50 Shades of Grey?

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What’s to be Learned from the Popularity of 50 Shades?

U-Tube Reviews

In my periodic scans of reviews and comments about 50 Shades to learn what I can about what reader reactions, I found a few U-Tube reviews by young readers (mostly women it seems), giving a flavor for the type of audience attracted to the book and reasons for liking it. Of course, there are several U-tube bits from those who didn’t like the book due to its poor writing, unsympathetic characters or unsatisfactory plot development. From a sales perspective, all who buy generate revenues, but I focused on those who liked the book to see why:
  • You be the judge. At first, I thought the young woman speaking here was doing a clever put on, but then I concluded she was not. Through her fragile, lip chewing, self-conscious, sex starved manner, she gives her take on dominance as “the most common fantasy in women to be completely submissive to a man … and I guess I kinda get that because they are so powerful, you want to just lay back and be submissive.” Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN3qQ52a4dk
  • Then, we have the reader who seems blithely unaware of any sexual dominance, right down to looking up “flogging” for its meaning, if I’m hearing her correctly, and feeling embarrassed about reading the book, wide eyed, nearly apologetic, but clearly liking the fact she opened a door to sexual behavior she knew nothing about. Her perceived little transgression seems to tickle her. Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0e20Cn_67o&feature=related
  • The same woman claims “there is something wired in a woman’s DNA that appreciates a man being a man … telling you what you should and should not do.” She assures us 50 Shades is just a book, so just enjoy. “It’s make believe. It’s not true” and thus “not degrading to women.” And, “it’s not chauvinistic, I promise you.” She half jokes she has taken to biting her lip like Anastasia hoping “Christian will show up ... and maybe it will work for you.” And by “work,” she means getting a handsome, rich man. Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLphVm_o76I&feature=relmfu
  • A measured, well-spoken reader dismisses criticisms of abuse and finds the characters compelling. She is sympathetic to Anastasia because she is young and inexperienced and searching; she is sympathetic to Christian because he has a troubled past involving the early death of his crack addicted mother, and was tortured by a pimp by burning him with cigarettes. She is sympathetic to the story line because while he acted in abusive ways, Anastasia rescues him from himself showing him “another side of himself and other people … people he never knew he could love.” In short, she finds uplifting transformation with the brutal dominance secondary and forgiven given his past and his awakening. It is “not just degrading, a step back for women.” It also is not “overly S&M” in her view. Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9bJoxEoTUk&feature=related
  • Another young woman reader who liked it felt the S&M portrayed had rules and guidelines, and these were negotiated, and so things were “safe.” As to the S&M itself, she says it is “light core.” And, “Christian doesn’t take advantage of Anastasia. After all, she is 21 and a virgin … she deserves an orgasm.” Sex in submission, then, is comprehensible and allowable after long starving, as a kind of just counterweight to living so purely or righteously for so long. And, the reader notes, poor writing style can be forgiven because it’s only “erotica” as if some lowly form of literature. Here: [Oops – lost the link]
  • Referring to the second 50 Shades book, this reader says, “What kept me reading was development of Christian's character.” She also notices the poor writing style but says it improves in this volume. A favorite scene: when Christian “falls to his knees and offers to become her submissive to show how much he cares about her.” However, she claims the end of book 2 should have been the end as characters “had their version of happy ever after.” She feels the last book adds “unnecessary drama and tension.” Anastasia finding herself pregnant “was not needed.” On the sub-dom action, she feels the books do not harm women because “Anastasia winds up hurting Christian way more than he hurts her.” She leaves him, apparently, “because she can’t accept his lifestyle.” Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4pSCEtCUWM&feature=related
  • Reader claims sometimes you want to get away from all the “fussing” of hectic living and have someone tell you, “Lie down. I’m going to do this.” That, she says, “would be awesome.” And, “men go out and watch strippers and get aroused and come home and imagine you as the stripper. We’ll this book, ladies, is YOUR stripper.” So, there is a sense here of taking men on, matching them in their freewheeling pursuit of arousal. Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngbdIi9S5_8&feature=related
  • Reader claims about book 1, “At first their relationship is “an arrangement” but later turns into “something beautiful.” Christian is sympathetic here because of a crack head mom who dies early leaving him for adoption, making him understandable with latitude to be as he is. The match up to Anastasia as insecure, forming young woman creates a “whirlwind” affair, a good fit. She is very “human” and “relatable.” But the reader feels she is not weak down deep, which also is attractive: “she knows what she is and isn’t.” “What’s crazy is he wants more than simply the sub-dom world he’s had (in his bondage playroom with many women) and she does too.” He is “really, really dominant” and “I don’t know if I could deal with that daily, daily ... it’s not butterflies and kisses … but she’s bringing it out of him.” The reader also notes he brings her to meet his parents which he’s never done with another woman, a compelling act on the road to full and lasting love, it seems. She says, “He has stalker tendencies which is creepy but is endearing in the craziest way I don’t understand.” Perhaps Christian’s obsession for Anastasia is as attractive as repellant. Overall, the reader says: “This book makes you want Christian, a guy like him.” [Sorry, no link]
Lessons

What is to be learned here for us writers in the erotica market with reader audience of the sort seen on these videos? Some thoughts:

Romance and character rule. If the characters are sympathetic and interesting to a reader and transforming toward love (a la much romance), readers can encompass the dominance and submission portrayed in 50 Shades and put aside political and social overlays. If “true” love emerges, readers will go the distance on S&M, maybe any distance. Perhaps this is an old lesson, but still worth noting, as we have women in love with a “beast’ in Beauty and the Beast, a “phantom” in Phantom of the Opera, not to mention in love with vampires and aliens in other books, films and plays. It seems starting with the unlikely and making it believable is a tried and true path, though of course not easy.

Lacking writing style can be forgiven. Apparently, at least to some, erotica is not expected to be well written, or poor writing is noticed but secondary if character development and story line bring one along. Of course, there’s nothing to say we can’t have good writing too.

S&M still has grab. In spite of the flood of books of varying types tinged with bondage, S&M is still a bit on the edge for some erotica readers. So, it can add spice and a little squirm in reading at the fringe. S&M of the sort in 50 Shades can be accommodated by the likes of the readers here. How? As an aberration of a wounded but sympathetic character; or as a way to let a lover take over and let yourself go; or as a fall from personal principle against how sex and love should be, but deserved in an otherwise hard pressed or straight arrow life; or as a presumed common but unspoken female fantasy and as such, interesting to explore. On the last point, writers may wish to feed on that presumption, skirt it or rage against it. Either way, the field is open to address it, even with intelligence, one might hope.

Know your audience. For those interested in creating deeper, more complex and literary takes on dominance and submission than seen in 50 Shades, this U-tube audience by and large is not your audience. Looking at the videos, one can’t imagine these are readers of Pauline Reage (Anne Desclos) or Anais Nin, for example. Obviously the age, education and reading experience of an audience defines its tastes, and clearly there are more and less sophisticated (way less) reader audiences. The lesson for writers is to know, before embarking, your likely primary audience and how it matches up with your own writing tastes and abilities. Then, there’s the small matter of reaching that specific audience with what you create.
 

Torgo

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Lacking writing style can be forgiven[/I]. Apparently, at least to some, erotica is not expected to be well written, or poor writing is noticed but secondary if character development and story line bring one along. Of course, there’s nothing to say we can’t have good writing too.

Of all the attributes that make up a successful writer in any genre, the ability to write good prose is one of the least important.
 

Big Kahuna

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I read an article where the Twilight fanfiction was compared to the 50 shades books and they matched 90%. I'm not a fan of Stephenie Meyer, but I would be pleased if she sued E.L. James. If I were Meyers, I would definitely go after her.

Well, that blows my whole seven-part Larry Porter: Boy Druid series all to hell. :cry:
 

TheHungryFreelancer

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Of all the attributes that make up a successful writer in any genre, the ability to write good prose is one of the least important.

And this is just sad! I read the book. I read the entire thing. I have no idea how it ever got published, let alone how it became the #1 bestselling book in America. The writing is sloppy, the character development is poor, and there are a limited number of phrases that the author uses repeatedly.
 

Torgo

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And this is just sad! I read the book. I read the entire thing. I have no idea how it ever got published, let alone how it became the #1 bestselling book in America. The writing is sloppy, the character development is poor, and there are a limited number of phrases that the author uses repeatedly.

It got published, and became a bestseller, because a lot of people are really enjoying it. People are willing to excuse poor writing if they connect with the story. I don't think it's sad - it's never sad news if a book is selling well (well, unless it's Mein Kampf or a book by Ann Coulter or something.)
 

victoriakmartin

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I've just started reading 50 Shades because curiousity got the better of me. I also am pretty fascinated by its existence, since I've written a lot of fan fic myself (though nothing so alternate universe that it could possibly be re-written and sold).

So far, I definitely see the attraction. The writing actually isn't quite as bad as I expected (I've definitely encountered far worse before). And while I can definitely see Bella showing through in Ana, I have to admit that Christian so far has been a very interesting character (far more than Edward ever managed to be!).

And there is something to be said for the whole control fantasy, as one of the reviews above stated. It exists and this seems an innocent enough way to deal with it.

So I agree that it isn't as terrible as some people make it out to be and instead of attacking it I think people need to take a look and see what it has to offer which is making it popular. Characters who are relatable (even if you don't necessarily like them) trump writing style (which honestly I don't think is a huge revelation). And sure, it would be better if it had both, at least for the writers of the world, but I still think there is something to be gained from its existence.

Also there was an awesome Hamlet reference which made my inner English major happy.
 

Maryn

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But I have a real issue with its completely unrealistic approach, which is not at all the way real people play BDSM games or live BDSM lifestyles full-time. Writing that's not so bad doesn't erase my great unease with that aspect.
 

jennontheisland

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Compared to most fanfic, it may not be that bad, no, and people who don't know what bdsm is also won't know what's wrong with the play and the relationship.

So, since most readers don't analyze books for craft issues, and most readers won't be familiar with the intricacies of power exchanges, it sells.
 

TheHungryFreelancer

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But I have a real issue with its completely unrealistic approach, which is not at all the way real people play BDSM games or live BDSM lifestyles full-time. Writing that's not so bad doesn't erase my great unease with that aspect.

Exactly. Despite the fact that every other page has a reference to Ana biting her lip, this book boasts that it's about a "real" BDSM relationship when in fact, it's really not. The book reads like it was written by someone who has seen BDSM porn or read other BDSM fanfic without actually experiencing or researching the lifestyle.
 

Silver-Midnight

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E.L. James says she plans to rewrite the trilogy from Christian Grey's perspective in other words she's doing a Stephenie Meyer. Instead of it being book 4, it will be a trilogy written of the events in the first three novels from Christian's perspective.

http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2012/06/12/el-james-rewrite-50-shades-christian/

I don't know how well that will play out. Then again Stephenie Meyer tried it and the only reason it didn't work for her is because someone put it on the internet and she refused to write more of it. So,.....yeah.
 

victoriakmartin

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Complaints about inacurate portrayals of BDSM are something that I don't have issue with. I don't know too much about it myself but I've heard enough to know that this is not really had it works.

However, it's fiction and honestly I tend to ignore what a book "claims" to be and focus on what it is. Which is, again, pure fantasy.

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time a book got things wrong for the sake of telling a story. And I have a feeling that most people who are actually interested in being a part of the culture already knows the facts.
 

MaggieAmada

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I read the entire trilogy after my sister-in-law called me asking for advice on whether to read it. I told her anything that fires up your imagination and pleases you, you should read. Fifty Shades has not only fired up imaginations, but opened up conversations around erotica and BDSM.

My sister-in-law is actually searching for erotica books that compel her and pull her in. That's a win, regardless of how many times Anastasia chewed her lip.

Most people don't care about the mechanics of writing or how many adverbs are in a paragraph. They care if the story is interesting and if characters speak to them. Good writing simply makes an already compelling story easier to read and understand.
 

elindsen

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Her Dark Star

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Read simply to see what the fuss was about. Was better written than I thought but was hardly worth the attention it's getting. Found the characters largely irritating, her inner monologue basically consists of her saying 'oh my' every alternate page (not helped by the fact that I always hear the phrase in George Takei's voice!), Christian has some vague depth to him but basically I thought that the whole thing was mills & boon with a couple of sex scenes thrown in. I've certainly read worse books, I've certainly written worse lol, but it isn't particularly worth the time to read it I think.
As for the whole fanfic issue? Can't say it really matters except that where the characters come from probably explains why neither interested me very much.
 

Celia Cyanide

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And this is just sad! I read the book. I read the entire thing. I have no idea how it ever got published, let alone how it became the #1 bestselling book in America. The writing is sloppy, the character development is poor, and there are a limited number of phrases that the author uses repeatedly.

I don't know if it's really sad. It would probably just prevent many of us here from enjoying it. The fact is, readers don't generally notice the quality of the prose, unless they are writers.
 

Celia Cyanide

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Complaints about inacurate portrayals of BDSM are something that I don't have issue with. I don't know too much about it myself but I've heard enough to know that this is not really had it works.

However, it's fiction and honestly I tend to ignore what a book "claims" to be and focus on what it is. Which is, again, pure fantasy.

Besides, it wouldn't be the first time a book got things wrong for the sake of telling a story. And I have a feeling that most people who are actually interested in being a part of the culture already knows the facts.

Yes, we do, and I have to say that BDSM is usually not portrayed the way it really is. The Story of O is not real life for anyone. Yet it's a BDSM classic.

I was recently asked to write a TV pilot about my experience working in a dungeon, and it was a plain nightmare to write. Mainly because there was no exciting conflict. It was just a job with people doing things they wanted to do.
 

toogrey2

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The people I have talked to about the books that liked them, but they admit that they are not avid readers. To me the writing reminds me of a Facebook page. This might be why so many respond to the writing.
 

dangerousbill

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A triumph for 50 Shades:

My daughter called the other night. She's been dyslexic all her life, and in spite of therapy, has never been able to burrow her way through a book. She did high school on Cliff's Notes.

Tonight, in her 40th year, she called to announce that she'd finished the first book she's ever read all the way through. It was Fifty Shades of Gray.

Good thing there are two more novels in the series (so far?).