We were talking a bit about this yesterday, so I thought I'd discuss it a bit more!
A friend of mine who read one of my books, once accused me of writing porn, which rather took me aback - my books are the milder end of Erotic Romance and I was more used to editors advising me to heat things up! On the other hand, they are pretty graphic, and the sex is pretty important to the story, and besides,my friend wasn't used to reading this kind of romance.
But it did get me thinking: am I writing porn? If I am, should it matter? And if I'm not, what makes it not porn?
Well, any kind of writing has its skills and so long as I was doing it well, it shouldn't matter. Only it does matter to me. Because I never intended to write about sex, except as an expression of feeling. I wanted to write about relationships, because in real life or in books, those are what fascinate me - my husband calls me "relationship bore" in retaliation for me calling him chess bore or computer bore :). And for me, it's more fun when the relationships themselves build as part of a wider story, even when they're a central part of it.
No one can deny that good erotic romance is arousing. To show the feelings of the characters, it has to be. And that side of it is fun too, for both readers and writers. Let's face it, it's an important part of llife and growing relationships! But it isn't porn. It isn't even erotica - it's romance with benefits :).
So that's my view. What do you think?
Marie
Marie, you do NOT write porn. No way. No how. It's not in your nature. Your stories are told with emotion and have a well-thought PLOT which evolves into the fulfillment of a true relationship.
ReplyDeletePorn is nothing like that. Porn is strictly to get the reader's juices flowing. There is little if any concern to build characters or plot. The only emotion porn characters have is to achieve orgasm in any way possible. Soooo polar from your writing.
"Romance with benefits". I love it. Great description for erotic romance!
Why thank you, Sloane!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to think about, though :)
Marie
Romance with benefits....I like that!!!
ReplyDeleteValerie
in Germany
I think your "romance with benefits" applies when the scenes are well integrated with the romance part of the plot and suit the characters. I suspect that some people, not used to erotic romance scenes, tend to think "porn" when particular words are used often. Coming up with words that don't break the mood, don't get into euphanisms and yet don't sound like a medical journal must be a hazard of the genre for authors.
ReplyDeleteCarol
To me, porn is about the physical act; your stories are nothing like that. They engage my emotions and pull me into the characters.
ReplyDeleteCarol, you're so right about the words difficulty! And when you find one that suits it's too easy to repeat it too often! Especially with women's bits, because most of the slang words are a complete turn-off :).
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Fedora. And yes, the emotion's the thing for me :).
Marie