At what point does a fantasy story that contains several acts of sexuality become erotica? The story I'm writing seems to be little more then sex and violence with a plot. But I want to make sure I don't accedently turn it into an erotica
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60,054 / 50,000
Apr 29, 2008 - 12 33
It's the overall theme of the story that makes it a particular genre. If your story is mostly about the eroticism... it's erotica. Fantasy, as you see it on the shelves, generally doesn't have a whole lot, but it can... Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series comes to mind. That stuff is downright erotica... but it's also not the point, so it falls more into the fantastical.
What you should do is write the story, and worry about where it would be shelved after it's done.
----------Heather
Forums Moderator
50,224 / 50,000
Apr 30, 2008 - 23 03
I'm sure you can't "accidentally" write an erotica unless the characters just up and decide to hijack the plot in favor of porn out the ears instead... (Not, mind you, that that was what happened in my nano last year, honestly...) But really now, just because a fantasy novel contains sex doesn't make it suddenly not fantasy... it's both, really. And there are places that publish "erotic fantasy", too.
----------Best line so far:
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50,743 / 50,000
Mai 1, 2008 - 13 48
A good rule I've heard for writing erotica is this: If you can take out your sex scenes and still have a solid plot, you're not writing erotica.
----------Your Service,
Ket Makura
50,652 / 50,000
Mai 1, 2008 - 14 45
Actually, I would argue that if you could successfully take out your sex scenes at all those scenes shouldn't be in there. After all, a sex scene may be a pivatol point in character development, or if you're doing romance the entire plot. Does having those scenes make the story erotica? No.
Here's my definition: Erotica is a genre that uses sex to excite the reader and that's it. The plot is the sex. There is no plot if there is no sex.
However fantasy (or anything else in regards to sex) is a plot or character driven novel. Sex can play an important role, but it is not the most important role; if a reader were to summarize the book, they wouldn't focus on the sex in a 1-2 sentence summary.
50,224 / 50,000
Mai 2, 2008 - 21 46
Why single out the sex? One could say if you could remove any scene from it without an adverse affect on the plot, it shouldn't be there. :P And please. Erotica does not equal "porn without plot".
----------Best line so far:
"So, what are we going to do with the pink elephant?"
0 / 50,000
Mai 3, 2008 - 09 33
Thank you all for your inpute. you have been very helpful. ^_^ much love