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

[SimonDoom]

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

I think you've hit on an idea that has a broader application. We're all looking for the best stories of the types that we like, and those "types" don't necessarily track with the given categories, and can't necessarily be captured easily in the tag system. If you and a few other like-minded readers formed a group, you could all propose stories that fit your preference, and then select stories to be placed in a list that would be included on one group member's page. You might also come up with a special tag that could be used by authors who write these kinds of stories.

 

[Sappho_CGN]

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

Thanks for your idea.

BTW: I love Italy ... and write a story witch will play a bit in Italy but I have to confess that I will play a bit with stereotypes about Itay and Italian men.

 

[Bazzle]

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.

I think most of my stories are written from the female perspective looking at the man.

Which as a man is probably a disaster. But I try to give women depth. They are literally not just tits and arse.

Ultimately erotica is what floats your personal boat.

Good luck!

 

[HordHolm]

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 increaes the probability of that.

Sorry, but there are some real issues here. Firstly, how do you search? What categories are you searching in? Do you use the tag function to search or do you simply pick a category and scroll down? Sorry if these questions seem infantile, but the answers might highlight why you are finding it difficult to locate, out of the wealth of stories on this site (seriously, there are hundreds of thousands), stories that interest you, personally.

And would a 'fiction for women' category really solve that? It implies that there is some particular factor in literature that resonates particularly with women. Would that be with all women? What particular factor might that be? Is that particular factor not to be found in stories in the current categorised system - that is to say, are categories as diverse as romance, mature, sci-fi, bdsm, gay male, and lesbian, all failing to provide that particular factor as a matter of course? And are the large number of women submitting stories on this site falling as short as the men in providing this factor by instead focussing on the male gaze? From looking around this site I don't believe this is the case.

Honestly, I'm a guy and I regularly check stories here and I rarely find one I read to the end. There can be a number of reasons for that - style, quality, subject matter, sorry to say but mostly I'm just not in the mood to read something set in the USA. But the thing is, most of the time when I don't find something I like it's because I haven't a) used the tags but have simply done a category search or, b) not gone to a preferred author.

Lastly, as others have pointed out, this is all largely shouting in the wind - the site is unlikely to make this kind of change. People have made arguments for different categories going back to, well, the beginning of categories. Other people have argued that categories should be scrapped altogether and we should just use tags. Some of the arguments people have made have been good. Others not so much. But the thing is - here we all are, water having flowed under the bridge, and everything is the same as it ever was.

 

[Sappho_CGN]

Sorry, but there are some real issues here. Firstly, how do you search? What categories are you searching in? Do you use the tag function to search or do you simply pick a category and scroll down? Sorry if these questions seem infantile, but the answers might highlight why you are finding it difficult to locate, out of the wealth of stories on this site (seriously, there are hundreds of thousands), stories that interest you, personally.

And would a 'fiction for women' category really solve that? It implies that there is some particular factor in literature that resonates particularly with women. Would that be with all women? What particular factor might that be? Is that particular factor not to be found in stories in the current categorised system - that is to say, are categories as diverse as romance, mature, sci-fi, bdsm, gay male, and lesbian, all failing to provide that particular factor as a matter of course? And are the large number of women submitting stories on this site falling as short as the men in providing this factor by instead focussing on the male gaze? From looking around this site I don't believe this is the case.

Honestly, I'm a guy and I regularly check stories here and I rarely find one I read to the end. There can be a number of reasons for that - style, quality, subject matter, sorry to say but mostly I'm just not in the mood to read something set in the USA. But the thing is, most of the time when I don't find something I like it's because I haven't a) used the tags but have simply done a category search or, b) not gone to a preferred author.

Lastly, as others have pointed out, this is all largely shouting in the wind - the site is unlikely to make this kind of change. People have made arguments for different categories going back to, well, the beginning of categories. Other people have argued that categories should be scrapped altogether and we should just use tags. Some of the arguments people have made have been good. Others not so much. But the thing is - here we all are, water having flowed under the bridge, and everything is the same as it ever was.

To be honest, I do not think that this matters.

There will be always a discussion which type of story should be put there or not. You have that discussion whith other story types, too. I get the fealing that those male posters here feel to be "down-voted" or "down-graded" by the argument that the ruling male fantasies here do not fit with many female fantasies or wishes. A bit less crying and a little bit more self-confidence (ttolling is the opposite) would solve that, I think.

From my view, the idea is to put there stories the authors think that women would like them DOT.

The only improtant issue is whether the site will change and take over that idea. For that a simple additional category "(Maybe) Especially for women" would be the easiest way to get that change.




The only thin which is the issue is whether the site will change accordingly

 

[Lifestyle66]

Many of the Loving Wives audience complain that a story of a wife having extra-marital fun (category definition) belongs in Fetish, because their LW category is about cheating wives. So, if it's not about cheating wives getting burnt, the story belongs elsewhere.

Maybe they should create a category called "Only Stories I Like" for each of us.

I've come to the conclusion that if I don't find enough of the stories I like here, then I'll spend more time writing my own!

Let's all give that a try and see if it works.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Can I flick it or must I lick it?

Both if you're gentle

A quick, firm tongue can do both.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I think you've hit on an idea that has a broader application. We're all looking for the best stories of the types that we like, and those "types" don't necessarily track with the given categories, and can't necessarily be captured easily in the tag system. If you and a few other like-minded readers formed a group, you could all propose stories that fit your preference, and then select stories to be placed in a list that would be included on one group member's page. You might also come up with a special tag that could be used by authors who write these kinds of stories.

A collaborative effort, editing and beta reading each other's works. In addition to the tag, would Laurel support WE or WEG being added to each story title? That might add some credibility as only participating members could use it, not just anybody who decided to add a tag.

 

[SimonDoom]

The only improtant issue is whether the site will change and take over that idea.

We already know the answer to this. It's almost certainly, "No, the Site won't change." So a more productive approach would be to ask how, within the constraints of the Site's way of doing things, can interested readers achieve their goal of finding and promoting these kinds of stories?

 

[Lifestyle66]

The site Admins HAVE tried addressing the issues described here!

Check out the AH thread: "Curated Lists are becoming a thing"

Every author on this site can go to their own homepage and create their own curated lists of stories they like (or hate, whichever). Your lists can be either public or private. Add stories to your own lists by searching for the story title and add it. Then promote your lists here or at the end of your own stories by including the link to your list.

So, stop with the false accusations that the site Admins won't change anything! They do what's in their interests and within the limits of their time, trying to address EVERYONE'S complaints that they want it their way. Adding or deleting categories entails the Admins going through MILLIONS of stories to repopulate the new category or reassigning the deleted category's stories. And that's not worth their effort. So, they've given YOU, the AH authors your own way of doing it yourself, ... if anyone bothers to actually work at it.

EDIT: As an example, THBGato has over a dozen lists, and here's a link to one of them:
Rarely read gems 21 Stories
Lesbian sex stories that have very few views despite being hot, sexy and awesome. Let's amend that shall we?
Story List by THBGato
09/24/2024

I just tried creating my own list for "Extra-marital FUN, Wife Sharing Stories", but it seems to take at least a day before it will become available.

 

[Britva415]

we writers of Erotica would have better try to understand the opportunities hidden under the problematic term.

Doesn't the opportunity exist regardless of whether it's labeled problematically?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

If you add an "emotional journey" to a "blokey premise", does this become "women's lit for men" (to use the term in this thread)? If so, then pretty much every story that's not a straight-up adventure/mystery/stroker probably qualifies. And as has already been mentioned several times here, plenty authors write that kind of layer into their stories already.

Sure, but the trouble is finding it. It's out there but it is a minority, lost in the sea of stroke and porn unicorns. So it wouldn't hurt to have a category.

But here's a thought. I don't think random readers come to Literotica looking for an emotional journey, or at least not first and foremost. They're looking for erotica, not the next Booker Prize winner. If they happen to find something that resonates with them on an emotional level, they'll stick around and look for more. But I don't think the site caters predominantly to that readership. And also, if clicks mean advertising revenue, they'd prefer readers to have to click more to find what they want.

But some do look for that, or at least on occasion yearn for something more, and lit's goals are to have the widest base possible to keep up the traffic, and so caters everything that it can. Why not this too?

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I've come to the conclusion that if I don't find enough of the stories I like here, then I'll spend more time writing my own!

And is that a good thing? I am not talking about you specifically but just in general. We seem to consider the time we invest into writing these stories for Literotica as the time spent in the best possible way. I am not so convinced anymore.

 

[Britva415]

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.

Why continue to label it problematically if you concede that the label is problematic?

I wonder if this is a cultural thing. Is Italian culture more gendered than American culture in particular or English-speaking culture in general? Is this something that's getting lost in translation?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

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.

Exactly. There is nothing wrong with that 90%, let's make that clear. Just note my bolding.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I think you've hit on an idea that has a broader application. We're all looking for the best stories of the types that we like, and those "types" don't necessarily track with the given categories, and can't necessarily be captured easily in the tag system. If you and a few other like-minded readers formed a group, you could all propose stories that fit your preference, and then select stories to be placed in a list that would be included on one group member's page. You might also come up with a special tag that could be used by authors who write these kinds of stories.

Or we could just have a category like everybody else gets. Why should these stories, their writers and readers have to go the extra several miles?

 

[Sappho_CGN]

Exactly. There is nothing wrong with that 90%, let's make that clear. Just note my bolding.

That is the what I wanted to say.

Men, you can still have your fun ... but make it only a bit easier for me to find the fun for me.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

And would a 'fiction for women' category really solve that? It implies that there is some particular factor in literature that resonates particularly with women. Would that be with all women? What particular factor might that be?

That has been answered multiple times in this thread. Stories that are more emotionally driven rather than simple kink driven.

 

[SimonDoom]

Or we could just have a category like everybody else gets. Why should these stories, their writers and readers have to go the extra several miles?

I don't think it's accurate that "everybody else gets" their category. There are many potential categories that don't exist, as has been discussed at great length in previous threads over the years. The Site's categories roughly correspond to what large groups of actual readers want to read. If you have too many categories, they cannibalize each other. They create complexity and confusion. They make it MORE difficult for readers to find the stories they want, not less. I think the OP's concept makes perfect sense as a "subgenre," and I suspect there is some substantial readership for these types of stories, but I'm not convinced the best way of scratching that itch is by creating a new category.

 

[HordHolm]

That has been answered multiple times in this thread. Stories that are more emotionally driven rather than simple kink driven.

But that doesn't really satisfy, does it? What does 'emotionally driven' even mean? (yes, I do know, but we're looking at actually defining something, in relation to or in opposition to other things that might also be present). In and of itself it's something that is about as 'how long is a piece of string?' as it's possible to get.

 

[dadadadiox]

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.

If women’s erotica is about the emotional journey of the MC I’ve been unwittingly writing women’s erotica with a male MC.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Every time I write a story here, I find myself struggling with what category to post it in. Novel-length lesbian romance; lesbian BDSM; horror poetry with a nonhuman character; lesbian romance with poetry in a fantasy setting with a nonhuman character and with cross-dressing; lesbian romance/horror; exhibitionist MFF group sex with BDSM and some dubious consent; epistolary lesbian sci-fi romance with a non-human character; novel-length lesbian relationship with a romance side-plot and BDSM elements.

Readers fragment by category; wherever I choose to post a story, I'm forgoing readers in other categories who'd have enjoyed those themes but didn't see it. Adding yet another category, which will have significant overlap with existing categories, seems like it would just exacerbate that fragmentation of readership.

 

[StillStunned]

If women’s erotica is about the emotional journey of the MC I’ve been unwittingly writing women’s erotica with a male MC.

Captain Rum: (gasps) You have a woman's erotica!

(Only intended for fans of Blackadder, obviously.)

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I don't think it's accurate that "everybody else gets" their category. There are many potential categories that don't exist, as has been discussed at great length in previous threads over the years. The Site's categories roughly correspond to what large groups of actual readers want to read. If you have too many categories, they cannibalize each other. They create complexity and confusion. They make it MORE difficult for readers to find the stories they want, not less. I think the OP's concept makes perfect sense as a "subgenre," and I suspect there is some substantial readership for these types of stories, but I'm not convinced the best way of scratching that itch is by creating a new category.

You're right. There are lots of things that the categories do not cover. They should all get categories. There will always be crossover between categories, even categories that you would not expect, like a story that just happens to feature both anal and mature, say. But there is no cannibalism. I would argue the opposite. There are several categories that cover waaaayyy too much ground and need to be split up, like LW and I/T. Each have subcategories (mom/son and btb, and others) that dominate and crowd out other things. Interracial is basically BBC. If one tries to write non-BBC there it will get lost (and probably score poorly). Any taboo that isn't incest will get absolutely shit on in incest/taboo. Heck even step and in-laws receive scorn there. These categories are FAR too big. Break them into subcategories.

 

[Sappho_CGN]

I do not really understand the problem.

There should simply be a category for stories the writer assume are suited to be read by woman. The discussion about how to define what is suited for women is from my view useless. From my view more is not neccessary.

Porn is mainly a male thing as also prostitution is. The main focus of porn and prostitution is the sexual act without any or less emotional binding. It is typically male to get sexual satisfaction from changeable counterparts, optic impressions and intercourse without or less emotional binding. I wrote "typically" as I know that there are also excemptions from that rule.

Thats all. That alone would help. Women with different needs will find what they look for in the other sectiuons. We may find something in the new section. I would not blame anybody for putting in a story which does not fit my taste. I am used to that LOL.

Yes, I am sure, that there wil be rants from other women that someone has put in some ugly mens fantasies but thats life.