doesn’t necessarily have to deal with taboo subjects and it certainly doesn’t deserve the reputation it has garnered in the past. Some people are embarrassed to admit they are fans of erotica and it’s something they tend to hide from others. But let’s face facts, people love stories of this nature and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them. They reflect real-life and enhance it just a touch to make it more entertaining.
It’s important to recognize that people who produce erotica are not sleazy people holed up in their basements writing whatever they want. In many cases, they cater to a specific audience who can be very particular. You can’t just write a story or cover a subject and expect people to respond. It takes the right format and a certain level of creativity in order to create successful erotica that people actually enjoy. There’s a fine line between going too far and being too tame, and this is one challenge that writers have to face on a regular basis. Erotica writers are often quite talented and adept at covering other subjects as well, it’s just that they find more success in this particular field.
Despite having something of a taboo reputation, erotica is making inroads into popular culture. Eventually we may see a greater acceptance of this form of writing as a regular hobby. This is due in no small part to a changing culture that has new ideas on romance and relationships. People are expanding beyond normal ideas of marriage thanks to exciting possibilities brought on by online dating, the exploration of love spells, and more modern media that covers the subject. People are changing their attitudes however gradually, and we might one day reach a point where people don’t have to be embarrassed about watching a particular movie or buying a certain book.
For now, we see erotica being enjoyed on a variety of levels ranging from personal use to group fun. For example, it’s not uncommon for women to incorporate certain books and stories into bachelorette party games. There are also online communities and real-life get-togethers where people can discuss their favorite hobby. As more people realize it’s not a subject to be feared, we will have more writers being willing to explore this exciting field. Eventually people will recognize that fans of this brand of literature enjoy the way it taps into human emotion and the power of fantasy.
