Pink Orchid 2026: Story Event for Women-Centric Erotica - Official Support Thread

[Lifestyle66]

I stick to my earlier comment...
Empowerment is the absolute opposite of needy.

An empowered women is somebody who has chosen to step out of the shadows. To take control of her life.
She has chosen to be the CEO, not the secretary, the director rather than actress, doctor rather than nurse, conductor rather than musician....
Empowerment embodies her taking a stand. Taking charge of her life, her destiny.
A truly empowered woman may choose not to play up to the male fantasy of what an empowered woman is...
She may choose to wear ballet flats than heels, a pants suit rather than a short skirt. She may decide not to wear makeup...

The important element is. It is her choice, she decides... She takes control of her life and destiny.

By removing the word empowerment from the challenges description, it dilutes what I saw as the reason for it's existence. To write truly woman centric stories. That's what appealed to me.

At the end of the day, the organiser has no control over what appears in the list. They have no ability to reject anything. That power is restricted to the Site owner. So anybody can submit anything. All the organiser can do is ask that the stories are focused on the description...

I liked the original intent, because it focused the writers at least trying to understand the concept of an empowered woman...

This of course is only my opinion, and that is all I am offering...

Cagivagurl.

I don't like the word "empowerment" because in the very definition you posted it refers to a process where [others} GIVE women more freedom or rights.

You then add the sentences describing where women TAKE control, which I agree is the type of a powerful woman to be respected.

No one can be GIVEN power. They are merely given AUTHORITY to use someone else's power. But what can be given can be taken away. So, to me "empowerment" is a weaker position.

Don't ask for power or authority or freedom, because you're waiting for someone else to decide whether or not you can have it.

TAKE control and TAKE their power! That's not empowered. That's powerful!

 

[Cagivagurl]

I don't like the word "empowerment" because in the very definition you posted it refers to a process where [others} GIVE women more freedom or rights.

You then add the sentences describing where women TAKE control, which I agree is the type of a powerful woman to be respected.

No one can be GIVEN power. They are merely given AUTHORITY to use someone else's power. But what can be given can be taken away. So, to me "empowerment" is a weaker position.

Don't ask for power or authority or freedom, because you're waiting for someone else to decide whether or not you can have it.

TAKE control and TAKE their power! That's not empowered. That's powerful!

 

[Lifestyle66]

I think you have misconstrued my words. Or perhaps I didn't make it clear...
Being empowered is choosing your path. Deciding to take control of your own personal destiny. It is not the exclusive right of only females. It is a decision...

Because of the challenge, we are discussing women only...
It is a woman opting to choose her path, her destiny. It is her owning her personal pathway.

A person cannot take anything...
They can however choose their path... Own their choices...

Speaking only for myself... My opinion.

Cagivagurl

I think we agree in the goal, and it's just a difference of opinion in how we see the word definitions.

I like women who CHOOSE their own path and make their own decisions.

It's just the definition of the word "empowered" that I cringe at, because it refers to others "giving" those freedoms and rights [to women in this case].

If you read my story "The Maneater', my character Jan doesn't want to be a manager. She likes her work in accounting. But when her manager irritates her, she uses her power over other men to tear his world apart. She's powerful, because she ultimately TAKES her boss's power away from him, even without becoming a manager herself.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I think we agree in the goal, and it's just a difference of opinion in how we see the word definitions.

I like women who CHOOSE their own path and make their own decisions.

It's just the definition of the word "empowered" that I cringe at, because it refers to others "giving" those freedoms and rights [to women in this case].

If you read my story "The Maneater', my character Jan doesn't want to be a manager. She likes her work in accounting. But when her manager irritates her, she uses her power over other men to tear his world apart. She's powerful, because she ultimately TAKES her boss's power away from him, even without becoming a manager herself.

for me, and I speak only for myself...
Empowerment comes from choosing... Refusing to allow others to make decisions that control your life.... Making the choice, is what gives you that sense of empowerment. Realising you are the one in charge of your personal situation.
It's about accepting responsibility for your actions and outcomes.
It's saying. "I make my own choices. I control my destiny. I am responsible, and I can change it..."

In the instance somebody is not happy with their current situation. They make the decision to change it... They need to change their path.

Cagivagurl

 

[Erozetta]

I think we agree in the goal, and it's just a difference of opinion in how we see the word definitions.

I like women who CHOOSE their own path and make their own decisions.

It's just the definition of the word "empowered" that I cringe at, because it refers to others "giving" those freedoms and rights [to women in this case].

If you read my story "The Maneater', my character Jan doesn't want to be a manager. She likes her work in accounting. But when her manager irritates her, she uses her power over other men to tear his world apart. She's powerful, because she ultimately TAKES her boss's power away from him, even without becoming a manager herself.

I mean, technically speaking, your character isn't taking anything for herself. You are giving her a path to walk. So any power she's getting is being given to her by you.

 

[Lifestyle66]

I mean, technically speaking, your character isn't taking anything for herself. You are giving her a path to walk. So any power she's getting is being given to her by you.

That logic applies to EVERY story written by EVERY author for the Pink Orchid. So, you're effectively saying technically there are no empowered women in these stories, and it's a moot point.

 

[Lifestyle66]

for me, and I speak only for myself...
Empowerment comes from choosing... Refusing to allow others to make decisions that control your life.... Making the choice, is what gives you that sense of empowerment. Realising you are the one in charge of your personal situation.
It's about accepting responsibility for your actions and outcomes.
It's saying. "I make my own choices. I control my destiny. I am responsible, and I can change it..."

In the instance somebody is not happy with their current situation. They make the decision to change it... They need to change their path.

Cagivagurl

Everyone has the option to make some choices. One such choice is to do nothing different and accept the status quo.

I think I see where my story may have a disconnect with your version of empowerment. The MC doesn't explain in The Maneater story when and why she freed herself from being control by others. I should have incorporated potions of her background from "Lifestyle Ch. 11: Demons Past", where she finally admits to her husband something which happened when she was younger and before they were married. She fell for a band guitarist who used and abused her, and she only found out afterwards he was married. After that, she became the predator, rather than the prey. I briefly mentioned the incident in Maneater. But it needed to be developed into more of a transitional experience when she describes it to the psychologist.

 

[AwkwardMD]

This is all getting off topic for the support thread of the event.

 

[Erozetta]

That logic applies to EVERY story written by EVERY author for the Pink Orchid. So, you're effectively saying technically there are no empowered women in these stories, and it's a moot point.

No, I'm saying your definition is too narrow by focusing on the "someone gives to another" aspect. So you focus on the opposite, which is "taking" power, which gives an implication of force, which can be just as limiting as being weak is.

Empowerment is not just someone giving power to another person. It's also simply making someone stronger and more confident, which they can do for themselves with their choices. And they can also give themselves the power to make choices about their own lives.

You keep alluding to someone else needing to give the person permission to be empowered, why can't they empower themselves by giving themselves that authority over their own lives? Not taking power without care or concern for others or the expectations it will put on her own shoulders, but permitting themselves to live as they wish?

But, anyways, AMD is right and I'm gonna drop it here.

 

[MelissaBaby]

This is all getting off topic for the support thread of the event.

Omie said “empowerment” four years ago and it’s like when PeeWee Herman got caught jerking off in a porno theater.

 

[Cagivagurl]

This is all getting off topic for the support thread of the event.

 

[AwkwardMD]

I have a long story I've been working on for a while, and it feels good to be able to... dedicate it for PO. Morivation to finish it and some good company to go up with.

 

[Omenainen]

I toyed with the idea of re-introducing the term “female empowerment” for this fifth year of the event, but didn’t, because I’d already pitched it to Laurel with the same template as previous year. Last year we had it as the sub-challenge, but I don’t think many people took it up. It isn’t as titillating as space hippies.

My stance on this is that female empowerment is no more or less important than any other part of the description, and the way it hijacked the conversation the first year took focus off the thing that matters to me - better female representation in the smut we write here. In part, this was my answer to the numerous “how to write women” threads: let us all try and also learn from how others do it. I’ve offered my time and insight for those who want to have it.

Female empowerment is just one of the themes one might write about for this event. It’s perfectly fine to already be empowered, or to always have been (though how many are, in patriarchal societies?), or to even not be empowered at all, as long as the female characters are people living their lives and not just cock accessories for the male characters. Personally, in the context of this event, I’d rate sex positivity to be more important than female empowerment, but that’s neither here or there. (Nor are they mutually exclusive, and those are the stories I like best.)

And yes, to not put too fine a point on it, me and @Lifestyle66 have a history of disagreement over many things, up to and including meaning of several words. I’ve had that discussion before and I’m not going to repeat myself. It’s there in the first year’s thread, linked in the second post of this thread. I doubt either of us will change our minds if we have it again.

 

[ArdentHemingway]

I just re-read my 2024 entry, in hopes that a part two would occur to me. It hasn't yet, though the major event of it is pretty obvious.

And I revisit my incomplete Space Hippie story every once in a while. I re-read it just last week, but the words aren't coming.

 

[Omenainen]

Hey people people! Another rainy gloomy weekend ahead to write Pink Orchids so hard smoke rises from your computers! (…I am not. But I did make a file for my entry, so that’s almost half the work, right? …right?)

Okay, so writing is not going super well, but I am on top of my beta reading queue. So I’d like to remind you all that I am available for beta reading Pink Orchids, as is @AwkwardMD, who has also offered to beta read this time around. So, if you’ve ever wanted either of our opinions on non-published work, here is your chance!

 

[ArdentHemingway]

The other half is choosing character names.

 

[Omenainen]

The other half is choosing character names.

Yes, this is what I’m stuck with now

 

[DeMont]

I'm posting this thread to officially kick of the "Pink Orchid 2026: Story Event for Women-Centric Erotica"

Stories are to be posted in February, and the story list will be published on the International Women's Day, March 8th of 2026.

Theme of the event: sex positivity and women as the subjects of their own lives. Women in control of their own pleasure and passion. Erotic tales where women make sense and have agency. The aim is not to turn tables and write femdom, male-bashing or revenge stories, but produce sex positive stories of women existing for their own sake and living, loving and lusting on their own terms.

This event is open for absolutely everyone. Stories are not limited by anything other than Literotica's standard rules - you can write in any category.

Rules:
1. Write a story in which a female character has agency and makes sense on her own terms.
2. Include text "PINK ORCHID" in the Note to Admin-field
3. Post your story in February 2026

That's it! Now go forth and write! If you have any comments, questions or ideas, post on this thread.

Obs! Since this is a writer's challenge and not a competition, stories can also be submitted to any and all competitions and other events with overlapping submission times. If you want to take part in other events, make sure to comply to limitations set by them, for example in competitions one has to enter a standalone story and not a chapter of ongoing series. Traditionally, Valentine's Day contest and the 750 challenge have had overlapping schedules.

I will update this post to include relevant links when available.

@Omenainen,
Good morning my dear colleague, I trust all is well with you?
May I ask, are previously "Literotica only" published stories permitted to enter this challenge?
Deepest respects,
D.

 

[Omenainen]

@Omenainen,
Good morning my dear colleague, I trust all is well with you?
May I ask, are previously "Literotica only" published stories permitted to enter this challenge?
Deepest respects,
D.

You can use the tag “pink orchid” anytime, but stories not published within February 2026 won’t be on the event list.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

Hey @Omenainen can you beta read my Pink Orchid submission? I'm planning to rewrite The King, the Cane, and the Throne to address feedback that the main female character's motivations were unclear.

 

[Omenainen]

Hey @Omenainen can you beta read my Pink Orchid submission? I'm planning to rewrite The King, the Cane, and the Throne to address feedback that the main female character's motivations were unclear.

Yes I can! PM me for my email if you don’t have it already. Or share it with me if you do, I think I read something for you before so you might.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

Will do once I'm ready. Thanks!

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

Well I scrapped my first story. I have finished my Winter and Valentines Daybstory now it’s time to focus. And try to find an amazing protagonist who will thrive

 

[iwatchus]

Now that my Winter Holiday story is submitted, back to my novel intended for Pink Orchid. Hopefully finish the draft before I want to write a NYE story for my original series.

 

[Omenainen]

Mine is taking shape. I’m feeling confident that I’ll have it done by deadline

How are others doing? Maybe we’ve finally reached the point where no one has any trouble writing women, when there’s so little action in this thread.