Introducing Women's Erotica: a new subgenre of Erotica, and a necessary one

[onehitwanda]

Are you sure they're not just your imaginary friends?

I only have one imaginary friend and she tells me the rest of my imaginary friends are hallucinations of my squirrel brain.

 

[onehitwanda]

Emotica

I prefer Cliterature, but I'm infantile that way.

 

[StillStunned]

I prefer Cliterature, but I'm infantile that way.

And some of us are lacking in the clitoris department,* so it doesn't apply to us.

* Even those of us who are regularly called cunts.

 

[onehitwanda]

And some of us are lacking in the clitoris department,* so it doesn't apply to us.

* Even those of us who are regularly called cunts.

You don't need a clitoris to be Cliterate. Even educated trees do it.

 

[StillStunned]

You don't need a clitoris to be Cliterate. Even educated trees do it.

Even so, the word perpetuates the myth that the clitoris actually exists and isn't just an invention of women to make men try harder.

 

[onehitwanda]

Even so, the word perpetuates the myth that the clitoris actually exists and isn't just an invention of women to make men try harder.

I regret nothing

 

[StillStunned]

The Synod of Whitby declared the Book of the Clitoris apocryphal for CofE back in 664.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

I only have one imaginary friend and she tells me the rest of my imaginary friends are hallucinations of my squirrel brain.

Hey don't you have a gay woman's emotional journey to write? Get back in the closet!

Here have a peanut.

 

[NancyVeeners]

Interestingly...as ever with these things...

The original OP has not responded to any of the comments.

Is it another way of stirring up the AH crowd?

Hello Bazzle

thank you so much for your reply!

I am amazed by the number of reactions to my modest proposal, and I will answer to all, but not now, because it is morning here in Italy, and morning is my creative moment, so every morning I try to write for a couple of hours. I am writing my first 'taboo' story and--imagine that--my characters want me to tell their emotional journey.

At first sight, most of the critical colleagues who answered my post are right. They pose sensible critiques, and I agree with most of them. Women's Erotica is a problematic subgenre. Women's Fiction is also problematic--even more problematic--but it is here to stay. The Women's Fiction Writer Association tried to change it, but the attempt failed.
So we writers of Erotica would have better try to understand the opportunities hidden under the problematic term.

Many fellow writers here wrote that some of their works conform to the definition. Embracing LizVegas79 proposal (below), we could propose as examples our best stories that conform to the Women's Fiction (WFWA version) definition.
Almost all my stories are Women's Erotica, but among them I'd recommend as an example for discussion my '007' short story, because the protagonist is a man (and a famous man!), who is also the narrationg voice. The story is very short, less than one Lit page, but I hope the emotional arc of the protagonist emerges. I understand this is self-promotion, and I apologize, but as Liz says we need examples.

Thank you Bazzle for your answer, thank you Liz for your excellent suggestion, and apologies to all the others for not answering to each right now, but my taboo story's characters are beckoning... I know you understand, fellow writers!

Cheers from sunny Italy!

NV

I love this discussion. But I agree, I'm not sure "Women's Erotica" even how she defines it is a totally new sub-genre.

As a reader though, (not a writer) I look forward to this discussion and, hopefully, some examples? (hint, hint)

 

[onehitwanda]

Here have a peanut.

Can I flick it or must I lick it?

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Can I flick it or must I lick it?

Both if you're gentle

 

[Rob_Royale]

The Synod of Whitby declared the Book of the Clitoris apocryphal for CofE back in 664.

Wow. You guys are way more into this stuff than I am. My biblio-research stopped after the Joy of Sex and Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty stories.

 

[Pabiporffor]

Fantastic news. I've longed for stories where they just hug and share their feelings and in the morning he offers to wash the breakfast dishes.

 

[StillStunned]

Wow. You guys are way more into this stuff than I am. My biblio-research stopped after the Joy of Sex and Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty stories.

I was there, Rob, 1360 years ago, when St. Hilda took the Book of the Clitoris and declared it apocryphal.

 

[onehitwanda]

I was there, Rob, 1360 years ago, when St. Hilda took the Book of the Clitoris and declared it apocryphal.

Were you there when the Strength of Man failed?

 

[StillStunned]

Were you there when the Strength of Man failed?

Oh, that happened all the time back then. Nowadays we have those little pills.

 

[SimonDoom]

It would have been better if the site never used categories at all and had a better tagging / coding system. Top level categories don't really work because most of them aren't mutually exclusive.

I wouldn't advocate getting rid of categories, because too many people are accustomed to and depend on the system, but I agree a more robust tagging system would help.

The curated list system could help accomplish this. One member could start a list of these kinds of stories and others could propose additions of suitable stories to it. Everybody could access the list.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I was there, Rob, 1360 years ago, when St. Hilda took the Book of the Clitoris and declared it apocryphal.

Did you know a guy named Juan Sanchez Villalobos Ramirez?

 

[StillStunned]

Did you know a guy named Juan Sanchez Villalobos Ramirez?

I knew a Scotsman cosplaying as an Egyptian with a Spanish name.

 

[SimonDoom]

I knew a Scotsman cosplaying as an Egyptian with a Spanish name.

Who moonlighted as a Russian sub commander. I knew that guy too.

Meanwhile, the guy who played a guy who really WAS supposed to be a Scot had a French accent.

 

[Sappho_CGN]

Pushing the trolls away and coming back to the idea of the thread-starter, I think that this is a splendid idea.

I check here stories and rarely find one I read till the end. From my personal impression 90 % of all stories are about pure mens fantasies in a male style.

Simply having a category which is filled with stories some think that those stories would be appreciated by women would help me finding quicker something I like as it increases the probability of that.

 

[SimonDoom]

I prefer Cliterature, but I'm infantile that way.

I embraced my inner infant years ago, and I've never looked back.

 

[NancyVeeners]

Thank you Sappho for your appreciation!
I hope the idea finds support and we can create a Women's Erotica group.
Cheers from sunny Italy!
NV

 

[NancyVeeners]

Hello and welcome to AH. The Mediterranean rules!

That being said, I didn't understand anything of what you said here. Is Women's Erotica erotica for women or erotica by women? What you wrote implies that it's for women but I don't really understand the distinction from the rest of the erotica.
What is the distinction between Women's erotica and the erotica of other gender(s)? Your statement kinda implies that Women's Erotica is about the emotional journey of the MC. If MCs in my stories have emotional journeys, among other things, does that make my stories Women's erotica? Some clarification would be nice.

Also, some authors have pushed for certain new categories for years without success so you shouldn't get your hopes up. Literotica isn't prone to change.

Thank you for your answer and your contribution to the discussion!

Is Women's Erotica erotica for women or erotica by women?
Women's Erotica is neither.

What is the distinction between Women's erotica and the erotica of other gender(s)?
By its very nature, like Women's Fiction, Women's Erotica requires subgenres or supergenres.

If MCs in my stories have emotional journeys, among other things, does that make my stories Women's erotica?
Sure, if the emotional journey of the MC is the driver of the story.

I didn't invent Women's Fiction, it is a problematic genre, but here to stay, and I believe it is a great opportunity for Erotica writers, so I look forward to more discussion.

I apologize for my short answers, I hope we can elaborate.

Cheers from sunny Italy!

NV

 

[NancyVeeners]

Yeah, I guess so. But I was hoping for a deeper discussion about it. While I do agree that women in general appreciate the emotional aspect of erotic stories much more than men, I also think that that isn't a sufficient criterion. This kind of division into Male and Female erotica feels crude.

Thank you for your answer and contribution.
It is not a division, as Women's Erotica is open to men as writers, readers, and characters.
Admittedly, it is a problematic genre, but it is here to stay, and a great opportunity for us writers of Erotica in my opinion.
I look forward to more discussion!
Cheers