Let’s define the genre, discuss the elements of “spice” and “steam,” and lay down some basic guidelines to erotic themes.

First of all, erotic depictions of the human form and sexual acts are as old as humanity. Depictions of sex in paintings, sculpture, photographs, dramatic arts, and writing can be seen in nearly every culture across the globe. From Neolithic cave paintings to early fertility festival idols and shrines in Africa, Mesopotamia, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and the far east.

In ancient Greece, the poetry of Sappho pre-dated Christianity by over 600 years. And depictions of gods, monsters, heroes, ordinary men, and women – all of them engaged in various and sundry carnal activities – decorated the vases and flatware of the greatest hellenic homes. The diaries of Casanova, the exploits of Don Juan, the scandalous prose of the Marquis de Sade, the poetic diaries of Anias Ninn; for thousands of years sexual imagery and desire has often been, at least part of every good story ever told.

Erotica just takes the naughty bits that usually get edited out of “more mainstream” books and keeps them in. You have two characters who end up in bed together and it is intense.

Now, for the longest time, growing up, this genre of fiction was treated as “trashy romance.” In a lot of ways, it was. The Harlequin Novel and Lifetime Movie clichéd female protagonist who goes home to rural (Insert State) from her job in New York or Chicago. She bumps into a cute guy at the hardware store or the coffee shop and is instantly smitten until he turns out to represent the big faceless conglomerate that is set to take over her family Vinyard, or Dairy Farm, or Bed & Breakfast…

Enemies become unlikely friends, and by the end of the book, they’re blasting through each other’s red-flags and fears of intimacy and commitment, to kiss in a rainstorm on the jetway with everyone applauding like mad. Epilogue: 1 year later. Queue shutting the laptop and putting the phone on silent as they snuggle with their 2 month old by a roaring Christmas fire as Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life begins on the television.

“I can’t believe you’ve never seen this,” the Female Lead admonishes. “Didn’t you have any holiday traditions growing up?”

“No,” he shrugs. “In fact, now that we’ve been together over 10 months and have pro-created, this feels like the perfect time to come clean about something, Elizadorastacia.”

“What is it Chrisbashtodarcypher?”

“I’m actually an alien!”

Sorry… I am not trying to make fun of the formula of most romance novels. They have their fans, and I myself find them comforting when I am in the mood for them, like potato chips, or banana moonpies.

Erotica, in my opinion and experience, is about getting out of that rut. Screwing with the formula and raising the stakes higher than just “will they/won’t they?” An erotic novel has to feel, just a little bit naughter than romance. It has to feel like a fever-dream or a temporary madness overcomes the characters and sweeps the reader along as the thermometer creeps higher and higher. And, unlike traditional romance, erotica does not limit the protagonist(s) to just one partner. Erotica is about the exploration of limits and fantasies. Characters can have multiple partners, and they can explore “non-cis” interests and the taboo.

In short, most Erotica is about character evolution from what they accepted as “normal” to what they discover is their “new normal.” And they do this in increments, with each encounter growing steamier and spicier.

Sub-genres of Erotica are numerous. Literotica.com, the most popular free forum for erotica fiction, has nearly 30 categories for stories. Stories featuring specific sexual acts, specific partners, and all age groups over 18 years. And erotica can intermingle with almost any other genre of fiction. There’s fanfiction erotica, erotic horror, erotic science fiction, supernatural and fantasy erotica. If you want to have sprites and nymphs carousing with Jedis and Werewolves from Mars, you’re welcome to take a whack at it.

As an author, the only limit is your imagination. So, if you are new to attempting to write in this genre, welcome! You should dive in and start finding stories that you enjoy and start asking what elements excite or interest you about those stories. Hopefully, you’ll at least have a cursory idea of what you find compelling.

One of the most basic formulas I use when beginning a story is determining L.O.C.K.

You should have a Lead Character, give them an Objective, put in some sort of Conflict, and determine the Knock-Out moment where they overcome or at least resolve the conflict.

Below is a table you can hopefully use for “pre-writing” & planning your stories.

With that, I hope you’ll peruse my little library of offerings and discover something enjoyable. And, as this blog progresses, I hope to share some little tips on how to make stories of sensuality and physicality more compelling and evocative for our readers.

XOXO

J.W.A.