"just f books"

Maryn · Apr 25, 2005

This is just a heads-up, not an attempt to start a flame war. Someone on the Writing Novels board said, in a thread asking a legitimate question about there being a market for a novel with no sex or violence, "...after all there are so many ways that sex in a book can be written and even though the cheap f books sell fast they are after all only f books. Once in a while you can read a good story in them." She goes on to note that her 9-11 book contained no sex, because "are you going to have men and women messing around while trying to rescue people out of a destroyed building." Maybe it's just that my fur had already been stroked the wrong direction, but I read into that the suggestion that those of us who write 'f books' might have included such a scene.

Anyway, I replied to http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10611 and thought other erotica writers might want to know our reputation has been sullied. (So few excuses to use that word!)

Maryn

arrowqueen · Apr 25, 2005

'Besmirched' is good too.

nolabohemian · Apr 26, 2005

I guess that means that people like D.H. Lawrence and Henry Miller, and Shakespeare for that matter, weren't very creative writers because they had lots of sex in their writing. Oh, well. Nice to see them down here with the rest of us hacks!!! Ha!

Giles English · Apr 26, 2005

Well I can truthfully say that there's no F'ing in my book... the hero never gets out of his chastity belt... :whip:

Maryn · Apr 26, 2005

Wendy J said:
I'm sorry that my "innocent" question led to replies that hurt feelings.

I hope I didn't say anything offensive to anyone.

Oh, Wendy, absolutely not. You asked a real question (and got some real replies that seemed accurate). The person who ruffled my feathers made an attempt to smooth them, even--I don't think she realized she'd dismissed a genre this site supports. Her effort was appeasement enough.

Nice to have you join us, Wendy--even if you never write a single sex scene.

Maryn, who likes new faces

Quincunxes · May 3, 2005

I think people are so hypocritical. The reality is that most people spend a good bit of time 1. f'ing, 2. trying to f or 3. trying to make sure that the good f they have is on lock down. Yet they call the writing (and probably the authors) trash...

Obviously most Americans are celibate and the folks keeping the adult entertainment industry in the black are ghosts, fairies and a few f authors. Yeah right.

Unique · May 4, 2005

Interesting Thread

Thanks for making me think so early in the morning. <Ouch!>

But IMHO, there is a difference between erotica and Fbooks. For me, the difference is:

Erotica makes me wanna
and
Fbooks make me wanna find a fire.

Ok - kudos to erotica

Fbook writers - go ahead and throw the vegetables at me - I'm not your market share any way.

This is one instance where 'Show - Don't Tell' doesn't work for me.

soloset · May 4, 2005

Honestly, I think you may have jumped on the original poster too hard. The original post wasn't that offensive, and you misquoted it a bit.

In context, it was pretty obvious that the author doesn't understand that there are sub-genres in sex books just like mysteries or westerns or any other genre you care to name -- and that those sub-genres are touchy subjects. "fbook" does not necessarily equal "erotica" does not necessarily equal "porn" does not necessarily equal "stroke book" does not necessarily equal "romantica" and so on. I personally took "fbook" in that context to mean "pwp porn", ie, a stroke book. Your mileage may vary, of course, but it's hardly right to get huffy because someone else isn't as familiar with the genre.

Besides, it'd take a lot more than a slightly garbled, poorly worded post to sully my reputation further.

Just do what I do -- ignore any post that's not standard font, size, and color; it makes life so much easier.

"just f books"

Maryn

At Sea

arrowqueen

RIP, our sarky besom

nolabohemian

Giles English

Eroticist for hire

Maryn

At Sea

Quincunxes

Unique

Agent of Doom

soloset

'bye