Writing Erotica With Emotional Depth - Do Readers Want It?

[Maryyy_A]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense. But now I’m wondering... does that slow things down too much? Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Hornymwtxn]

For me it depends upon my mood sort of like listening to music.

I have a lot of favorite songs but need to be in a certain mood to want to listen to it.

A long winded way to say...write what your heart wants

 

[spawnofdavey]

I definitely try to write a similar style of story to yourself OP. It's about more than just physical gratification for me.

Some people prefer just to read the erotic bits in a story, some like the plot. I guess it's like watching porn for the story development or just the sex. Different strokes for different folks. But I'd like to read what's going on in the characters heads too.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Yes, there are readers who want that, very much so.

I don't know where people keep getting the idea that readers don't want that, that they only want mindless porn. Read more, I'd say.

 

[iwatchus]

Absolutely yes. Most of my stories are like that and mostly do reasonably ratings wise. I avoid LW and have never written in T/I, so it never draws huge view numbers. But I would put my Nude Day entry in this category and it finished second in the contest.

 

[THBGato]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense.

Sounds great! If it's in lesbian, I'd definitely read it and definitely cry and almost certainly write a gushing, slightly damp comment afterwards.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

There is a solid place and demand for such stories. There's also a market for get-it-up-get-it-off strokers and I won't condemn those, either. Personally, I prefer stories with some depth to them.

Good luck with that one.

 

[Bramblethorn]

The answer to "do all readers want X?" is always no and the answer to "are there readers who want X?" is always yes. Plenty of audience for stories like you're describing, when well executed.

 

[WittyUserName]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense. But now I’m wondering... does that slow things down too much? Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

A lot of readers comment on stories saying they skip the sex scenes to get back to the plot. That said, my advise is always to write what you would enjoy reading. There will be people who enjoy it, and there will be others who don't.

 

[PapaRomantic]

Many Romance category readers will eat it up. I've made them cry a few times with my works.

 

[MelissaBaby]

As someone who once described one of my stories as being about "grief, second chances, redemption and birdwatching," I'd say yes.

 

[RemoteShadeofGreen]

Yes, for sure in romance they like extra words spent on character development and an emotional arc. My romances are my highest rated stories with the nicest comments. Romance readers are so great.

That said, I think it’s respectful to the reader to give some basic plot and character development no matter what the category.

 

[alohadave]

Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight?

Yes there are readers that want this.

However, if you are going to do this, commit to it. If you are going to write something with real emotional depth, do not put in porn scenes. Make the sex scenes be a consequence of actions and discussions that happen, and have the sex have meaning to the story.

 

[alohadave]

A lot of readers comment on stories saying they skip the sex scenes to get back to the plot. That said, my advise is always to write what you would enjoy reading. There will be people who enjoy it, and there will be others who don't.

I read an author that posts elsewhere and his stories are big sprawling stories. I'll frequently skip over the sex scenes to get back to the story. The mechanics of the sex aren't that interesting, but what he does well is explore the characters and how they interact with each other.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense. But now I’m wondering... does that slow things down too much? Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Simple answer. yes, they do. Write from your heart and they'll appreciate it. naturally, some steamy sex doesn't hurt.

 

[WittyUserName]

I read an author that posts elsewhere and his stories are big sprawling stories. I'll frequently skip over the sex scenes to get back to the story. The mechanics of the sex aren't that interesting, but what he does well is explore the characters and how they interact with each other.

It's interesting, because I'm actually writing a chapter right now and it doesn't have any sex, which worries me.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense. But now I’m wondering... does that slow things down too much? Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

If I can parlay trauma recovery into two well-received - and light on the sex - stories, you should be fine.

My WIP novel has sex scenes, but with light brush strokes often being applied. Or cutting to parrots.

Then I’ve also written novellas with so much explicit sex it’s exhausting for the characters, let alone the readers.

There is an audience for all sorts of stuff here, maybe not always a large one (outside the honeypot categories), but they can be very appreciative.

 

[Rustyoznail]

It's interesting, because I'm actually writing a chapter right now and it doesn't have any sex, which worries me.

A chapter with no sex but setting up the plot? Not a problem. I have a few fairly well received stories where nothing sexual happens until the last 10% of the story. Nobody's ever asked for there to be more sex up front.

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

I wholeheartedly agree with @THBGato's statement. Make it emotional and give us a happily ever after ending and Lesbian Sex readers will love it.

 

[WittyUserName]

A chapter with no sex but setting up the plot? Not a problem. I have a few fairly well received stories where nothing sexual happens until the last 10% of the story. Nobody's ever asked for there to be more sex up front.

That's good to know! I hope it's well-received. I mean, I feel like if you stuck around until Chapter 12, you're not just reading for the sex.

 

[JenniferSmithJones]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense. But now I’m wondering... does that slow things down too much? Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

YES! That is what I (try!) to write, myself. In my mind it isn't JUST the sex. That'd get boring pretty quickly. What I find especially compelling is when the sex and emotion are brought together, highlighting each other in a complimentary manner. It's a balancing act. You don't want the story to go along, and then, like an air traffic controller, "Sex scene coming in on chapter five, third page, second paragraph, pants down, on final approach for runway O." Likewise, you don't want to write a plain romance, or even a Hallmark story. (i.e., no sex, but everyone talks about it).

 

[dirk2024]

For me it depends upon my mood sort of like listening to music.

This holds true for me as well. Sometimes I just want the smut, sometimes I want the passion. I just finished writing a story that's more about emotional stuff than it is sex. Then I have another WIP that I fear may have too much sex in it.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Yes, they do.

 

[TheLobster]

This is a wrong place to ask such a question. Most people here will say yes, because it helps justify the effort they put into their stories to steer them into a more emotional and less stroke-y direction.

This is what they want to do -- the authors. By and large, it isn't really reflective of what the readers want; most readers aren't writers. If you want to see what kind of stories are actually the most popular, check the toplists for each categories, i.e. most viewed and most rated.

But if you don't want to chase any of those metrics, then the real answer is you should write what you want to write, regardless of what the average reader might think about it.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I’ve been working on a story that’s definitely erotic, but I also found myself diving deep into the characters' emotional baggage. Grief, longing, unspoken desire - the kind of stuff that makes the sex feel earned, if that makes sense. But now I’m wondering... does that slow things down too much? Or are there readers out there who want their erotica layered with real emotional weight? Would love to hear your thoughts.

For many readers, most, yes it absolutely will bog things down and bore them, make them scroll or just stop. However there are enough readers out there who do want and crave your emotional depth. The category that you publish in will likely make a difference but generally speaking, your emotional content will just take longer to find its audience than all the smutty kinky stuff.

Many writers here have found popularity with plot and characters and emotional content. They are just the minority.