tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post8019293790964484322..comments2024-03-18T02:11:40.154-07:00Comments on <b>Smashwords</b>: Smashwords Implements New Classifications for Erotic FictionDovetail Public Relationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-73749557133254997802018-11-16T14:36:48.446-08:002018-11-16T14:36:48.446-08:00I'm afraid I'm late to the party, but I wo...I'm afraid I'm late to the party, but I wondered if age-gap (NOT age-play) falls under mainstream erotica. By this I mean old-and-young erotica (where the "young" is absolutely over the age of 18 years). Also, it would make NO reference to pseudo-incest either, straying away from referencing that theme. So I was scratching my head... I can't see this listed at all in the "taboo" section, so I wondered what the view was.rebeccaryatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03881989022161505462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-54228190022907725102018-03-23T02:59:56.253-07:002018-03-23T02:59:56.253-07:00All she's doing, Kalinka, is referencing the o...All she's doing, Kalinka, is referencing the original Arthurian 'legends' (I only live a few miles from 'Avalon' - or the high ground near Glastonbury that once was the 'Isle of Avalon' when the rest of the levels were under water. - And the earthworks of 'Cadbury Castle', believed to be the site of Arthur's Camelot by the river Camel, is even closer, so the King Arthur story is well known around here.) <br /><br />Arthur and Morgan's incest was always a part of the story… Besides, I'll bet that, in America at least, those kids don't bat an eyelid at the creation myth in the Bible.<br /> If, as the biblical literalists maintain, we're all descended from Adam and Eve, then incest is not only inevitable, but God given… Hmm… I'll stick with my own godless beliefs, thank you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-51609419501867642712018-03-23T02:27:52.116-07:002018-03-23T02:27:52.116-07:00Thank you Mark Coker for your as always excellent ...Thank you Mark Coker for your as always excellent information!<br /><br />Interestingly, Marion Zimmer-Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon" would not have made it past this modern classification, because of the incestuous scenes between King Arthur and his sister Morgaine. For a young teenage reader, those scenes are horrifying and cringey in the extreme. There was nothing on the cover warning that the material might not be suitable for under-16's (the genre is of course "Fantasy"). Isn't it odd that Tolkien never needed to resort to that.<br />kalinka1https://www.blogger.com/profile/14010791896294591106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-31245009463930232662018-01-10T11:51:23.743-08:002018-01-10T11:51:23.743-08:00Welcome to the age of Self-Blacklisting, a mechani...Welcome to the age of Self-Blacklisting, a mechanism forced on the pro-author Smashwords by anti-author publishers; and one that will eventually force Smashwords profits lower even as it increases sales and promotional efforts to maintain year over year figures.Lot's Cavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13792440369915828171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-51439277009986308722018-01-10T01:53:56.883-08:002018-01-10T01:53:56.883-08:00Generally, I'd agree, Larry. However, sometime...Generally, I'd agree, Larry. However, sometimes an author's books fit several genres. A friend of mine writes a sci-fi series, but they're also crime novels and detective, stories. To add to this, there are snippets of clever humour in the writing. <br /><br />If you can imagine a blend of the epic galaxy wide sci-fi sagas like Star wars etc., with lighter sci-fi like Hitch hikers' guide, Red Dwarf, and Dark Star, then throw in a Morse like detective plot, with cliffhangers added.… Amazingly it works really well, even though it shouldn't. (Check out Bob Cubitt's 'Magi' series https://www.ex-l-ence.com/collections/the-magi)<br /><br />These days, there are so many genres and sub genres that a listing can have as many genres as newly released books. Then when you get to age classifications… YA, childrens etc.… the waters muddy even more. I know parents who encourage their teens to read books like my own, which are decidedly aimed at grown ups (while others won't let their kids near them). Some kids reading ages, or sensitivities, are way above (or below) their peers. My own granddaughter was reading Harry Potter books herself at five years old, yet a friend's twelve year old still struggles with them. However, subject matter and content wise… when presented as TV or film, and the positions are reversed.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-958010938579893522018-01-09T20:32:56.979-08:002018-01-09T20:32:56.979-08:00I sometimes like to have a category to inform peop...I sometimes like to have a category to inform people what it's not. It's also gives the writer a more sense of creating the ebook or at least placing it into a category.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02803202700581230843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-17161810168988026362017-12-27T18:30:37.724-08:002017-12-27T18:30:37.724-08:00PS: I'm OK with the categorising of books. It&...PS: I'm OK with the categorising of books. It's the retailers selective refusal to make available for sale that pisses me off. - I accept that certain outlets may have valid exceptions, religious or political for instance, to stocking titles that conflict with their ethos (I wouldn't expect a temperance society shop to sell a guide to the world's whiskies), but general booksellers should be just that… general booksellers… Not self appointed arbiters of good taste or morality.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-61920027410457930002017-12-27T18:21:25.249-08:002017-12-27T18:21:25.249-08:00The actions of these gutless retailers smacks of c...The actions of these gutless retailers smacks of censorship… they care more about the opinions of a load of sanctimonious media whores, than the integrity of a free press. How would the media like it if they were told which stories they could report?<br /><br />In fact, how would these retailers feel if the distribution and publishing houses grew some balls and insisted on all or nothing?… They're told to take all the titles… or none, including those they make a lot of money out of selling. <br /><br />Would they still cringe like frightened kittens at the prospect of criticism from the arseholes in the tabloid press, the lowest common denominator TV stations, and those wastes of space, the bloody churches, if it would mean they had no block busters to sell?<br /><br />As I said in a previous comment, it seems to be an American thing (Land of the free… Home of the brave?… Don’t make me laugh.) which I couldn’t imagine happening in Europe… Here the literary world remembers censorship, from the likes of Cromwell or the Inquisition, to the book burnings of the Nazis, and it cherishes its hard earned freedom to publish almost anything (libel laws permitting). It only takes a warning tag on bookshelves, virtual or otherwise, to steer the over sensitive away from what they don't want to see.<br /><br />Come on retailers… Grow some balls! Don't bow down to media tyranny.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-19693699516730530032017-12-27T17:19:03.098-08:002017-12-27T17:19:03.098-08:00With regard to Suzy Ayers' comment. I don'...With regard to Suzy Ayers' comment. I don't think it's Smashwords which is demanding this, so much as the other stores like Apple that Smashwords distributes to. Smashwords doesn't seem to have much of a problem carrying anything, as long as it's legal. And they are far and away more flexible than the likes of Amazon or Apple in telling you what might be wrong that you can change - as opposed to simply rejecting your book and banning it out of hand. Unfortunately, as you are aware with Amazon, other web stores feel differently. I share your frustration with this. It has definitely impacted me in sales, especially at Amazon. I feel that anything that's legal that people want to read should be sold without bias. Unfortunately, not many of the online retailers agree. So we all face the task of updating what we write to come to terms with what they're willing to sell. Now this new system is also going to impact me. A number of my older stories are some variation of incest (adult), and the new incest category includes any stories with people related even if it isn't technically incest - such as in-laws or step-siblings. Removing that element from them is, in some cases, simply not possible, so those stories won't be distributed. That will cost me money (and Smashwords, and the other distributors) and will frustrate those who want to read them but there's not much anyone can do as long as the online retailers continue to live in fear of condemnation from the media.JJ Argushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17721826296600271089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-37621729197285279152017-12-27T07:52:14.992-08:002017-12-27T07:52:14.992-08:00Wanted to clarify something technical... for some ...Wanted to clarify something technical... for some reason, my Blogger settings had my name as "Administrator." This may have implied that I have some sort of administrative capacity with Smashwords and with this blog, which I do not. I'm the administrator of my own various sites/blogs, including the Erotic Authors Guild. Hopefully it's showing up properly now.<br /><br />Dylan CrossAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15961119829316620857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-4038613885178725442017-12-27T04:25:53.747-08:002017-12-27T04:25:53.747-08:00PS: For a free taster to the series, there's a...PS: For a free taster to the series, there's a short story, 'Recreations' (11k words), prequel on https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/534763 or a longer prequel, "Payback' (16.5K words) for 99¢/99p at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/649194 . <br />All the other, full length, books are also on Smashwords (or as paperbacks from any bookseller).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-12851604943143616072017-12-27T02:01:35.474-08:002017-12-27T02:01:35.474-08:00
It’s interesting that ‘Administrator’ should ment...<br />It’s interesting that ‘Administrator’ should mention Amazon. A few years back, when I was negotiating with my soon to be publisher, he came back to me with a query.<br /><br />The first book’s plot (Transactions) was centred around two school girl sisters, from an exclusive private school, who would travel into the city (Bristol) by train then pick up a couple of ‘punters’ each as street prostitutes to pay for an evening’s clubbing and a taxi home. It was their way of financing a social life that was beyond their meagre allowances. (This was based on actual incidents reported to me by a former street walker and now clean heroin addict).<br /><br />My publisher asked me if there were any sex scenes involving the underaged girls (my series central protagonist is also a prostitute, so sex does feature in the book). He said that Amazon would allow a lot of things, but might be dodgy about underaged sex being portrayed. As Amazon was a major outlet (and source of reviews that potential readers used), it was important not to risk losing the exposure.<br /><br />I agreed that there were scenes with these girls (in the UK, the age of consent is sixteen, but for prostitution it’s eighteen… these girls were fifteen and seventeen, with the younger one looking older.). I suggested that I would look at the scenes, with a view to either changing the girls’ ages, or taking out the scenes. <br /><br />The ages proved to be a problem because it provided a continuing sense of jeopardy within the plot… the younger girl acquires a much older ‘sugar daddy’/client who thinks she’s over eighteen. He’s not one of the bad guys, and there’s the continuing theme of ‘will he be found out and arrested as a pædophile?’ He also reappears in subsequent novels in the series (as do the two sisters… they were too much fun to write for me to ditch.)<br /><br />Instead, I re-wrote the scenes with this girl to imply rather than detail what occurred between the two characters. The elder sister’s scenes were OK as she was ‘legal’.<br /><br />As it turned out, the re-written scenes worked a lot more effectively leading to abetter book, so we were all winners. The book was published, and the series has just seen the seventh book released. (The ‘Lena’s Friends’ crime novels)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-57771347111550419332017-12-26T21:31:05.649-08:002017-12-26T21:31:05.649-08:00Suzy, I don't think it's necessarily a bad...Suzy, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. Readers are going to want to know what they're getting, and won't want to be blindsided with some theme that's a "trigger" or hot button for them. Story codes are nothing new; some of us were using them even on the alt.sex.stories newsgroups back in the 90s.<br /><br />I'm with the Erotic Authors Guild and have to say that Smashwords has always had our genre's back. We certainly have not seen anything near the struggles that we've had with Amazon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15961119829316620857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-64980384167180835362017-12-26T21:19:06.504-08:002017-12-26T21:19:06.504-08:00So many negative comments; in all directions. I wr...So many negative comments; in all directions. I write in so many genres and people are extremely closed minded. Initially, I thought I was writing sexy stories for women in struggling relationships, marriages or sexual partnerships. It turns out that everyone enjoyed them. I have made several friends in the writing community and have enjoyed it. My thought on the "categories" is this. If some have to categorize, all should. Amazon has basically made my once prosperous writing--which I loved, into pennies and hardly worth pubbing there. My fear is that Smashwords will be doing this next. I write romance, fantasy, erotic romance, etc. You are taking peoples dreams and crushing them. Believing or pretending people don't have sex is ridiculous. And selective censorship is very dangerous. You doing it for other companies, merely protects them from being sued. I actually have your website saved at the top of my Twitter, as I believed in your company. Unfortunately, this move is making me question that. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00307063812313049163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-26584998533884372362017-12-02T18:25:11.431-08:002017-12-02T18:25:11.431-08:00Thank you. I would say it's not erotica then,...Thank you. I would say it's not erotica then, because the fantasy/erotic aspect is definitely secondary. I appreciate it!<br />Mindy Haighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071659545499639282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-66262297416165545192017-12-02T15:09:13.954-08:002017-12-02T15:09:13.954-08:00Mindy, whatever you feel most accurately describes...Mindy, whatever you feel most accurately describes the book and its target market. If the target reader is reading primarily for sexual titillation, then it's likely erotica. But if a reader who's reading primarily for titillation wouldn't be titillated, or if the erotic aspects are secondary/ancillary/inconsequential, or few and far between and not the primary reason for reading, then it might not be erotica.Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-29364475191115078542017-12-01T16:51:09.332-08:002017-12-01T16:51:09.332-08:00So, I have a question. My Book Midnight Radio is ...So, I have a question. My Book Midnight Radio is a bout a woman who hosts a radio show where people call in and tell their secrets and fantasies, but it's all subplot to the story of her facing the duality of her life. She is Cassandre Duschaine, a woman with a job and overbearing parents, at the same time, she is Sadie Caine, this radio show host. So none of the Erotic calls are story plot, just her experiences as the host and how they affect her/who she is. I am not sure how to classify this properly. Any suggestions? Mindy Haighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08071659545499639282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-10139258546878608282017-10-26T03:20:29.358-07:002017-10-26T03:20:29.358-07:00Having been away from internet access for over a m...Having been away from internet access for over a month, it's interesting to read through these comments en masse.<br />It appears that one of the justifications for concern is that readers don't get 'surprised' by a book they open in error. <br />Surely being surprised by books is a good thing… it's how many readers get to read different genres and authors from those they feel 'safe' with and generally seek out. Sometimes they find new experiences that they like. Other times they just put the book down. After all, e-books don't cost much to download, do they?<br /><br />Maybe it's an American thing, but why can't bookshops (virtual or otherwise) have erotica (or even porn) on their shelves alongside all the other genres. Just label books as being for grown ups, and keep them separate from the children's section… whatever the genre, and give readers a wide choice. <br />It's not the place of the bookseller to be censor and arbiter or good taste… and if books like '50 shades etc. are to go by, they don't mind selling stuff that makes money, however badly conceived… A bookstore's raison d'être is to provide an opportunity for readers to choose books. Readers can't choose freely without a wide selection to choose from.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01922538437281055683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-77816941608047268812017-10-17T01:21:20.029-07:002017-10-17T01:21:20.029-07:00I'm afraid your classification system leaves o...I'm afraid your classification system leaves one of my titles in a grey area.. Should a goddess assuming the appearance of a real world animal ( in this case a deer) be considered shapeshifting or bestiality? Especially since it may not be 100% obvious to the reader until near the end?Harry Kummingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08285487325905528952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-25436447660494750702017-10-17T01:17:33.752-07:002017-10-17T01:17:33.752-07:00I'm afraid your classification system leaves o...I'm afraid your classification system leaves one of my titles in a grey area.. Should a goddess assuming the appearance of a real world animal ( in this case a deer) be considered shapeshifting or bestiality? Especially since it may not be 100% obvious to the reader until near the end?Harry Kummingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08285487325905528952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-76622418326729948692017-09-30T08:26:02.995-07:002017-09-30T08:26:02.995-07:00Rather than share the contact I made, may I ask yo...Rather than share the contact I made, may I ask you to contact them via their provided form? http://bisg.org/general/?type=CONTACT<br />That's how I got in contact with them. They're very responsive!SelkieTGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01816516672158969608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-10544436785921515212017-09-30T06:19:32.011-07:002017-09-30T06:19:32.011-07:00Selkie, is there a point of contact for this? The ...Selkie, is there a point of contact for this? The Erotic Authors Guild would like to be involved in this. We are at admin@eroticauthorsguild.org.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15961119829316620857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-41900089225539018792017-09-30T01:13:06.773-07:002017-09-30T01:13:06.773-07:00BISAC has their next meeting to discuss classifica...BISAC has their next meeting to discuss classifications, some time in October. I think they would be open to reasonable submissions on the subject Mark has raised. If you have helpful suggestions, why not contact them, or even suggest some valuable new categories via https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K9CH9MD ?<br /><br />I wonder which would be the most valuable/helpful to add. Or even, how one would go about finding out which categories would be most helpful to add?SelkieTGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01816516672158969608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5882553261432356432017-09-26T20:15:48.924-07:002017-09-26T20:15:48.924-07:00George, you also might want to be careful of inclu...George, you also might want to be careful of including blurbs or excerpts. This could create a copyright issue unless there's written permission to use another author's work, even if you did a blurb exchange. Could become an issue if you agree to swap excerpts and have a falling out with the other author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15961119829316620857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-11651210709523954982017-09-24T08:19:53.929-07:002017-09-24T08:19:53.929-07:00@Administor/Dylan, welcome, and thanks for the com...@Administor/Dylan, welcome, and thanks for the comment and support.<br /><br />@JJ Argus. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks so much for working with Smashwords all these years as one of our bestselling erotica authors. If it's clear to the reader that the character is consenting to the exploration and experience from the beginning, I don't think I'd classify it as dubcon since the consent isn't dubious. The chart summarizes the current rules for all our retailers. Our biggies - iBooks, B&N and Kobo all welcome dubcon. Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.com