The erotica genre intends to arouse the reader. The manuscripts are between 60-80K words. There are many different sub-genres in this category, including women’s erotica, erotic fantasy (that is, erotica in the fantasy genre), erotic memoirs (including the writings of prostitutes) and erotic romance.
Most genres of fiction can have an erotic counterpart, but it would be difficult to find an erotic version of the mainstream novel. Traditionally, the audience of the erotic novel is men, but there are certain sub-genres that might appeal more to women, such as the erotic romance, which takes the standard romance novel to a more intense level.
Basically, any genre can become an erotic genre, as long as it has a place for sex--explicit sex scenes, to be precise. The principal thing that separates an erotic fantasy novel from say, a standard fantasy novel, is that the erotic fantasy novel has much more explicit sex with intense sex scenes. Romance novels might be a gateway to the erotic women’s novel, but the romance novel has more emphasis on the sweet relationship between the characters, where, the erotic novel is more tuned in to the sex acts. This is one reason the traditional audience of the erotic novel is male--because the sexual emphasis drives the story, making it the erotic novel that it is.
I agree that the storyline needs to contain explicit sex, but that does not mean the sex needs to drive the story. I have read several erotic stories that would stand on their own as young adult if the sex scenes were removed. My point being the story needs to be driven by the plot. My first book is a Fantasy Adventure with erotic elements. It is also RH and Poly with all that implies. The story is also alternate history so very hard to pin down to one genre.
I forgot - hitting enter sends an incomplete paragraph I think my book is great for ladies whose love lives have waned and they want a pick-up. It is also great for men who want to develop their skills, as its all based on the courage to say what you want. The question I have is it possible to have female interest in sex explicit erotica if the love is sweet as well as hot, at the same time as being good for men to read. I want to attract both. My marriage failed because of inexperience and no intimate communication and I'm sure I would still be married now if I knew what is now in my book Dieter
I have a love/romance and adventure story. Early experiences has made her determined to to become pregnant before age 19 and only toa man of her choosing, rather than the husband her father had chosen for her when 14. It is a sweet love story with also intense erotic sex episodes.