What is a Popular Erotica Niche?

Hi, Generalbrock, I'm a lurker too, being a newbie. I wish I had an answer for you and I'm looking forward to hearing what more experienced erotica authors have to say on this subject.

I started self-publishing short erotica in January of this year with only modest success. And I haven't been able to figure out a pattern. I've got some 'vanilla' straight stuff, some rough stuff, some 'monster porn' including a tentacle story, (ha), one short aimed at a male audience, and one erotic horror story. Sales are all over the place. The monster porn does best on Amazon but it also gets the most returns. The story for guys sells horribly. The best-selling 'vanilla' short involves, er, 'back-door' play. Yet in other places, the monster porn does nothing while the others do better. The only consistent thing I have found is the one short I wrote for a male audience just doesn't sell anywhere.

I just published a short about a BBW and two Bigfoots, but it's too early to tell how that one is going to do.

I, too, wonder what kind of erotica is popular in the short story (for me, 6K to 11K words) category.

What kind of stories do you like to read? What kind do you most enjoy writing? Your interest will show through. That's more likely to lead to sales than writing to a niche because it's supposed to be "popular."

Writing to trends and trying to predict what's going to be big is like trying to swat a fly with your hand. Write the story you want to read, in the genre or sub-genre that most interests you. It may be your stories that make the niche popular, not the other way around.

What Pterofan said.

Honestly, I think part of the success of the much-maligned Fifty Shades was that I suspect all the elements in it were what got the author herself all hot and bothered and that enthusiasm showed throughout.

I can tell you that some Big Five science-fiction and fantasy publishing imprints (commercial) are seriously looking at GLBTQ epic fantasy (I know of three authors signed in the last two years, and I have seen big NY editors looking for good unsigned examples *this week*. ) Literary agents are looking, too. Several erotic romance publishers are becoming more open to GLBTQ romances with strong fantasy and science-fiction underpinnings and plots.

Bottom line: whether you are self-publishing or seeking trade publishing, write the things you love. That's probably better in the long run than trying to chase trends.

I completely agree that it's best to write what you love and what gets you hot. My first story was basically one of my own fantasies written out. It was a LOT of fun to write! And even though the 'monster porn' isn't doing all that great, I just love writing weird stuff, so I'm continuing with it. Of course I would love it if what I like to write would happen to mesh with a trend, heh.

The other problem with writing what's Popular is 1) So are so many others, so you get lost in a sea, and 2) fads die. Especially when the Next Hot Trend happens while you're still writing about the last one.

Generalbrock said:

I was just worried that there would be zero demand for a wannabe epic fantasy erotica. I think that I'll try those for a bit, and see how they go.

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I dunno, the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey was both published by Tor and gets good reviews. Also I know a friend of mine read this epic fantasy erotica and liked it.

Anyways, focus on making what you want to write the best that you can. The best way to succeed is to keep writing, keep finishing, keep editing, and putting it out there. People will find it.

A niche is not just popularity, it is also limited competition. Right now one area would be under served and emerging kinks and fascinations

Hermit Crab said:

I have found is the one short I wrote for a male audience just doesn't sell anywhere. .

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Most men prefer to watch porn, not read. Writing erotica to the male audience is feat in futility. (I am talking hetero male audience, not gay. I hear that gay erotica sells real well.)

Men read plenty of porn. Female oriented material is dominating online because it is new. But erotica sells about 50/50 at vendors like amazon kindle and free sites like literotica show a similar split. The male audience is strongest in kink and straightforward porn without pretensions and what remains of the non-digital magazine. IMHO men read porn to a similar extent that they read any genre not specifically gender-targeted. Looking at places that lean towards erotic romance gives a biased window on the market

enkidu007 said:

Most men prefer to watch porn, not read. Writing erotica to the male audience is feat in futility.

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It depends. For instance if there isn't any live filmed porn of the type of stuff you like, then you go elsewhere. For instance if you like sex with alien and strange beings, you have to settle for hentai, art or fiction.

The niche market I write for, stats show that it's 80% male, and the orientation breakdown is 40/40/20 straight/bi/gay. Nearly all the writers, erotica and non, are male, and most of the readers are male. Now, a lot of the erotica is predominately m/m, but that's due to most of the earlier writers in the niche were gay, all of the publishers are ran by gay couples, and there was pretty much no normal gay erotica available at the time. But in the last five years the market's diversity expanded a whole hell of a lot.

Granted, the niche is heavily, heavily art focused so the writing stuff is a very small percentage in comparison. But it's growing.

(I am talking hetero male audience, not gay. I hear that gay erotica sells real well.)[

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Actually, large subset of M/M erotica is both written and read by women.

Generalbrock said:

I have a question for all the erotica writers on here. I'm just getting into writing erotica, and I'm wondering what niche would be a good idea to focus on.

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Some authors are capable of working in any subgenre of erotica. To do this successfully can be difficult.

But for many of us, if we find ourselves having to make frequent trips to the bathroom while writing, or having to rinse off the keyboard after a writing session, then we've found our niche.

No kidding, if it turns you on, it's more likely to turn readers on, too.

My personal belief is that it is better to write to your strengths. Instead of chasing a trend, be the new trend-setter. Write a good story and you can become the new fad. So much more fun and less daunting than trying to predict people and their tastes.

I am garnering interest. It is slow, but those who find it, love it. I didn't write them to become rich and famous. I wrote them because I want to. I wrote them because the story wouldn't leave me alone.

veinglory said:

Men read plenty of porn. Female oriented material is dominating online because it is new. But erotica sells about 50/50 at vendors like amazon kindle

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I don't know where you get your stats from, but if you do a search for top 100 erotica authors on amazon it is like over 90% women. I see like only 3-4 guys on that list.

Recently, a few authors I have had the pleasure of meeting on Goodreads have read and reviewed my stories, spreading the word and identifying friends who would enjoy them, too. So, my name is getting out there.

enkidu007 said:

I don't know where you get your stats from, but if you do a search for top 100 erotica authors on amazon it is like over 90% women. I see like only 3-4 guys on that list.

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I was talking about readers, of the entire genre not just what is trending now. I would have to dig for the report it was in -- but the market is 50% male--they don't talk about it online of drive hot books up the charts, they just buy it in their interest area which is mainly lots of fucking and an array of kinks that vary largely by age group.

Men and women bother read sex, the fact women have come out of the closet, and Amazon started treating it as a subgenere of romance, has not made that male readership go away. They are to be found in the "not pretending to be literary" and "plain packaging with plain language" side of the market. Slate did a big article on it around 2010 and I have only seen more of it since then.

enkidu007 said:

I don't know where you get your stats from, but if you do a search for top 100 erotica authors on amazon it is like over 90% women. I see like only 3-4 guys on that list.

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Um...ever heard of pen names? I know several authors with my publisher who are men, but use female pen names. Likely for the same reason some women who write mysteries and thrillers use male or gender neutral pen names.

Beachgirl said:

Um...ever heard of pen names? I know several authors with my publisher who are men, but use female pen names. Likely for the same reason some women who write mysteries and thrillers use male or gender neutral pen names.

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Sure, I understand pen names, but if you look on amazon's top 100 erotica list, almost all the pictures are of real females. It is one thing to use a pen name but to put a picture of a real female when the person is a male author? That makes no sense, what if they are asked to do a book signing, lol, that would be awkward.

I know male romance authors who use female proxies for photos - it's kinda frowned upon, but I know some guys who started early, and simply don't do in-person signings.

And a lot of us female writers don't show our photos, and avoid in-person appearances, for better reasons than 'we're shy'.

As for the claim men don't read porn, there are a few erotic romance publishers who've started male-oriented lines. I don't know how they're doing, but at least they thought there was enough market to try.

If you can write effectively for the 'female audience', what gender you are - or present - means little. Same with the 'male audience'. Going too far with that concern can possibly lead to second-guessing yourself as a writer, before you even get far enough to learn your actual strengths. I've seen it used as an excuse before.

Filigree said:

I know male romance authors who use female proxies for photos - it's kinda frowned upon, but I know some guys who started early, and simply don't do in-person signings.

And a lot of us female writers don't show our photos, and avoid in-person appearances, for better reasons than 'we're shy'.

As for the claim men don't read porn, there are a few erotic romance publishers who've started male-oriented lines. I don't know how they're doing, but at least they thought there was enough market to try.

If you can write effectively for the 'female audience', what gender you are - or present - means little. Same with the 'male audience'. Going too far with that concern can possibly lead to second-guessing yourself as a writer, before you even get far enough to learn your actual strengths. I've seen it used as an excuse before.

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thanks for the info

While it's already been covered, I will say not to focus on what's popular. It's a good way of burning out. Write what you love or would like to read. That way when it's done, you're excited about it instead of feeling like you're finally free of it.

I've had both reactions from my own work. I wanted to get something in with Siren, so I started to write an m/m in third (not a problem) which was mostly sex without a story with crass language (the problem).

I can't write just for the sex. I focus mainly on the plot, and if the sex furthers that, fine. If not, I don't put it in.

You need to write for yourself first. Back in late 2011, I wrote my first erotic piece. I'd been writing epic fantasy before then and needed a break. Hubby suggested going outside my comfort zone, so I wrote the one thing I was sure I'd never enjoy (but was so different that I could be away from my imaginary worlds for a while).

Three years later, I'm still writing it and selling it, mostly because it found some level of success I hadn't seen from my other work before. Not only that, but after I wrote my first piece (60k in about 5 days), I was anxious to write something else.

I loved the freedom and the emotional aspect of this genre as I hadn't really dealt with romance much in he past.

So, I'm someone who will always say to write what you love. You're trying something new, and it could be great (or you may find it isn't your thing). If it's the latter, don't fret. There's a market out there for just about anything, you just have to know where to look.

Best of luck, and welcome to the dark side.