So what do each of those words conjure up for you?
This has been something up for discussion lately around my friends. How do you differentiate between them? Do you even care? Are you an avid tagger, tag reader, or categorizer. (Is that a word?) Do you have a strict..."I won't read that" idea in your head, and are you swayed by those words or do you read and decide later?
(remember we all have an off switch/hand to close a book/charity shop/ dustbin/delete button.)
We came to the conclusion that each and every one of us have our own idea what is what. And indeed one person's idea of erotic fiction, is another's erotica or porn. Subjective, individualistic and personal.
And that's how it should be really. We all decide for ourselves which is okay for us, what is allowed into our reading banks and which we firmly shut the door on. And must accept others will not necessarily agree with our ideas.
Strangely...well no not strangely now I think about it. Our ideas on those tags will change. Who can honestly say they are not now reading genres, and levels that they didn't several years ago. Reading broadens our horizons, extends our inquiring minds, and spurs us on in all manner of ways.
So what do you think? Do you pay attention to tags? To labels? Do they help you to decide which book you'll read next. Do they *shifts in chair glances around to check no editors around* put you off a book even before you read the blurb? As in "I don't read that sort of stuff"
Now I am a firm believer we need to know if there is something in a book that might offend some people, upset or scare. I'm the biggest wuss in the world I admit, I don't do scary or nasty. and I do find some of them helpful. (I'm not just talking tagging here but categorizing) But sometimes, I do think you can be put off a book by the way it's described.
And, by how people define things such as porn, erotica and erotic.
So what's your definition? What's your views?
Drop me a comment and let's see if we can crack this and make our own definitions. (and let me know what you think...please)
By the way got to plug a great book out today
The Blood Bar Chronicles, Book 1 The Alphas Is out from www.breathlesspress.com today.
(Also at Amazon, all romance, bookstrand etc
4 amazing authors, Doris O'Connor, Cherie Nicholls, Jorja Lovett and Arya Grey.
First in a trilogy of 12 short hot, erotic (my tag) stories all revolving around a very interesting bar in Edinburgh.
Book 2 The protectors out September 21st.
Book 3 later in the year.. watch out for them...
Have a great day,
Raven
Ah that distinction is always a bone of contention.
ReplyDeleteMy personal definitions are as follows:
Porn is just sex, no story, no romance, just sex.
*I don't read it, and I certainly don't write it. There has to be a story with the sex for me*
Erotica is very hot sex with a story. These are quite often shorter stories, where the emphasis is on the sexual relationship between the characters as they fall in love.
Erotic Romance are longer stories with the emphasis on the romantic development of the character with lots of hot sex thrown in.
To me the two are pretty much interlinked and I certainly write both, and I love reading both. The hotter, the better, and if you throw some BDSM into the mix I'm a very happy bunny.
One thing you'll always get in my stories, be they Erotica or Erotic Romance is a love story, smoking hot sex and a HEA.
As for labels on books, I don't take too much notice. I judge by the cover, the blurb and the excerpt.
I agree, you have to flag up 'adult' content, but I really, really hate the term 'porn'. For me, that's a very sleazy and very masculine term which is generally meant to be both dismissive and negative. When someone wants to denigrate romance in any of its forms they use the word 'porn' with the implication that it's shameful somehow. So I guess I've just proved one of your other points, that terminology is very subjective! Personally, I describe my writing as 'hot', but I'm pretty certain some people would think it quite tame, and I'm absolutely certain that in ten years time I'll think of it quite differently. Thank you, you've got me thinking now.
ReplyDeleteGlad I have Marguerite. I personally hate the word 'porn' as well. conjures up all sorts of nasties to me!
ReplyDeleteDoris well said and perfectly explained, I so agree.
ReplyDeleteI write paranormal romance about shifters, people who can turn in to animals, which a friend describes as "animal porn"....which is isn't. But I don't really "label" myself, so I mostly tell people I write romances with a twist for the over 18's.,.....keeping it simple for me. But I do appreicate the tags can help when there may be content within the book that others may not be happy with. it is all subjective to honest.....thats me and my "animals porns" vote anyway :D
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above. A perfect example would be me, actually. I'm still very new to Romance and Erotic Fiction. I was one of those people that would never read it (although I have given one or two M&B's a chance and I couldn't get past the 'save me' heroine, which tells you it was older), but UCW has opened my eyes to this wonderful world. There are so many talented writers out there and I actually see a rise in Erotic and Romance authors. I think the terms are softening for most people, thankfully.
ReplyDeleteDoris described perfectly how I feel about all the terms. Personally, I would say I write erotic romance because as much as the storyline and character development are important, the sex scenes are a big part of my books. I get that some people don't like the more graphic descriptions, but I don't get why these people buy works that are labelled 'erotic' and then call them smut.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above comments. For me the story has to be good, hooking me in and the characters have to sound real. No save me heroine's like Arya says. And sex YES PLEASE but meaningful!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I write erotic suspense and contemporary romance. For me the definitions are:
ReplyDeletePorn- just sex no story line, no emotions.
Erotic Romance-there's focus on the developing romance between the hero and heroine with hot sex.
Erotica- has more focus on the sex and not always the romance, and it has very hot sex in it.
I think there needs to be tags on books just so the reader knows what they're buying. Although I can't stand if someone says they don't read erotic and buys a book which is clearly labeled with that, and then trashes it calling it smut. I say hey it was clearly labeled your problem not the person who wrote it.