In my last post, I asked how you chose your next erotic read from the myriad available from places like Amazon. How you sort the wheat from the chaff. This time, I’m talking about choosing the subject or theme. After all, there are books out there for virtually every taste. Some authors are generalists; their books will deal with a variety of kinks and fetishes. Others will only write works focussed in a narrow area.
If you’re reading this, and buying and reading erotica, you will have certain preferences. We all have them. Every one of us will be slightly different, and our choices will reflect this. Whether you’re into spanking, threesomes, interracial, steampunk, bikers or uniforms, there will be writers catering for your taste. And these will all come in any mix of gay, straight, bi, pan; whatever your particular need. But do you stick to those, or do you branch out and look for something different?
There are pros and cons to each option. If you stick to your own fetishes, you have a fair idea of what you’re going to get. You may have a number of favourite authors, whose works you return to time and time again. You know they scratch your particular itch. There may be a particular series where you eagerly buy each new volume, getting to know, and love, the characters. And what they get up to more than rewards your loyalty.
Alternatively, you could look for something different each time. Different kinks, different authors. It’s true that you’re more likely to be disappointed; nobody is turned on by everything. And trying new authors and new subjects brings more uncertainty. But you might come across something that blows your mind, and leads you to a whole new area of exploration.
Alongside these options, there is the opportunity to learn. Whether you’re deeply involved in a particular fetish or community, or just a vanilla reader looking for excitement, nobody knows everything. Reading – on any subject – really does broaden the mind. And erotica is no different. Yes, it’s fiction, but I defy anyone to read a well written book of erotica, and not come away thinking about at least one passage and wondering how they are going to copy that. Or at least wonder what it would be like to do so.
The next question centres on fantasy or reality. Erotica crosses a wide spectrum, both in setting and tone. Settings can be anywhere you can imagine; from the girl or boy next door, to the outer reaches of a fantasy world inhabited by monsters with extremely flexible tentacles. Indeed, in this sense, erotica is a rather strange genre. Other categories of fiction are fairly clearly defined; perhaps they can even be a little rigid. But erotica sits across them all, as they can all be a foundation for the erotic author. Crime, historical fiction, horror, poetry. They can all come with added sex, as it were.
Then there is escapism. Some readers will be looking for a story they can completely drown in. Situations they know they will never find themselves in. Be that with imaginary creatures, or scenarios that are strictly for fantasy, but which, nonetheless, turn them on. Others will prefer reality; characters and stories which they could easily encounter in their everyday lives. People they can identify and empathise with. Situations they can easily imagine themselves in.
And don’t underestimate the skills of the authors providing all these options. The writer of a work of erotica set on an obscure planet light years from earth is writing in at least two genres at the same time. And if the book works for you, then that’s quite an achievement.
So do you look for the same themes and fetishes every time? Or for something outside your comfort zone? Do you prefer pure fantasy, or something more down to earth? And do you actively seek to learn from the experience of reading erotica? I’d love to know.
