Sensuous Writings: Part 3 Romantic/Erotic Fiction vs. Pornography

The single most important question I needed an answer to was: Is this pornography or erotica? That was my question at the meeting. Here are some answers from my notes:

Erotica is literary, an art form in which one uses soft, sensual imagery to arouse or sexually stimulate the reader. Including such elements as foreplay, intimacy and a mutually satifying sexual encounter. It gives the reader the sensation of almost being there. Erotica on its own and as part of a romance involves highly descriptive, artfully done writing to create sensual imagery, which leads up to and includes the sexual act.


Pornography revolves around the sexual event itself. The hard core "Wham Bam, Thank you, Ma'am" scenario. Use of words such as C--T & P---K and other vulgar terms aren't romantic and will usually illicit a repsonse of disgust, not arousal in most woman.

The primary difference between the two is that Pornography has no socially redeeming characteristics and is less artistic than it is degrading; especially toward women.

Still, perceptions are always subjective as to what is pornography and what is erotic.

When writing Romantic ertoica, the looks, feel, perceptions and interactions of the lovers all come into play.

Choosing sensual words as well as the right words to describe male and female anatomy are important in Romantic/Erotica.
The following are examples:
"His brooding eyes were so intense."
"Her low cut blosue exposed the mounds of soft female flesh."
"Her husky voice aroused him, even before he got a glimpse of her silky soft curves.
"The swelling bulge in the front of his faded Levi's left nothing to the imagination."

Choosing words for body parts depends in part on the character's themselves. Words like "His manhoood, his hardness, her soft, fleecy warmth, etc. would be used,along with perhaps,some "street slang" for body parts as well. Some readers like the characters to "talk dirty" to one another.

Believe it or not, there is actually a "Thesaurus" you can use for creative terminology: "The Bald-Headed Hermit and the Artichoke: An Erotic Thesaurus."

Following are excepts from three novels:

Guesthouse:

"His strong arms captured her, pulling her on top of him. She straddled his waist, feeling his hardness crushing against her. Her body responded to his touch, hungry for more. It had been so long since a man had held her, had been one with her. She wanted Daniel, never wanted this moment to end."

The Wisdom of Evil:

In the bedroom, Michael began to remove his uniform. Glory stopped him.
"Hmmm. You look so good in that uniform. Let me look at you for a minute.”
She looked him up and down, her eyes filled with the hunger of desire.
At six foot, he was much taller than her petite five feet. He was all man with strong, muscular arms, the kind a woman want wrapped tightly around her. His dirty blonde hair was cropped; still damp from the wet snow, his face had the faintest hint of razor stubble. So sexy, she thought. His long eyelashes, set above his hazel-green eyes, full lips and a strong jaw line all added to his sensuality. He was nonchalant about his looks, not seeming to notice just how very irresistible he was, which made him all the more desirable.
“Seen enough? Can I get changed now?” Michael laughed.
“Uh-uh,” Glory shook a finger at him, picking up where she’d left off, unbuttoning his starched blue shirt.
“As good as you look in this uniform…I think it needs to come off, don’t you?” She took off his shirt and threw it aside. Her hands reached for his belt, unbuckled it, slowly, pushing him down onto their bed, taking off his pants.
“Are the kids asleep?” Michael asked, his voice growing husky, with desire.
He loved Glory’s bold sexually, her passion. She was beautiful; no doubt about that, her hair was a stunning mane of dark auburn; shiny and thick. Her deep brown eyes, so very dark glittered in the darkened room.
“Yup. It’s just you an’ me. He-he. Are yah scared?”
“Of you? Always.”

Salem Moon:

As they moved closer to one another, he put his arms gently around her waist, still they were a few inches apart; she placed her hands on his shoulders, both of them moving in a slow, deliciousness toward one another. Gabriel tenderly pulled her to him. They looked into one another’s eyes, their lips no more than an inch apart, their breathing shallow, both of their hearts racing with anticipation. He leaned in and gently kissed her mouth, savoring the sweetness of it. Slowly, so slowly his lips brushed hers in a whisper of a kiss.
He tightened his arms around her waist, until their bodies were melded as one and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, wanting his mouth fully upon hers. She put her hands on his face, her touch on his cheeks soft and warm and electrifying all at once. His mouth came down on hers, hard, demanding. She kissed him back, matching his desire.
The passion of it was indescribable! Gabriel was helpless to resist. He felt so many unfamiliar feelings, both emotionally and physically. He wanted her to be one with him always and his loins burned fiercely with a most delicious heat.
He reached up, cupping her face, just as she held his, never once breaking apart from one another’s mouth as their kiss grew deeper. Body against body, mouth against mouth, and at an even deeper level; a depth neither of them had ever experienced; their very souls intertwining, becoming one; the inherent beauty of it; that which was like nothing else in the entire world; the magic of that first kiss!

My own style of storytelling is one of descriptive narrative. That's why I like the Romance/Erotica genre. Even though,most of the scenes I write are sensuous in nature, I do have some scenarios with the monstrously beautiful and seductive,Fallen Angel, Lucien, that are far more graphic. As I said, it depends on the character. Lucien's nature is lustful, so I can include more explicit sexual scenes.

Now that I have completed the Sensuous Writing Blog, I hope you will excuse me, I have to go get a glass of cold water...with ice!

Best regards,
Scarlet Black

Sensuous Writings Meeting Part 1 of 3

Hi All!

Welcome. I wanted to share with you some of the topics discussed at the meeting. (No, it wasn't all about sex!) Damn!

There was a lot of talk about the importance of such things as choosing a publisher. Right now, according to some of the editors/publishers present at the meeting, it is a writer's market out there. There is a place for every well written book out there. It is the writer's job to find that place.

Of utmost important is finding the right publisher. They do become like family. You should feel that way about your publisher. They make us happy (and they are just as happy to give us that first contract to sign or the mock book cover to review!) They picture us doing the happy dance and they love that they were the cause of such happiness!  Happy writers, write better! They want to please their publisher for believing in them. A good publisher wants you to stay with them for years.

I 've found my family at HELLFIRE. I love everyone involved in the company. We root for one another and our Exec. editor is always there for us, no matter what we need!

Watch for part 2: The importance of the right Book Cover, Blurb and yes the Dedication/Acknoweldgement page and your assigned editor's role in bringing the book to fruition. Why these are critical to a books success!

Part 3  Tips given on writing erotica. I learned some things there, let me tell yah!

Best regards always,

Scarlet Black