Sex Sells - Now The Most Popular Genre In Literature

Have you heard about the impressive popularity of the book called "Fifty Shades of Grey"?

Though I haven't read it, it's an erotica book that sells well - very well (it sold a quarter of a million copies before it was even published as a hard copy). This e-reading sensation is the sensual story of a virginal college student and her rich and powerful lover, and it's ripe with sexually graphic narrative and romantic drama.

This single sensation has sparked a notable rise in Erotica literature. I've asked myself, why is that? Indeed, technological advances that now allow you to read a book on your Kindle or iPad have the interesting side effect of making your read secret. Not carrying a physical book around means people can't see the cover and can't tell exactly what it is your reading. This is backed up by the sheer number of erotica e-books being sold as part of this trend, although one other feature that makes e-books generally popular is that they're much more practical. You don't have to wait for a delivery and you don't have to carry a book around. Hell, my Kindle is small and light enough that I can carry it in my back pocket.

But the fact that reading erotic literature on a Kindle or similar device makes readers less inhibited about what they publicly read, is interesting in itself. Why would people be embarrassed about reading this kind of literature? Given that the majority of erotica is read by females, I have to admit it's a bit puzzling to analyze.

Speaking on this topic, Tom Tivnan, editor at The Bookseller, told the Belfast Telegraph: : "we are increasingly reading soft porn and romance titles on e-readers, partly because there is far less risk of being "caught out" with such material".. "The e-reader is the new brown paper bag," he says, adding that "there's a rise in what is being called 'mommy porn' [sexy fiction read by mothers] and it's interesting that a lot of erotica e-books are selling really, really well."

He goes on to say that booksellers used to call erotica novels "sandwich books", because customers, when purchasing a "dirty" book, would often sandwich it between two less embarrassing works of fiction.

Jojo Moyes, erotica novelist, claims that the spread of e-book readers and the rising popularity of the e-book is what contributed to the rise in her work's popularity. She claims she's also been getting more and more e-mails, messages and tweets from readers (many of them male, surprisingly) who are grateful they no longer have to fear embarrassment for reading a book with a pink cover in public. Mitzi Sereto, another erotic fiction author, claims that sales of her work as e-books has trumped the sale of printed editions, and she calls for a change in erotic novel cover design, that she feels need to be revised and modernized.

Men have porn. Although many porn producers and companies will often boast about female-friendly features in their films, or genres of porn that cater specifically to women, porn is and will probably always be male-oriented. Many women just don't get the same kicks out of it as men do. Moreover, as if to prove the disparity in attitude towards sex, when porn material comes with  a "plot" or "backstory", it's something that I believe most guys fast forward to, and skip straight to the naughty bits. I think this is what men generally want - the quick, physical fix, the sexual act in itself, the consummation of sex. I don't think men watch porn for the plot. On the other hand, why don't men read as much Erotica as women?

Women seem to get their fix from these kinds of books. They're packed with the kinds of things that seem to appeal to the female psyche. Sex - yes, but sex as a part of often elaborate plot lines, and the sex in these books is often backed up by drama, intrigue. More often the not the female protagonist is painted as vulnerable in some way: she's either virginal, divorced, has never been with a man, has always been hurt in love, has recently ended a long-term and difficult relationship etc. The men that these women end up sleeping with are also, more often than not, mysterious, wealthy, powerful, exotic. Sometimes they're strangers, sometimes they're wealthy princes from far-away places, but almost every time they're strong, in control, powerful, wealthy, seductive and so forth. Protagonists in erotica novels have interesting sex: and by that I don't just mean positions. I'm talking about where they do it, when they do it, who they do it with: it's always something dangerous, or spontaneous, or forbidden, and frequently something the woman has never experienced before.

Yep. Just like we picture it.

Women seem to have a need for this kind of narrative; it's in the nature of the female mind to get aroused by something much more complex that arouses men. Women need fantasies, they like to imagine men that sweep them off their feet. They like their sex as part of a story, the more dramatic, forbidden or interesting the better. I don't know the reason women like exploring and thinking about sexual fantasies more than men, but it probably has a lot to do with genetics and upbringing. It's less physical and primal to ladies than it is to us guys. It's much sexier, much more interesting if the sex is an integral part in some convoluted fantasy,whereas men seem to prefer to ditch the "decoration".

Of course, this is probably no surprise to anyone. Women get off on different things than men. But the fact that different erotica authors have such wildly successful books is a testament to the common libido of women across the world, and I personally find it impressive that so many women have such similar tastes and turn-ons. Perhaps, what's more interesting, is the age of most of these authors. It's a figure that revolves around 40-50, so it's mostly middle-aged women that seem to have this talent. My personal theory is that it has a lot to do with psychological and physical experiences of women in that age bracket. Perhaps, once past a sexual prime, a woman's opportunities to experience unusual sexual fantasies or meet new, interesting men become increasingly rare. Something has to fill that gap, that need - and why not literature?

Sometimes sold as "Poorly Disguied Middle-Aged  Woman Porn"

After all, what is the Twilight saga but a thinly disguised erotic novel? Some may argue "well, yes, but it's an erotic novel about abstinence", however even abstinence is probably a placeholder for the inability or lack of opportunity to have sex. The book's protagonist can't or won't have sex, but maybe it's a penned rendition of the author's own experiences, and own frustrations. Other than the hindrance that is abstinence, the book follows the generic outlines of erotica novels: the vulnerable female, the exotic, powerful male (after all, what's more exotic, more outlandish, more powerful than an immortal, super-strong, super-fast vampire? Edward is basically a female turn-on MegaPack combo).

Oh my... the sting of stigma.

So why this stigma associated with reading erotic fiction? Is it because, like all forms of pornography or sexually explicit literature, there's an associated taboo? In the end, why is it "bad" that a person is reading an erotica novel or watching a porn flick? It's true that many religions frown upon intercourse or sexual activity that does not have the propagation of the species as a direct purpose; much of this mentality has seeped into most aspects of day to day life, and it's probably one of the big reasons erotic literature and pornography carry a social stigma. The exploration of sexuality has never sat well with traditional values, but I think it's something that has to be changed. As I wrote in a previous article, it's wrong to treat sexuality, pornography and/or sexual education by sweeping it under the metaphorical rug. Our society has managed to change its attitude on many delicate topics, such as homosexuality. I don't think there's any reason for a modern society to shun the enjoyment of erotic content or those that enjoy it.

Read the full Belfast Telegraph article here.