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Do erotica readers demand HEA?

Thread starter DrZoidberg
Start date Jul 7, 2010

DrZoidberg

aka TomOfSweden

Super Member

Registered

Jul 7, 2010

#1

Here's a question that rests on saleability rather than artistic honesty.

In my first published novel (erotica) the relationship ended unhappily. I've gotten some annoyed letters about it. A beta thought I have a duty to make it end happily. But that would mean I make my heroine into a weak willed sop, (instead of a strong woman taking charge of her sexuality) which I would have thought would offend every female reader. Hell... it would offend me. All these annoyed letters are from women readers. Which I found quite peculiar. I'm not sure how to interpret this. It's like, "Yes, I know this ending makes better sense, but I want it to end happily ever after anyway".

This is a question to those of you who have published. Do erotica readers always want/demand HEA? What's your experience? Is this a thing that can seriously hurt my sales? I personally like less than idyllic endings. But maybe that's just me?

HEA = Happily ever after

thethinker42

Abnormal Romance Author

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Jul 7, 2010

#2

My experience has been that it's not the HEA/HFN or lack thereof that pisses my readers off, it's the lack of a satisfactory ending.

<<< SPOILERS FOR MY BOOKS >>>

Between Brothers is erotica, not erotic romance, and the main character does not end up in a romantic relationship with any of the men she sleeps with throughout the book. There's the open-ended possibility of a relationship with one of them eventually (she does end up with one later, but that's my little secret

), but she is single at the end of the story. Single and happy about it. Reader response? No complaints. A few have mentioned they think she'll end up with one of them, or they would have liked to see her end up with one, but I certainly didn't get any angry letters or anything of the sort.

Rules of Engagement has a HFN ending, but it's somewhat abrupt. Some readers weren't happy about that, and I've gotten quite a few e-mails asking for a sequel. Some of the e-mails were quite angry, to say the least. It was a satisfactory ending to me, but after it got that kind of reaction from readers, it made me give it a second look.

<<< END SPOILERS >>>

So, while both books had happy endings, only one had the traditional HFN/HEA, and that was the one that sparked a few angry letters. With that experience in mind, I'd say what readers want is a satisfactory ending...a resolution to the story, preferably ending on a positive note, but if it's not a romance, then the HEA isn't mandatory.

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

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Jul 7, 2010

#3

Although I personally want to read erotic romance, which must have a HEA, I have read some erotica stories which had a very effective UHEA or UHFN (unhappily ever after or unhappy for now). This kind of ending is very appropriate for humor, horror, and also pieces which involve a kink for teasing, humiliation, cuckolding, bondage/immobility/helplessness, masochism, bod-mod, etc. A few examples of what I mean - the story might end with the main character enslaved with no hope of rescue, pregnant when they didn't want to be, having lost any chance of being respected by the character they were lusting after at the beginning, or being mocked for something they allowed to be done to them in the heat of passion.

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Self-Ban

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Jul 7, 2010

#4

As long as the book is not sold or packaged as romance I don't give a damn if there is a relationship at all, let alone an HEA ending to it. It just needs to be a good book.

DancingMaenid

New kid...seven years ago!

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Jul 7, 2010

#5

Personally, I don't equate HEA with a happy ending. To me, if leaving the relationship at the end made the heroine happy and it was a healthy decision for her to make, then that's a happy ending to me.

But I don't read or write romance. However, if I did, I think I'd prefer to see characters end up together who worked well together, and it sounds like in your book, it was better for the heroine to get out of the relationship.

I think a lot of people expect HEA, even if the story isn't billed as romance. I don't think you need to compromise your story for them, though. There are other people who prefer other kinds of stories.

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

Super Member

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Jul 7, 2010

#6

Short answer: Depends if it's erotic romance or another kind of erotica.

Long answer: See short answer.

DeclanStanley

Registered

Jul 8, 2010

#7

kuwisdelu said:
Short answer: Depends if it's erotic romance or another kind of erotica.

If your erotic book is a romance ,readers will demand a HEA, just as they would in a non erotic romance.
Just as if you write a murder mystery the detective has to find the murderer, etc. The erotic element just means that there will be a lot of sex along the way to the ending that the genre normally gets.

Juliette Dupree

Registered

Aug 4, 2010

#8

What I have seen multiple editors saying is that if it's an erotic romance, it MUST have a HEA, or at the very least, HFN. If it's straight erotica, it doesn't have to have a happy ending. From what I understand, this is referring to the books with kinkier stuff in it, multiple partners, BDSM etc. Although a romance could have some of this stuff in it, if it's done right. Basically, the straight erotica is all about the sex, no romance involved.

I don't read that stuff, I read the romantic stuff. So if a book sounded like an erotic romance, then didn't deliver the HEA, I'd be pretty ticked, and wouldn't read that author again. I'd feel tricked. So as long as your story, and especially your blurb, made it clear that it's not a romance, I should think you would be fine.

I'm not published yet, so I'm taking all this from the many publisher/editor blogs I've been reading.

thethinker42

Abnormal Romance Author

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Aug 4, 2010

#9

Juliette Dupree said:
So if a book sounded like an erotic romance, then didn't deliver the HEA, I'd be pretty ticked, and wouldn't read that author again. I'd feel tricked.

Just a quick word about this...

My erotica novel ended up listed as an "erotic romance" on a site or two. This was beyond my control, and in some cases, was simply because the site didn't have a category for "erotica." I didn't hear from any readers about it, but I could understand if they felt duped after buying what they thought was an erotic romance and winding up with a book that wasn't a romance.

So...if a book is listed as erotic romance but is actually erotica, don't be too quick to hold it against the author. It may not have been her decision. (Now, if the book itself appears to be a romance because of the blurb, plot, etc, that's a different story. I'm just referring to how it's categorized on the shelf.)

Satori1977

Listening to the Voices In My Head

Super Member

Registered

Aug 6, 2010

#10

If it is romance (erotic or otherwise), I do expect a HEA ending for the main characters. If it is an erotica book, I don't really have expectations, but I want a HFN type ending. The hero or heroine (whoever is focused on most), must be happy in their decision at the end of the novel, if that makes sense. They can be alone, if by choice. I want them to grow as an individual and have learned something by the end, but that doesn't mean they need to be in a relationship.

Satori1977

Listening to the Voices In My Head

Super Member

Registered

Aug 6, 2010

#11

thethinker42 said:
My experience has been that it's not the HEA/HFN or lack thereof that pisses my readers off, it's the lack of a satisfactory ending.

<<< SPOILERS FOR MY BOOKS >>>

Between Brothers is erotica, not erotic romance, and the main character does not end up in a romantic relationship with any of the men she sleeps with throughout the book. There's the open-ended possibility of a relationship with one of them eventually (she does end up with one later, but that's my little secret ), but she is single at the end of the story. Single and happy about it. Reader response? No complaints. A few have mentioned they think she'll end up with one of them, or they would have liked to see her end up with one, but I certainly didn't get any angry letters or anything of the sort.

Rules of Engagement has a HFN ending, but it's somewhat abrupt. Some readers weren't happy about that, and I've gotten quite a few e-mails asking for a sequel. Some of the e-mails were quite angry, to say the least. It was a satisfactory ending to me, but after it got that kind of reaction from readers, it made me give it a second look.

<<< END SPOILERS >>>

So, while both books had happy endings, only one had the traditional HFN/HEA, and that was the one that sparked a few angry letters. With that experience in mind, I'd say what readers want is a satisfactory ending...a resolution to the story, preferably ending on a positive note, but if it's not a romance, then the HEA isn't mandatory.

I think Between Brothers is a perfect example of a great HFN ending. She grew as a character and became a stronger person, but that didnt mean she needed to be a twosome to accomplish that.

On a side note, if she ends up with anyone, I wanted it to be Max. OR, I want Max to get his own story. Loved him, and want to see more of him. (*HINT HINT*)

Paul

Banned

Aug 6, 2010

#12

DrZoidberg said:
This is a question to those of you who have published. Do erotica readers always want/demand HEA?

HEA = Happily ever after

Em aren't you missing a D?

Seriously, start diluting your work for the sake of others and you might as well take up a factory job.

Marcus Avenier

chasing my tail

Super Member

Registered

Aug 6, 2010

#13

thethinker42 said:
My experience has been that it's not the HEA/HFN or lack thereof that pisses my readers off, it's the lack of a satisfactory ending.

^this

Misa Buckley

Extraordinary Romance

Super Member

Registered

Aug 6, 2010

#14

I don't see why a HFN needs to be about the couple. I'd be perfectly happy to read a story where the main characters had seperate HFN endings, if that's what the plot lead to. I certainly wouldn't want to read anything where a character sacrificed his/her beliefs just to end up with a partner.

As long as one character ends up happy (ie where they want to be), then that's a HFN ending as far as I'm concerned and that would leave me satisfied.

DiloKeith

Doesn't scare easily

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Super Member

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Aug 28, 2010

#15

thethinker42 said:
Just a quick word about this...

My erotica novel ended up listed as an "erotic romance" on a site or two. This was beyond my control, and in some cases, was simply because the site didn't have a category for "erotica.". . .

That's where I find myself - I'm very new to writing erotica and I keep finding myself hanging out with the romance writers. I don't think I write romance, and I usually don't read it. When I try to get my work published, I'll have to sort that out. As for the ending - I want it to be satisfying in some way. (Someone else here said that). Some of the gay male erotica (written by and for men) I've been reading has depressing endings - not satisfying to me, but understandable.

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

Super Member

Registered

Aug 28, 2010

#16

I always write happy endings, because I'm a happy person.

So...always read my books?

Yes. That's a good moral to take from this.

Chrixzy5

Super Member

Registered

Aug 31, 2010

#17

DancingMaenid said:
I think a lot of people expect HEA, even if the story isn't billed as romance. I don't think you need to compromise your story for them, though. There are other people who prefer other kinds of stories.

Yeah I tried to write an UHFN tale into one of my stories...the heroine was telling a story in which the main character died to her lover, but all of the people i explained it too protested saying it was too depressing.

I think it depends on how the ending occurs, I prefer the heroine to be happy than to be in a r/ship, if she's happy in it then great, but the single girls in this world need to know that they can be happy alone as well.

Satori1977

Listening to the Voices In My Head

Super Member

Registered

Aug 31, 2010

#18

Chrixzy5 said:
Yeah I tried to write an UHFN tale into one of my stories...the heroine was telling a story in which the main character died to her lover, but all of the people i explained it too protested saying it was too depressing.

I think it depends on how the ending occurs, I prefer the heroine to be happy than to be in a r/ship, if she's happy in it then great, but the single girls in this world need to know that they can be happy alone as well.

Just so you know, a book marketed as romance HAS to have a happy ending, no way around it. You can sell a book with an unhappy ending, but it will have to go into another section, like women's fiction. It is one of the only rules in romance.

Now if it is erotica, that is a different story.

Chrixzy5

Super Member

Registered

Aug 31, 2010

#19

I never intend to market it....It's a birthday present for one of my friends and it will have a happy ending, but the girl's tale will have an UHFN ending. And yeah I get that romance stories have to have HEA

Satori1977

Listening to the Voices In My Head

Super Member

Registered

Aug 31, 2010

#20

Chrixzy5 said:
I never intend to market it....It's a birthday present for one of my friends and it will have a happy ending, but the girl's tale will have an UHFN ending. And yeah I get that romance stories have to have HEA

Then good luck!

Chrixzy5

Super Member

Registered

Aug 31, 2010

#21

Haha thanks

Guys are so much harder to write for than girls, I'm struggling to keep it from descending into sappy territory

Xelebes

Delerium ex Ennui

Super Member

Registered

Aug 31, 2010

#22

Well, I posted a tragic story on Literotica to see what kind of ratings it would get. Actually pretty mixed, with people opting for votes of 3s and 4s out of 5.

Maryn

I Tried

Super Member

Registered

Sep 1, 2010

#23

One could do ever so much worse than 3s and 4s, of course. I look at some of the erotica I own and sigh in disgust at how many 2s I've bought.

Maryn, impulse shopper

Chrixzy5

Super Member

Registered

Sep 1, 2010

#24

ooh i like literotica want to link us your story?

Xelebes

Delerium ex Ennui

Super Member

Registered

Sep 1, 2010

#25

It's in the SYW here. Ask the mod for the password if you don't have it already.

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