Is anything too much?

I fear that I am about to ask a stupid question, but it's been nagging at me, I have to make the decision soon, and I believe that this forum will be the shortest distance between points A and B.

What is off-limits for *most* Erotica publishers?

I have a novel that probably, other than some very graphic scenes, could be considered mainstream or literary.

I have heard that incest is off-limits, rape, minors engaged in sex, but I don't know if that is with regards to Erotica or Erotic Romance, and I'm not sure of the difference between the two.

I didn't include the graphic scenes onlyin an attempt to arouse; my MC has a lifestyle that is largely defined by promiscuity, which gets him into a lot of trouble. But, at the same time, when I was writing these half a dozen scenes, I found myself asking why I should have to cut to black.

I have a rape scene. It's the rape of a bound man at gunpoint by a woman who is part of a group that's abducted him for illicit financial purposes. This rape is not sexy, I don't think, it's about breaking him down for manipulation purposes. At one point he does get aroused, but that doesn't last.

So, I'm facing a decision now. Do I edit my graphic scenes and go after a mainstream publisher and audience, or do I let them be and try to find an Erotica publisher?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Been stuck on this for more than a month. Thanks!

Thanks for such a generous response. I think mainly what's confused me is I've heard that if a story revolves around sex, if sex is an inherent part of plot and character, then it is seen as Erotica. In a real sense, this story does revolve around sex, since the MC is a guy who's made a science and an art of seduction (at least he thinks he has) He is, we always suspect and ultimately find, an unreliable narrator. But this guy is so set in his approach to sex and all the preliminaries to sex, that it's in essence a philosophy. So, though there's another story, the primary story which is more crime related sex is inherent to the story, the character flaw which puts him in such a vulnerable position to begin with...

But, I am thinking hard on your response, and instinct tells me that you are probably right, and thank you again for your insight. Part of me feels that if I am to be judged by the mainstream world for presenting a natural part of living, in an honest, and I believe accurate way, then I'd rather skip it and try to be embraced by those who see this more in the way that I do.

Thank you, I'll definitely do that. Were they mainstream published books?

Much thanks for that, Maryn. Will do!

I know there are marketing considerations. I know that publishers believe that they know what their readers will and will not accept. I know that we would all draw a line somewhere, as to what we would find engaging, and what would turn us off. Your community tampon example. But yet, I only get irreparably turned off when i just don't buy something, when it rings false for me within the confines of the character. Truth is all I'm after, but I have a hunch there's a large part of the public, reading public or not, that doesn't feel that way.

veinglory said:

Your life will be a lot easier of the book is not erotica and not being published by an erotica publisher or within an erotica imprint, and even easier if the book is literary genre--that means the US (or whatever the country is) obscenity laws become less of an issue.

Erotica books have diminished ability to claim "literary merit" as a reason for including topics with precedent for being considered obscene and thus not legal to publish (incest, child abuse etc). I say that as a matter of "that's just how it is" rather than because I endorse it.

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I wondered about this. Thank you. Also about happy endings, ever after or for now. I know a lot of Romance publishers demand one or the other. I'm assuming that Erotica does not demand the same? My story has neither.

Yeah, at least in my story, the abused one IS the hero.

I don't know, though. I still can't wrap my head around censoring, either imposed or self.

This brings up something that's been on my mind. It may not be a very popular opinion, but myself at least, I wouldn't mind if they rated books in the same way they do movies. They could slap a R or an MA on my book and I wouldn't mind. In a way, it gives the writer more freedom. As much as I am for freedom to tell any story you want, I'm also a father of two young ones, who actually read by the way, and I wouldn't want them to read the book I just wrote, even if it was written by someone other than their square old man.

Agreed. But how 'bout rating a book the same way they do a movie? I can see how that might give a writer more freedom, because no one can say they weren't warned. No parents can get upset because there's that big R or X or MA right there on the back cover. I donno, just thinking out loud.