A Missing Category?

[SamScribble]

I have now lived longer than I ever expected to live. And, looking back on my life, and on the lives of my friends and acquaintances, I see very little absolute monogamy. Pretty much everyone I have known has engaged in what used to be called ‘extramarital relationships’ (of one sort or another).

And, if art is following life, I would have thought that the chances of a character (or two) in many of the Lit stories ‘straying’ is rather high. And yet … there is no story category for what I would consider to be ‘normal’ people living ‘normal’ lives. Please don’t tell me that’s what Loving Wives is about. It's not.

 

[NotWise]

I have now lived longer than I ever expected to live. And, looking back on my life, and on the lives of my friends and acquaintances, I see very little absolute monogamy. Pretty much everyone I have known has engaged in what used to be called ‘extramarital relationships’ (of one sort or another).

And, if art is following life, I would have thought that the chances of a character (or two) in many of the Lit stories ‘straying’ is rather high. And yet … there is no story category for what I would consider to be ‘normal’ people living ‘normal’ lives. Please don’t tell me that’s what Loving Wives is about. It's not.

Wanderings could be used in Erotic Coupling and other categories. I don't see much need for a separate category.

 

[SimonDoom]

I've read your post a few times and don't understand what you are saying. What category, specifically, is missing? What would its subject matter be? I don't understand the gist of the post.

The bottom-line question is whether there is a readership that is not fully served by the existing menu of categories. I don't know. Is there reason to believe that there is?

 

[SamScribble]

I've read your post a few times and don't understand what you are saying. What category, specifically, is missing? What would its subject matter be?

I guess what I am asking, Simon, is where do I post a story about a married woman who goes off piste without her husband’s/partner’s consent and endorsement?

The story is about more than just hastily-grabbed erotic couplings. But it is not exactly a romance. It’s about a relationship. And both of the main characters know that, one day, the relationship will probably have to come to an end. There will be no HEAs. But no bitches will be burned either.

Perhaps I will just go with the Snipe Hunter’s advice: put it in Erotic Couplings and see what happens.

 

[SimonDoom]

I guess what I am asking, Simon, is where do I post a story about a married woman who goes off piste without her husband’s/partner’s consent and endorsement?

The story is about more than just hastily-grabbed erotic couplings. But it is not exactly a romance. It’s about a relationship. And both of the main characters know that, one day, the relationship will probably have to come to an end. There will be no HEAs. But no bitches will be burned either.

Perhaps I will just go with the Snipe Hunter’s advice: put it in Erotic Couplings and see what happens.

I think you ask, What's the main appeal? Most erotic stories, if you think hard about them, have something that is their main source of appeal. In this case it might be Erotic Couplings because that's a default category. It might be Loving Wives, but Loving Wives tends to divide itself into one of three categories: 1) wife cheats and husband is humiliated, 2) wife cheats with husband consent and he is not humiliated, and 3) wife cheats and there's holy hell to pay. If your story doesn't fit in one of those categories it's probably not Loving Wives.

 

[Emirus]

I second what SimonDoom has said. Perhaps you could give a couple of examples of storylines of what you are talking about, why they wouldn’t fit into an existing category, and suggest a title for a category you think they would fit into.

I would have thought “normal people living normal lives” would fit in Romance, Non-Erotic or Novels.

 

[SamScribble]

I second what SimonDoom has said. Perhaps you could give a couple of examples of storylines of what you are talking about, why they wouldn’t fit into an existing category, and suggest a title for a category you think they would fit into.

I would have thought “normal people living normal lives” would fit in Romance, Non-Erotic or Novels.

The story is written, Emirus. It's a bit over 11k words - so about 3-4 Lit pages. Definitely not a novel. And while sex is not especially graphic, there is quite a bit of it, so not Non-Erotic either. Romance? Yeah, I could give it a try.

 

[SimonDoom]

Sounds like Erotic Couplings or Romance to me, the way you describe it.

Sounds like it's told from the woman's point of view. She has an affair. The story is sympathetic to her.

Is it romantic? Does it focus on her feelings? Does the affair vindicate something she needs romantically? At the end of the story does the relationship continue? That would be Romance, I think.

Or is it mostly about the sex? A brief one-time encounter that ends at the end of the story? That would be Erotic Couplings.

It does NOT sound, from the way you've described it, as a story where the appeal comes from the titillation of sex outside marriage, which is what most Loving Wives stories are about. So, probably Erotic Couplings or Romance, unless there's another angle to it that would put it in another category like Fetish or BDSM or Exhibitionism.

 

[SamScribble]

Sounds like Erotic Couplings or Romance to me, the way you describe it.

Sounds like it's told from the woman's point of view. She has an affair. The story is sympathetic to her.

Is it romantic? Does it focus on her feelings? Does the affair vindicate something she needs romantically? At the end of the story does the relationship continue? That would be Romance, I think.

Or is it mostly about the sex? A brief one-time encounter that ends at the end of the story? That would be Erotic Couplings.

It does NOT sound, from the way you've described it, as a story where the appeal comes from the titillation of sex outside marriage, which is what most Loving Wives stories are about. So, probably Erotic Couplings or Romance, unless there's another angle to it that would put it in another category like Fetish or BDSM or Exhibitionism.

Thanks, Simon. Useful thoughts.

 

[NotWise]

Thanks, Simon. Useful thoughts.

Romance might be a better choice since EC isn't a very friendly or appreciative category. The lack of an HEA ending might be a problem, but with your writing style it would probably bring those readers in anyway.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Sounds like Erotic Couplings or Romance to me, the way you describe it.

Sounds like it's told from the woman's point of view. She has an affair. The story is sympathetic to her.

Is it romantic? Does it focus on her feelings? Does the affair vindicate something she needs romantically? At the end of the story does the relationship continue? That would be Romance, I think.

Or is it mostly about the sex? A brief one-time encounter that ends at the end of the story? That would be Erotic Couplings.

It does NOT sound, from the way you've described it, as a story where the appeal comes from the titillation of sex outside marriage, which is what most Loving Wives stories are about. So, probably Erotic Couplings or Romance, unless there's another angle to it that would put it in another category like Fetish or BDSM or Exhibitionism.

Simon, you’re like Yoda.

 

[SimonDoom]

Simon, you’re like Yoda.

I think that's a compliment. So I think thanks are due.

But I don't LOOK like Yoda. Really.

That would torpedo my chances on Match.com.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I guess what I am asking, Simon, is where do I post a story about a married woman who goes off piste without her husband’s/partner’s consent and endorsement?

The story is about more than just hastily-grabbed erotic couplings. But it is not exactly a romance. It’s about a relationship. And both of the main characters know that, one day, the relationship will probably have to come to an end. There will be no HEAs. But no bitches will be burned either.

Perhaps I will just go with the Snipe Hunter’s advice: put it in Erotic Couplings and see what happens.

I have stories like this and have put them in Loving Wives and in Erotic Couplings and Fetish. A wife or husband strays, does the husband or wife not finding out make it much different than a reconciliation story? Except now whoever strayed will have to live with the guilt. If they feel guilty.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Simon, you’re like Yoda.

No, he's taller .

 

[NotWise]

No, he's taller .

I don't know, but I'd guess he's not as wrinkled, either.

 

[gunhilltrain]

A long time ago we had a proposal for a category called "Relationships." While Romance is about what happens at the beginning, and Erotic Couplings (not always!) are often about what happens in the middle. The new category would cover, among other things, what happens at the break-up, or at least what is going on as the couple gets used to each other.

"Romance" is usually fleeting at best. However, I don't expect anything to change. I sometimes put stories about break-ups in Non-erotic - based on the advice from fans of the Romance category.

 

[ishtat]

As an observer if, there is a missing category, I would nominate tragedy.