# Does Sex Sell?



## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

What are your thoughts? Do novels of romance -- or _any_ type of book for that matter -- with somewhat racy sensual pictures on their covers and/or books with a title or description that implies provocative sexual intimacy in the story, or have book reviews that indicate nudity or "sex scenes" -- do these books have a greater chance of being purchased than books without sex appeal like this? I'm not talking about just the "X" rated type of books but also books that appear to have an "R" rating for sexual content.


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## L.J. Sellers novelist (Feb 28, 2010)

That depends on the genre. In the romance genre, sex sells quite well! In other genres, it can work against the book. For example, many readers in the mystery community were reluctant to try the first book in my series because of the title. Of course, other people have bought just for the title. 
L.J.


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

That kind of cover makes me assume the book doesn't have much to sell EXCEPT sex, and puts me off. Of course, that can be misleading ... I've found some good books in trashy covers!


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## Kenneth Rosenberg (Dec 3, 2010)

From what I can tell, and I admit I don't read them that much, but it seems like most romances have sex in them these days.  I suppose that is either because sex sells, or at the very least because the publishers think sex sells.  I actually put a sex scene in my novel just because I thought that's what readers would want, but then I took it back out again because it just didn't feel right for the story.  I've seen some threads on the Amazon forums where people have complained about the fact that there is too much sex in romances these days, and that it has increased over the years.  Sex does seem to sell, in my opinion, but I think there's definitely a market for books without it, too.  On Goodreads there is a a group called Clean Romance that is tired of all the sex and promotes books that are clean.


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

There seems to be 2 different camps of readers when it comes to sex in books (and I'm talking mainly romances as that's my genre).  Those who want it and love it, and those who'd rather do without it.  I personally think the latter category is growing, which explains the rising popularity of sweet inspirationals.  I don't care either way - as long as the story's good then a lot or a little sex will work.


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## tim290280 (Jan 11, 2011)

L.J. Sellers said:


> That depends on the genre. In the romance genre, sex sells quite well! In other genres, it can work against the book. For example, many readers in the mystery community were reluctant to try the first book in my series because of the title. Of course, other people have bought just for the title.
> L.J.


I will not admit which group I was in 

To add to the discussion; does the type of scene matter? I ask this because I'm often bothered by the obligatory or cliche 'main character beds the hot girl' scene that is typical of most genre books. Where it feels more natural, or more likely I have less of an issue.


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## MrMiracle (Oct 28, 2010)

Steamy romances are selling well on e-readers.  It isn't quite so obvious that you're reading a steamy novel when all anyone else can see is the back of your kindle.


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Depends on the person.  I'm not into romance or erotica when it comes to reading.  But I'll sometimes see a movie for such reasons.  Just don't see much point in reading about sex when there's so much porn a few mouse clicks away!


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## tim290280 (Jan 11, 2011)

MrMiracle said:


> Steamy romances are selling well on e-readers. It isn't quite so obvious that you're reading a steamy novel when all anyone else can see is the back of your kindle.


We bought my sister a political biography for Xmas, her reading for the bus to work. Then we bought her a Kindle as her graduation present, she is already downloading some romance books to read on the bus.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

If you're asking whether sex sells in general, I'd say probably, for a specific (and possibly significant) segment of the market. If you are asking if it sells to me specifically, then no: I'm much more interested in other things in the novels I read -- not to say they have to disavow all knowledge of human sexuality, but not where it dominates the story; nor do I need detailed explanations of the physical and biological processes involved -- I already know how they work.  So for me, sexually suggestive covers and blurbs will probably push me toward looking at some other possibility for reading material.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Speaking for myself only, I'd say that it's not a selling point_ if the book is actually about something else_. I don't need sex scenes in my mysteries, science fiction, or historical fiction. They don't bother me (unless they're contrived and don't really fit), but they don't need to be there (unless they're in some way an important part of the plot, of course).

On the other hand, if that's the kind of reading material I'm looking for, then yeah, it's kinda the whole point.


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

I read a lot of romance books, but sex isn't the selling point for me. The book still has to have a great story. I think a good sex scene can add to the story, but the book shouldn't be so full of sex that there isn't much of a story. Maybe 1 or 2 good sex scenes in the entire book.

In this one series I read, there is a whole chapter (chapter 32) that is one of the steamiest sex scenes I have ever read. Its so steamy that people actually buy tshirts that say chapter 32. I guarantee that if any one on here has read this series they know what Im talking about because this chapter is so notorious.


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## natashalarry (Feb 1, 2011)

Samhain Publishing is one of the top selling e-book publishers in the game now... I won't say they specialize in erotica...but most of their sales are from that genre. Romance and erotica are big in the e-book publishing industry...most writer's I talk to think that's all e-book publishers publish. 

So, I would say yay....sex certainly does sell...and it sells well. I know one author that sold 600 copies of her erotica novel inside of a week.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

beckyj20 said:


> I read a lot of romance books, but sex isn't the selling point for me. The book still has to have a great story. I think a good sex scene can add to the story, but the book shouldn't be so full of sex that there isn't much of a story. Maybe 1 or 2 good sex scenes in the entire book.
> 
> In this one series I read, there is a whole chapter (chapter 32) that is one of the steamiest sex scenes I have ever read. Its so steamy that people actually buy tshirts that say chapter 32. I guarantee that if any one on here has read this series they know what Im talking about because this chapter is so notorious.


Well now you have me curious, I have no idea what series you are talking about. Hint please? lol


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## Thalia the Muse (Jan 20, 2010)

I would rather read straight-up erotica, then find random sex scenes stuck into books that don't benefit from them. Good, interesting, believable sex scenes must be the hardest thing out there to write! Hence, the Guardian's annual Bad Sex Award, for the most ludicrous literary naughty bits:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/badsexaward


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## Zell (Dec 27, 2010)

For me, I'd rather not read a book that appears to be sexually provocative.  Just not my cup o' tea.  But I suspect, and maybe I'm wrong, that sex does sell a book if the book's cover image, title, description, and/or book review imply sexual content.


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## naomi_jay (Feb 1, 2011)

> 'd say that it's not a selling point if the book is actually about something else


Yep, that covers it for me. I don't need sex in my books, and if it is there I like it to be organic, rather than shoved in for titillation. I'm not a big erotica fan, so I rarely go looking for a book purely for the sexual content. I do enjoy romance, especially paranormal, but I find myself rolling my eyes if the sex content starts to overtake the actual plot.


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## LaFlamme (Dec 9, 2010)

At Charlie Sheen's house it does.
I'm not crazy about writing sex scenes. Occasionally it's necessary to flesh out (hee) a plot development or to illuminate the depth of a relationship. I don't tend to linger long over them, though. I'll save that for the Penthouse Forums letters.


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## KerylR (Dec 28, 2010)

Kenneth Rosenberg said:


> From what I can tell, and I admit I don't read them that much, but it seems like most romances have sex in them these days. I suppose that is either because sex sells, or at the very least because the publishers think sex sells. I actually put a sex scene in my novel just because I thought that's what readers would want, but then I took it back out again because it just didn't feel right for the story. I've seen some threads on the Amazon forums where people have complained about the fact that there is too much sex in romances these days, and that it has increased over the years. Sex does seem to sell, in my opinion, but I think there's definitely a market for books without it, too. On Goodreads there is a a group called Clean Romance that is tired of all the sex and promotes books that are clean.


Don't ever add a sex scene to a book if you aren't comfortable writing them.

As you've noticed with the clean romance groups, lots of people don't want sex in their books, and even for those who do, most of them will be way more forgiving of a well written fade to black than an uncomfortable sex scene.

Let me go even further, most of us would prefer a well written fade to black than an uncomfortable sex scene. If you fade to black we can imagine. If you write and write it badly, we've got that stuck in our heads.

Absolute Write did a "hottest sex scenes in movies" thread. (Just so we as writers could... ummm... take notes and learn more about the craft... That sounds good, right? ) Several of those scenes were not very explicit, it was all about the desire and the chemistry and the wanting. Actual slippery friction was not necessary.


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## Kathleen Valentine (Dec 10, 2009)

I have a real love/hate relationship with this topic. I like there to be a sensual component to the novels I read but if it is badly written it is worse than not having one at all. I can't read most "romance" novels in that genre _per se_ but I love a romantic theme withing a larger story. Romance by itself, without a more compelling story gets tedious.

Sad to say, but there are too many writers who put sex in just for the purpose of capturing attention and wind up making it tedious in the bargain.


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

Sex is always going to sell.  Even if it's not explicit.  Some stories are all just the build up to sex.  Sexual tension sells best though, because it can appeal to those not interested in sex scenes.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

Kathleen Valentine said:


> I have a real love/hate relationship with this topic. I like there to be a sensual component to the novels I read but if it is badly written it is worse than not having one at all. I can't read most "romance" novels in that genre _per se_ but I love a romantic theme withing a larger story. Romance by itself, without a more compelling story gets tedious.
> 
> Sad to say, but there are too many writers who put sex in just for the purpose of capturing attention and wind up making it tedious in the bargain.


ditto. Plus, how many different ways can you describe the act?


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## Kathleen Valentine (Dec 10, 2009)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> ditto. Plus, how many different ways can you describe the act?


Exactly. We all know the logistics. In one of the Amazon Discussion Forums in the Romance Group there is a discussion that has been going on for months now about cliches and expressions readers hate in romantic scenes. I have been following it because it is hilarious and it shows how desperate some writers get to try to be "creative". When it comes to sex few writer's words will be as interesting as the reader's imagination is.


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## docnoir (Jan 21, 2011)

L.J. Sellers said:


> That depends on the genre. In the romance genre, sex sells quite well! In other genres, it can work against the book. For example, many readers in the mystery community were reluctant to try the first book in my series because of the title. Of course, other people have bought just for the title.
> L.J.


Well, thanks to the title (since there's a swingers club in my new novel), I just grabbed your sample for SEX CLUB. And I'm interested in cult stories, too, so I'm looking forward to it.

I guess sex sells...to me, anyway. But not unless it enriches the story.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

Zell said:


> What are your thoughts? Do novels of romance -- or _any_ type of book for that matter -- with somewhat racy sensual pictures on their covers and/or books with a title or description that implies provocative sexual intimacy in the story, or have book reviews that indicate nudity or "sex scenes" -- do these books have a greater chance of being purchased than books without sex appeal like this? I'm not talking about just the "X" rated type of books but also books that appear to have an "R" rating for sexual content.


I would say yes. Yes it does lol. It's almost nauseating how many "erotica" (aka porn) books there are on Smashwords.

I don't think that it would increase or decrease the chance of a book being purchased. There are just as many "serious" readers out there as there are "trashy novel" readers. I would say that a book with a half naked person on the cover just has a higher impulse buy factor.


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## SuzanneTyrpak (Aug 10, 2010)

Hmmm...let me think about that. 

It works for me!


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## sal (Aug 4, 2009)

It sells. And I agree it's becoming more popular now that it's in a plain brown wrapper (Kindle)
without a glossy X-rated picture on the front.

There are a lot of people that don't like erotica. And there are a LOT of people that do.
And there are people that claim not to, but secretly do.

I enjoy writing it.

But then I'm not writing romance (where the debate seems to be hot and cold).

Sal


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## Jon Olson (Dec 10, 2010)

Thalia the Muse said:


> That kind of cover makes me assume the book doesn't have much to sell EXCEPT sex, and puts me off. Of course, that can be misleading ... I've found some good books in trashy covers!


I agree with this. But also with the thought that most good books have some sexual tension, and thus are at least partly about sex, even if they don't describe the act. Sexual tension is in many more erotic than sex itself.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

Jon Olson said:


> Sexual tension is in many more erotic than sex itself.


So very true. Case in point: people watched _nine_ seasons of X-files just to see if Scully and Mulder would hook up.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

As a reader, a sexy cover makes me wince and gives me the impression the book doesn't have anything else to offer. Sex scenes in the book itself only grab me if I care about the characters and if the sex weaves into the plot in a meaningful way.


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## sal (Aug 4, 2009)

Alain Gomez said:


> So very true. Case in point: people watched _nine_ seasons of X-files just to see if Scully and Mulder would hook up.


Well, I watched to see if Scully would shoot him for being annoying.... 

Sal


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

Alain Gomez said:


> So very true. Case in point: people watched _nine_ seasons of X-files just to see if Scully and Mulder would hook up.


That's why I watch Bones!


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

sal said:


> Well, I watched to see if Scully would shoot him for being annoying....
> 
> Sal


Gasp! Treason!

It is _common_ knowledge that Scully was far more annoying than Mulder. Every single time Mulder was right. Scully's response to all of it: "there just has to be a scientific reason to it that hasn't been discovered."


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## Katie Salidas (Mar 21, 2010)

sal said:


> It sells. And I agree it's becoming more popular now that it's in a plain brown wrapper (Kindle)
> without a glossy X-rated picture on the front.
> 
> There are a lot of people that don't like erotica. And there are a LOT of people that do.
> ...


Kindle (and other ereaders) make it so much easier for the *closet *erotica readers to be comfortable with their dirty little secret. LoL. There are a lot of Erotica authors selling very well on Kindle!

I personally enjoy both reading and writing sex. But, sex is such a tricky element to add. And it doesn't always fit.

Romance is definitely hot/cold on the issue of sex. "Sweet" Romance is an almost a militantly-strict group. If you say "Sweet Romance" about your book and then have a bad word or a too "adult" scene, you will never live it down. I've heard of authors getting low ranked and bad reviews because they dropped a single "f" bomb in what was generally a very nice, light romance story.

Paranormal Romance though, seems to thrive on hot supernatural action. It's almost expected and generally implied by the cover art.

Don't forget about the Hybrid-genre for the romance/erotica group. Romantica! Its definitely expected there.

I can see where Mystery or Thriller would be an odd genre to have a sex scene in. Not saying it can't happen but it just feels less like there would be a need for it. Same applies to Horror. SciFi falls along the lines of Paranormal in my view. If the sex fits in the story, ok, but it's not necessary or expected in this genre. The same applies to High Fantasy. Take it or leave it as long as the story works.

Sex in YA though, is a bit debatable. I like to read a good smutty scene but I don't like to see it in YA. Angst, sure; raw emotions, ok; actual sex (even if the character is 1, not so much. But that's just because it is marketed to the younger crowd which doesn't really need it.


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## Tom Schreck (Dec 12, 2010)

Simply check the Amazon rankings for erotic books...


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## K. A. Jordan (Aug 5, 2010)

Romantica sells - there are several e-publishers, some of them quite old, that sell erotica to women.

There is a lot of money to be made in erotica! 

I think the next strongest trope in Romance (after HEA) is at least one bedroom scene. I've got them in my books. I don't get graphic, and they are part of the plot.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

SuzanneTyrpak said:


> Hmmm...let me think about that.
> 
> It works for me!


Funny! 

Miriam Minger


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## MiaHeart (Feb 10, 2011)

I hope it does, hehe just kidding.  I have a lot of sex in my books, but they also have a story.  I don't have sex plastered all over my covers, not sure why.  I think because I just want to be sure they are safe to be veiwed by anyone that may accidently come upon them.


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## Mark Feggeler (Feb 7, 2011)

Everything sells to the correct audience.  Some stories need it and some don't.  Some people are good at writing it, some are not.  I suspect if I tried to force it, it would end up reading like a technical manual.  So, I'll stick to what I do best and leave the sex to those who know how to write it.


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## Katie Salidas (Mar 21, 2010)

Mark Feggeler said:


> Everything sells to the correct audience.


Exactly


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## Mark Feggeler (Feb 7, 2011)

Katie Salidas said:


> Sex in YA though, is a bit debatable. I like to read a good smutty scene but I don't like to see it in YA. Angst, sure; raw emotions, ok; actual sex (even if the character is 1, not so much. But that's just because it is marketed to the younger crowd which doesn't really need it.


Amen to that! Books, movies and magazines all pose the same problem for someone like me -- the parent of a young teen girl. Sometimes a sexual situation pops up in the middle of a story that either doesn't need it or for which the scene is entirely inappropriate. Sex is not a taboo subject in our house, so it's not a question of being a prude. It's simply disconcerting and awkward when a sex scene that has nothing to do with character development or the plot is thrown in for no good reason.


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## Plagarma (Jan 8, 2011)

Sex does sell books, or so the publishers tell us. At one time authors who had not included a sex scene, were often sent away to add one by the publisher. How many books from the past have you read, when one of these added scenes suddenly jump up? Then you exclaim 'Eh! what's that all about?'. You know then the writer has had a little spanking. In the nicest possible way of coarse


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## Mark Adair (Dec 4, 2010)

Yes, is the answer.  As a society, we're a bit sex infatuated, right? As far as books go, I think which type of book you buy does depend on which camp you're in - the implicit or explicit. Regardless, there's millions in both camps so plenty of sales to go around.


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## Tina Folsom (Sep 22, 2010)

I don't like to see totally naked people on the cover, but I do like sensual covers ie. where sex is implied. In romance, sex sells very well. But it can also backfire - that's why I generally put warnings on my books to make sure people know what they are buying. Still, people get offended by explicit sex scenes - it generally tells me they didn't read the warning. I've gotten a few one-star reviews for some of my books over on B&N because the books were too explicit.

Today, I think sex is expected in most romance novels, unless you're reading an Amish or Inspirational romance. Oh, and did you know what they call the Amish romances now? Bonnet rippers.


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## Laura Lond (Nov 6, 2010)

Judging by the number of suggestive book covers on most bookstores' shelves, you'd certainly think that sex does sell, and if a book does not have it, it will be at a disadvantage. It is misleading though. I know for a fact that there is a strong demand for clean books, in all genres. I prefer clean books myself, both as a reader and a writer. As a writer, I hear people all the time commenting on how they often find sex scenes unnecessary, especially in non-romance genres.


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## sal (Aug 4, 2009)

My perspective is different, since my stories are ABOUT sex. 
There's no "should I put some in?" question for me. 

It is interesting reading all the different opinions. 
It seems like people would really like a better idea about "how explicit" a story is,
so they don't buy the "wrong kind."

Semantics seems to be a big issue. Different words imply different meanings to 
different people. There's no objective scale. 

It seems to range from "romance with nothing more than sexual tension" to "OMG, Why didn't they warn me!?"

I'm just busy writing the "wrong kind," and putting naked people on the cover....  
Consider this your warning... 

Sal


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## Mark Feggeler (Feb 7, 2011)

Tina Folsom said:


> Oh, and did you know what they call the Amish romances now? Bonnet rippers.


Bonnet rippers... That's hilarious!


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## Ciareader (Feb 3, 2011)

When does sex NOT sell?


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

_--- edited... no self-promotion in posts outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._ .


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## FictionalWriter (Aug 4, 2010)

LMAO. Have you watched tv lately? Picked up a magazine? Seen the prostitutes that litter the sidewalks of major cities. Sex sells. Sex has ALWAYS sold and will continue to sell...very well.


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## Randy Kadish (Feb 24, 2010)

Romance, yes! Sex, no! Call me old fashioned. IMHO, I think writers often use sex, instead of good writing, to attract readers.
I don't see what sex adds to a story. 
Randy


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## mooshie78 (Jul 15, 2010)

historicalromauthor said:


> LMAO. Have you watched tv lately? Picked up a magazine? Seen the prostitutes that litter the sidewalks of major cities. Sex sells. Sex has ALWAYS sold and will continue to sell...very well.


Yep. It's one of the few pleasures in life, so it will always sell like it always has. But it will also never be a universal appeal, there will always be people who are more reserved (or even prudish) as well as those who just prefer it not be in their entertainment etc.


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## Basil Sands (Aug 18, 2010)

Sex definitely sells...it also gives stuff away for free.

Of course, sex in a book is less likely to lead directly to STDs


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## Amanda Brice (Feb 16, 2011)

There's a term in the romance community: "man titty"

And apparently, the general wisdom is that if you put a naked male chest (with fabulous abs, natch) on the cover, it will sell.

Personally, I hate man titty on covers. HATE it. But countless friends' experiences show that their best selling books are the ones with naked or semi-naked men on the cover (waist up). In fact, it seems the #1 thing you can do to increase sales of a slow-selling indie romance is to slap some man titty on it.

*sigh*


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## sal (Aug 4, 2009)

Amanda Brice said:


> There's a term in the romance community: "man titty"
> 
> And apparently, the general wisdom is that if you put a naked male chest (with fabulous abs, natch) on the cover, it will sell.
> 
> ...


        

She said: "...slap some man titty..."

Whew! I needed that.

If only putting a guy on the cover holding a Visa Platinum card had the same effect....

I know I'm more likely to pick up a book if it has a green-eyed girl on the cover (fully dressed or not).

Sal


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## yomamma (Feb 10, 2011)

Amanda Brice said:


> There's a term in the romance community: "man titty"
> 
> And apparently, the general wisdom is that if you put a naked male chest (with fabulous abs, natch) on the cover, it will sell.


This is true. This is also why I've had a guy on every cover of my traditionally published books, even though the main character is female and they're told from her POV. Hot naked manboob sells more than hot not-naked girl's sideboob.


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## K. A. Jordan (Aug 5, 2010)

I KNEW there was something wrong with my cover!

Ab-solutely!


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

Amanda Brice said:


> There's a term in the romance community: "man titty"
> 
> And apparently, the general wisdom is that if you put a naked male chest (with fabulous abs, natch) on the cover, it will sell.
> 
> ...


Yep, man titty is definitely a seller but I tend to cringe when I see it, hence the just-visible chest on my Sky Pirate cover. That's the beauty of going indie - I can have whatever and whoever I dang well want on my covers. Then again, maybe I'd sell more if he took the jacket off, lol.


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## Amanda Brice (Feb 16, 2011)

I personally love the headless chicks in gorgeous dresses. Those are my fave covers. But you can't deny the power of the headless man titty.


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

Amanda Brice said:


> But you can't deny the power of the headless man titty.


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## Jen Bluekissed (Jan 22, 2011)

Yes.

As an experiment on this very topic, I made one cover very sexy, Breath of Fire, and one cover with no suggestion of sex, Fire Within.  Breath of Fire outsells Fire Within 3 to 1 and some days 4 to 1.


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## AnneKAlbert (Dec 7, 2010)

There is no question sex sells, but I've had readers thank me for closing the bedroom door. One even called the lack of a love scene "refreshing!"


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## MiaHeart (Feb 10, 2011)

Jen Bluekissed said:


> Yes.
> 
> As an experiment on this very topic, I made one cover very sexy, Breath of Fire, and one cover with no suggestion of sex, Fire Within. Breath of Fire outsells Fire Within 3 to 1 and some days 4 to 1.


Maybe I need to sexy mine up a bit, I am pretty careful to keep mine tamed down, maybe I am just an old fuddy duddy. (Well not really seeing with I write.) I just want the cover to be viewable by all who see it, and not something someone might stumble upon and see something they didn't accidently want to see. Is that being to cautious? I figure once someone reads what the book is about they will know if it is their cup of tea or not.


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

MiaHeart said:


> Maybe I need to sexy mine up a bit, I am pretty careful to keep mine tamed down, maybe I am just an old fuddy duddy. (Well not really seeing with I write.) I just want the cover to be viewable by all who see it, and not something someone might stumble upon and see something they didn't accidently want to see. Is that being to cautious? I figure once someone reads what the book is about they will know if it is their cup of tea or not.


Your titles are definitely sexy, Mia, and promise a hot read. Just my 2 cents but if I were you I'd definitely sex-up the covers to match the titles and see what happens. You can always change them back if you find no change in sales.


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## MiaHeart (Feb 10, 2011)

CJArcher said:


> Your titles are definitely sexy, Mia, and promise a hot read. Just my 2 cents but if I were you I'd definitely sex-up the covers to match the titles and see what happens. You can always change them back if you find no change in sales.


Thanks for the advice, I will see what I can come up with.


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## Alexis-Shore (Feb 20, 2011)

Sex certainly helps clear the erotica shelves.


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## Bob Mayer (Feb 20, 2011)

Ellora's Cave was the leader in eBooks before New York even knew there were ebooks, mainly because they sold erotica and people preferred downloading the books rather than buying them in bookstores.
Of course sex sells.  Unfortunately, in most of my thrillers, when people have sex, it's like a horror movie, where at least one has to die.  After all, I'm a guy.  We don't want to have to write that chitchat afterward.


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## chipotle (Jan 1, 2010)

I just finished a really good book, All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins, that would have been better with the sex scenes I think. The hero was so guarded that it would have been nice to see him let loose a bit.  But instead the reader just sees some groping and then the morning after where the hero is back to his usual uptight self.

As far as covers, here are the top 100 romances of all time according to an AAR poll. Scroll down to check out all the covers. I think less than 15% show naked man chests or the couple in a clinch. http://www.likesbooks.com/top1002010results.htm

The best selling romance authors such as Nora Roberts tend to have more restrained covers. The weird thing is that the cover doesn't always suggest the steaminess of the book. Lisa Kleypas writes pretty steamy books but the covers are usually pretty estates with flowers (even if the book takes place in the city!) or headless ladies in pretty dresses. Kristin Higgans writes clean romances but I'm not sure you'd know that from a cover like this:


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I am glad you mentioned about the lack of sex scenes in Kristan Higgins. I had a couple of her books on my too read and you are right, the covers suggest to me that there will at least be some spice in it. I would be disappointed if all I get is fade to black and not expect it.
I guess I just like a little payoff so I am never a fan of the shut doors. Its part of romance for me. 
Only Heyer I can accept without as its a different genre and time and well she is that good.  

I guess we can't go strictly by the covers anymore. I have to do a lot of reading of reviews to make sure it is what I want. Clean isn't really it. 
When I see a lady half wrapped up on a guy like the cover above, I expect there to be some sensuality. Odd choice that is. 

Love Kleypas and now that I think of it, you right, her covers do have ladies in dresses, usually from behind  .


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## EliRey (Sep 8, 2010)

Yep it sure does. I personally have never read a book JUST for the sex, or because the cover implies there will be lots of it. I love romance and I love a good love scene. Of course like everyone else, as long as it's well written but I also love happily ever after endings. Reason why I stay away from erotica. You never know what to expect from those. So Yeah, it HAS to have a good plot/story/characters if it's just sex bleh! imho... that is.


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## Guest (Feb 25, 2011)

_--- edited... no self-promotion in posts outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Elise Logan (Feb 23, 2011)

I think that's the key, actually. The cover is the first impression readers have of the book. Man titty and other suggestive covers are like a little short-hand preview: Sex Inside! 

If I see a sexy cover and get fade to black scenes, I'm going to be kinda cranky. Actually, no I'll be really cranky. On the other hand, if I see a restrained cover and the blurb doesn't indicate there's going to be some serious steam, but I get what amounts to erotica, I'm going to be cranky about that, too. 

I think it's all about making sure expectation matches delivery. If I expect sex and it's not there, I'm going to be irritated. If I expect clean and it's not there, I'm going to be irritated. And I think this is particularly true of romance readers, as they have very specific expectations. Over countless iterations, we romance readers have been trained to associate certain imagery with certain tropes and/or certain heat levels. If I see a cover with two guys and a girl on it, I'd better get menage. If I see a cover with some predatory animal, I'd better get a shifter. See what I mean?

So, does sex sell? Well, sure, in the sense that it tells readers who are LOOKING for a certain type of book that this book meets the criteria.

E


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

i can't say I've ever bought a book because I was looking for racy reading.  So it doesn't sell for me.  I don't avoid it either, and if a scene works in a book, it's fine with me.

While I"m here....a friendly reminder that self promotion is not allowed in the Book Corner.  As you can see, Verena (pidgeon92) has edited several posts to remove self promotion.  We will continue to edit posts that contain self promotion, please don't make us work that hard....thanks.

Betsy


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Yes, the sex sells in most of the situations.

Even real information that brings into light the mystery about sex, sells.  Look at those magazines with articles and answers by so called sex experts.


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## lisankumar (Feb 28, 2011)

With the explosion of erotica, I think sex does sell.  I know authors whose sweet romances don't nearly do as well as their erotic ones.  But that does mean there's still not a place for clean books and romances.  Some people actually want novels without sex, especially now that sex seems to be a plotline for some authors.


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## Zackery Arbela (Jan 31, 2011)

I think part of the problem is the difficulty if writing a sex scene. Some go for the sheer explicit nature of the act, which is a good way to earn a Bad Sex Award nom...others find it difficult to write about at all and end up using so many metaphors and allusions that it's hard to tell if sex is actually happening...


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## Chelsea Chandra (Jan 26, 2011)

My reply to the question posed in this thread:

"Um, yeah."  

-CC


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## Alexis-Shore (Feb 20, 2011)

Sex in books is like sex in real life - it needs emotion and feeling, otherwise is empty and meaningless.

I do think sex can drive a plot though. A character who's desire is to have sex can be a strong narrative force. But we're getting into story structure now.


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

In advertising, I was taught that the four F's sell everything: fun, food, fear... and "intercourse." ("But that doesn't start with an F!)

I'm not sure if this applies to books. I've never heard of anyone putting in gratuitous food scenes to sell fiction.


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## Alexis-Shore (Feb 20, 2011)

You only have to watch adverts or movie trailers to see images of sex. A lot of money is invested in these campaigns, which are heavily tested and based on years of research.

Thus, it's safe to say, sex does sell.


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

Funny that I just noticed this topic.  I'm currently reading a book that is driving me nuts with the amount of sex scenes in it. They're not explicit but they go on for pages at a time  . They are an integral part of the plot (which I didn't realise until halfway through the book) but some of the encounters go on and on and on... I think I counted 8 pages for one.  I just don't think it's necessary to spend half a page describing the size of a penis! .  I like the 'fade to black' scenario. Reading about the mechanics just doesn't do it for me.


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## docnoir (Jan 21, 2011)

Zackery Arbela said:


> I think part of the problem is the difficulty if writing a sex scene. Some go for the sheer explicit nature of the act, which is a good way to earn a Bad Sex Award nom...others find it difficult to write about at all and end up using so many metaphors and allusions that it's hard to tell if sex is actually happening...


I think differently, as I usually see the Bad Sex Award noms as being the ones that *do* use too many metaphors and allusions rather than just describing the experience. They try to put way too much meaning into it. I bet the more explicit and objective the sex scene, the better it is, at least to me.

But when one of my favorite writers seems to always have his main character, when having sex, imagine "waves rushing into underwater caves," I call bull****. He is not thinking about that. Promise.


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## Guest (May 19, 2011)

I am currently making the transition from romance to mystery/thriller.  I've completely re-branded myself and am abandoning my former pen name in favor of my own name.

So I've been thinking about this a lot.

One thing that aggravates the crap out of me is the presumption that writing sex is easy.  It's actually hard to do well.  VERY hard to do well.  

The other thing that aggravates the crap out of me, and always has, is the disconnect between romance publishers and romance readers.  I've read, and heard speakers say, and have been hammered for years with the "clinch covers sell best" and "this is the current trend" for years.  My observations?

Bull.  In almost every case I saw actual readers pining for what WAS NOT BEING PUBLISHED and b****ing about what WAS.

Anyone who wants to write erotica or spicy romance should read the best in the genre and ask themselves if they can be as good.  Odds are, once you've tried it, you'll discover you can't.

Sex sells.  Bad sex on the page is EXACTLY like bad sex in the bedroom-- it happens once, and gets kicked to the curb.  So if you sell a bad book with sexy bait, you'll only sell one.


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## Samantha Hunter (Apr 20, 2011)

FWIW, I don't know if it is the sex that sells. I hope not. That may seem strange, coming from me, an author of sexy romance *G* but here's the thing: I don't really think the sex is what sells my books -- I think it's the story. If there is no story supporting the sensuality, if the reader does not care about the characters, then I don't think sex will lead the reader to buy another book. Readers who enjoy my books enjoy them because they like the story, the characters, and because of that, they enjoy the sensuality as well because it is connected to the character development, and the sex is just another aspect of these folks falling in love -- and that's true of all of my books, long or short. It doesn't come down to mechanics, and I mean that in terms of the sex as well as the writing -- when you care about the story and the characters, how the acts are described is not an issue -- because hopefully, it is all done well. 

I actually like romantic or suggestive covers, but tend not to like ones that are too graphic... my Two Perfect was an experiment in writing for me, as it's the first book I have ever written with 3 lovers, though I wanted it to still be a classic romance -- and I think I did it -- but as you see, the cover is not smarmy.  Harlequin has taught me a lot over the years, I think, about how to balance these elements out, though my love scenes are very explicit, not many euphemisms in there. 

And I am working to be a mystery author as well -- my self-pub mystery has done very well, and people like it, and there is almost no sex, so there you have it.  It's all about the story.

But also, in so far as how things are described, etc -- we work hard, or at least I do, to make love scenes unique to the book, but we only have so many body parts and possibilities to work with, LOL -- just like you only have so many ways to describe a murder, or walking across the street. *G*  As long as someone is writing in a way that's in keeping with the tone of the book, and doesn't do something that completely throws me out of the story, it's all good. I love a sexy scene, and get way more aggravated if the author builds a lot of tension and then slams the door shut. I also want more story than sex -- so if you have a lot of sex in the book, there should be a lot of story to go with it.

FWIW, Sam


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## barbara elsborg (Oct 13, 2010)

I wrote for a long time with nothing but rejections from publishers and agents. I changed from suspense to romance because I thought maybe I'd be better at that. Still no luck. Then I critiqued an erotic story on CC and thought - I could do that. So I wrote my first erotic romance - Perfect Timing - and it sold. They wanted more - so I added spicier sex scenes to my other romances and sold all those too. Since 2007 - I've had well over 20 novels and shorter pieces published. The only one I didn't add sex to was Digging Deeper - because it just didn't work in the plot. That hasn't sold anything like as well. So - sex does sell. 
BUT - all I did was enhance the sex scenes I'd already written. The stories would stand without the added sex - that's important to me - just as it is to Samantha. The characters mean more to me than the sex but I can't sell without the sex - or at least that's how it seems. I know a lot of romance readers don't want the detail, but there are plenty who do. I don't tend to read erotic romance funnily enough - I like thrillers and suspense stories and regency romances.
But like Samantha - LOL - I've also written something different - not mystery but suspense. That comes out soon. Is there sex in it? Sort of but not happy sex. Will it sell? Well, I'll soon see.


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## Samantha Hunter (Apr 20, 2011)

Barb, I think that's interesting -- my mystery has actually sold better than any of my self-pub romances so far, though it has no sex, and my feeling is from comments I get from readers, etc that they would not want any really explicit sex in the books, so it could come down to genre.

More mysteries these days have romantic interests and subplots, but they are not explicit, and I as much as I enjoy writing Blaze and my sexy shorts, I also enjoy writing a book that has no real sexual content -- allows me to exercise other creative faculties and other aspects of relationships.

But I do think that more readers enjoy sexy romance with at least one love scene than those who don't want any love scenes (no data there, but just opinion based on observations over the years). Unless you are writing in a subgenre like inspirational romance, I do think most romance readers will expect love scenes, and a romance without them is almost not a romance? 

Sam


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I think it all depends on the audience you want to reach.  I personally feel that quality is the best thing.  However, there certainly seems to be a nearly unlimited market for porn and erotica.  I think gratuitous sex is stupid, though.  Even in a movie, just throwing in a sex scene for the sake of putting in naked bodies cheapens the product.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Most Brothel owners are quite wealthy !  Ha!


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## KJ Kron (Mar 24, 2011)

I liked Ken Follet but thought that he had too many gratuitous sex scenes.  Despite them, I still enjoyed the book.  As a writer, I've tried to write sex scenes and it seems too...I don't know...weird.  I guess I've read some sex scenes that were important to the plot.  But the post is DOES sex sell.  The answer is yes, it has a niche.


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## Josh_Stallings (Mar 18, 2011)

Sex violence terror love lust - they all sell if written well.  I have been, on this very board blasted for having too explicit cover.  Other love it.  Fact is the books I write deal with sex for sale and how we deal with in modern culture.  So if the cover offends, it is best not to read my book.  I don't want to turn away any readers. but I also don't want to misrepresent what I do.  I write fast paced thoughtful pulp.  I write graphic (real) sex scenes and I hope they arouse as I hope the violence hurts.  Long way around the answer, but ultimately - "does sex sell" may be to broad a question to answer clearly.  Sexiness is used to sell everything from cars to cellphones.  So yes.  Porn is a huge market.  So yes.  Hanger Over the film out sold any other R-Rated comedy ever (and out sold all porn hands down.)  So for me it comes down to marketing the book you wrote in way that it captures the attention of its audience is best.  No one book or marketing strategy will hit and please all people.  Best to hit the core and hope word of mouth broadened it.


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## medicalhumor (Feb 15, 2011)

Duh!


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Looks like it does. It is pretty obvious from some of the covers.


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## Alexis-Shore (Feb 20, 2011)

My books are selling fairly well now, though I like to think it's to do with the nice reviews and positive recommendations I am getting in book groups and from bigger name authors.

The covers help initially, but if the content is not good enough, it won't last past the sample stage.


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

The erotica market is rather large it seems - I know a few writers of that genre via twitter and they do quite well out of it.  Throw in a few vampires and the like and it seems you can't do wrong.

Personally that style isn't for me, even if I could do better out of it than what I currently write.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

I conducted a fun experiment years ago when I wrote the proposal (outline and sample chapter) for my historical/adventure romance THE PAGAN'S PRIZE with the Viking hero in bed with one of his six concubines on Page One.  Biggest advance ever--so yup, sex does sell.  

Miriam Minger


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## Alex Sinclair (May 5, 2011)

Paranormal erotica sells. I started off writing erotic romance and didn't do very well, I moved into gothic erotica and my book done very well. Now I write sexy romance suspense and that seems to be the best area. You give people sexiness and naughtiness without going into detail. You leave them to fill in the blanks. It is sort of like soprano's/boardwalk empire/greys anatomy. These things have sex in them, but you don't bat an eye because the sex is as graphic as the violence.


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## brianrowe (Mar 10, 2011)

I've written two novels, an adult novel with scenes of explicit sex, and a young adult novel for teens. The teen book has been doing WAY better. I've found, if anything, the book bloggers have all been turned OFF by the sex in my novel Slate, which has been an interesting development. The thing I didn't write the sex in my adult novel to be provocative and to titillate the reader... it's there to serve the story. So maybe that's where I differ, haha.


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## lpking (Feb 12, 2011)

If you want the low-down on sex in books, you could do worse than purchasing a copy of A Billion Wicked Thoughts.

Interestingly enough, I came across it thanks to a blog by romance writer Wendy Markus on the Harlequin website. (Did you read it, Samantha Hunter?  )

When you get to the chapters about women's sexual preferences and fantasies, you'll learn everything you need to know to write books women will want to read.

If you want the guys to read them, good luck. Though with the advances in ebooks on the near horizon, perhaps you could embed some porn.


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## Stefanswit (May 9, 2011)

I think sex sells to the right people.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

A reminder from your friendly neighborhood moderator:  As this thread is in the Book Corner, please refrain from mentioning your own work.  

Thank you.


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## sighdone (Feb 4, 2011)

I normally write comedy, but to test this sex sells theory, I've written an erotic blog today.

Not sure I got it right to be honest.

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## cork_dork_mom (Mar 24, 2011)

I'm a big fan of steamy romances and for me personally it's not the sex itself... like others have said, there's only so many ways to have sex, but instead it's the sensuality the author sets the scene up with. It's everything leading up to the sex that makes the sex more... ummm.... good to read.


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## Alex Sinclair (May 5, 2011)

Sex does sell, but what I mean by that is sexiness, teasing the imagination, leading the reader on. It is a like a good horror. You don't get to see the bad guy, you think you do, the tension builds up, people go missing and things happen that set the atmosphere of a story. It is the same with erotica and sensual romance, you build it up, you lead the read on, you create an atmosphere that sucks them into the story. It is then up to the author how much or how little they show.


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## GJThomson (May 14, 2011)

Graphic, over descriptive sex does not work for me. Keep it simple, let my imagination do the rest


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## herocious (May 20, 2011)

Gratuitous sex appeal isn't a good thing. Things have to be handled deftly.

I'm a big fan of innuendo. I try to stay away from The Explicit.

I like to provide a little slice (of something sexy) to set the scene and kindle hormones.

Then let the readers fill in the holes however they see fit.

Sometimes all it takes is 1 word.


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## crimescribe (Apr 27, 2011)

If it's a romance book then fine, otherwise I prefer that sort of stuff to happen offstage where we pick up afterward. I have found most sex scenes to be written badly, even among the books distributed by traditional publishers, so I'd rather not have to read it, especially if it has very little to do with moving the narrative forward.


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## JILLIAN DODD (May 11, 2011)

I think sex sells, but I personally prefer to use my imagination. I like romance books where the author takes us to the scene of seduction, makes us want the character to do whatever she is going to do sexually, or what he is doing to her, but then not go on the delve into the actual mechanics of it. I think it is hotter NOT to share too many details.


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## Erica Sloane (May 11, 2011)

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Yes it does.


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## docnoir (Jan 21, 2011)

Hearing a lot of people here say "I don't like the explicit" or "I'd rather use my imagination".

Well, I like the explicit. Sex is, you know, explicit. And I *still* have to use my imagination with explicit scenes. They're just words, so you still have to turn that into something your mind can see, feel, smell, hear, and so on (don't say taste, don't say taste, don't say taste).


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Very few people are really content with sex and money. There is unending desire. That's why sex does sell.


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## kevinjamesbreaux (May 23, 2011)

I think sex sells. The issue I run into with my own work is knowing how far to go. I write adult fiction, so you would think I have full range to "go for the gold", but I often hold back some. In my first novel I hinted at sex. I thought it was important for the plot. In the follow up I have a scene that is a touch more detailed, but still not graphic. 

I have been told by my editors (women) that I could go further with the details and even get a bit graphic, but I still hold off some. I think in the end I do this because I think of myself when I was 15 years old reading adult fantasy. Yes, of course I wanted to read about sex, but had the Dragonlance books had real graphic hard core stuff in them I think my perception of the story and overall plot would have changed too greatly.

Would the movie Excalibur have been the same to this guy had the naughty bits been removed, probably, it felt right for the flow, and not crowbarred in. 

I guess what I am saying is that Sex Sell, but the salesman has to be sure it fits properly. Know what I mean?

Kevin James Breaux


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## jimbronyaur (Feb 9, 2011)

MrMiracle said:


> Steamy romances are selling well on e-readers. It isn't quite so obvious that you're reading a steamy novel when all anyone else can see is the back of your kindle.


Hmm... that's an interesting thought there. Never occured to me!


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## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

That's what I was taught in journalism. And, personally, I do like _some _element of sex/romance...but find too much of it isn't a good thing. I prefer the "mixed" genre novels.


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## John Van Stry (May 25, 2011)

Look at Romance novels. Lots of graphic sex, often over the top. And it sells like gangbusters.


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## sal (Aug 4, 2009)

vanstry said:


> Look at Romance novels. Lots of graphic sex, often over the top. And it sells like gangbusters.


On top, over the top,


Spoiler



from behind


... whatever it takes!

Sometimes a little romance sneaks into the gratuitous


Spoiler



banging


 in my stuff. I just can't seem to get rid of it. 

Sal


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

Do birds fly?  Do fish swim?


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## herocious (May 20, 2011)

This thread is cracking me up. Do birds fly?... yes... well... not all of them!


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

I guess it depends on whether or not you're in the mood.


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## Ilyria Moon (May 14, 2011)

SuzanneTyrpak said:


> Hmmm...let me think about that.
> 
> It works for me!


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## John Y. Jones (Feb 19, 2011)

A friend of mine from high school proposed a simple test which, in his honor, I call the Adams Test. Go to your nearest library, find a book that's been well-circulated, and stand it on its spine. Nine times out of ten, it'll fall open to a sex scene. While my own experiments never yielded such high results, I'd venture to say that it worked roughly half the time.

Sex may not sell but it sure does circulate.

And while I'm somewhat late to this thread, I'm still 14 in many ways and thus feel compelled to say...



naomi_jay said:


> Yep, that covers it for me. I don't need sex in my books, and if it is there I like it to be organic, rather than *shoved in for titillation.*


...*snicker*.


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## joanhallhovey (Nov 7, 2010)

What was more exciting than Rhett Butler carrying Scarlett O'Hara upstairs and closing the door?  My teenage imagination was wilder than anything they could have shown me graphically.  The emotional tension between a man and a woman, combined with sexual tension will keep romance lovers turning the pages.   

That's where the real excitement lies.  In life, and in art.  Anticipation!


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## ajbarnett (Apr 11, 2011)

I was brought up to believe sex sells, which is why most adverts are based on sex in one way or other. However, I'm no longer sure whether sex does sell.

My steamy romances only just trickle along, whilst my heartwarming short-story collections - which contain no sex at all - sell quite well in the UK, but not so well in the US - or does this say something about different cultures


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## Adam Kisiel (Jun 20, 2011)

It puts me off completely. I prefer to see the romance (and sex) inside the literature, not visually on the cover.


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

When buying books, the existence of sex or not does not matter to me; the language matters. When writing them, sex does come in, but naturally . . . cannot really describe life without sex.


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## Josh_Stallings (Mar 18, 2011)

Not only does it sell, it makes for a very well read thread.


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## PMCrawford (May 9, 2011)

Josh_Stallings said:


> Not only does it sell, it makes for a very well read thread.


Haha, there's the answer right there via practical experiment.

But yeah, the fastest growing genre (according to Wikipedia, at least) seems to be romance these days. Whether even more sex will sell (if the market can handle even MORE romance novels) remains to be seen.


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## Katie Salidas (Mar 21, 2010)

Yeah... sex sells. Case in point. I was browsing the shelves at my local bookstore, looking for nothing in particular when a cover caught my eye. Standard guy kissing girl. Then I looked at the title and realized it was Vampire erotica... I bought it and it's on my nightstand now. I love a good smutty read. So yeah, it sells.


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## herocious (May 20, 2011)

Wait. I've changed my mind. Sex does not sell.


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## lpking (Feb 12, 2011)

It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. You're stuck with your first opinion.


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## gryeates (Feb 28, 2011)

Judging by the requests I keep receiving in an FB bookclub to write some erotica, I'd say, yes, it does sell and the readers want more of it.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2011)

Lately? YES, "On/Off" is finally selling!


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## herocious (May 20, 2011)

No, scratch what I said before. It does sell. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.


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## EveLanglais (Nov 29, 2010)

As a writer of romance, I can say my stuff with sex sells better than my sensual stuff, by far.

As a reader of romance, my preference is to have  the bedroom door wide open. Sex, is a large part of most romances both in books and real life. When I met my hubby, I wasn't thinking about just getting to know him. I wanted him to hold my hand for that special thrill I got. I couldn't wait for him to kiss me. And...well, we won't go any further because this is a PG board lol. 

When reading romance, I want to feel that same mounting tension. Immerse myself in the characters passion for each other. Remember what it's like when you first meet someone and fall in love. If an author does it right, then the sex seems natural, and for many women readers, according to emails I receive, helps them connect with their very happy partners. 

Sex in romance, like all things, is a matter of reader preference. And the great thing about books is if you find the sex is too much, you can always skip ahead and close the door on the action if you're not of a mind to read it. 

Hmm, that was probably more than I should have said lol. I am going to find some more coffee now I think.

Eve


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

In my personal experience, no.

Can't for the life of me figure out why. Possibly because we are overwhelmed by so much of it, and can't know where to begin?

And yet, I gotta be me--I write primarily to express myself, though in recent months, money has also been important.

I may have expressed a different view earlier; this is how I see it now.

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

For the most part, sex scenes are often just a distraction from the story. I'm more nuts and bolts oriented. Even in romances! (Which I read few and far between...I only like one romance writer, the semi-recently deceased Kathleen Woodiweiss) Give me the story, the suspense, the historical details, the mystery, the evidence, the conflicts, the repartee, etc. 

So it's unlikely that I would buy a book because of the sex...unless that was the subject of the book.

(btw, I've always thought this way, even in my 20's)


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## Nick Wastnage (Jun 16, 2011)

For me personally,no. But I'm a crime writer and sex happens in my books, not for the sake of it but part of the story.


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## John Van Stry (May 25, 2011)

Zell said:


> What are your thoughts? Do novels of romance -- or _any_ type of book for that matter -- with somewhat racy sensual pictures on their covers and/or books with a title or description that implies provocative sexual intimacy in the story, or have book reviews that indicate nudity or "sex scenes" -- do these books have a greater chance of being purchased than books without sex appeal like this? I'm not talking about just the "X" rated type of books but also books that appear to have an "R" rating for sexual content.


YES!!! I write erotic woman's romance under a pen name and that stuff sells better than anything else I write. I should write more of it to be honest.


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## HeidiHall (Sep 5, 2010)

When I published my first novel, the sex was organic and integral to the story, so I didn't think twice about how much of it there might be. But then I received a few low reviews for writing "porn" and decided that maybe I should tone it down for my second book. I did and the result is that my first book sells four times as well as the second. I'm not going to censor myself from now on... and I suppose this is my roundabout way of saying that, for me, yes, sex definitely sells. As a reader (I enjoy primarily romance and chick-lit) I only notice excessive sex if it is written poorly or goes on too long.


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## Guest (Jul 17, 2011)

In spurts.


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## WriterCTaylor (Jul 11, 2011)

I judge a book by its cover. It could be an amazing story inside, but if it has a male model hanging off a sail, while a beautiful woman looks lovingly on, I will walk away. Sex does sell for some people, but it has to be in context. I find it tacky if a story relies on sex or descriptive sex acts too much, but each to their own.


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

Does anyone remember those old "True Confessions" magazines? (There were a lot of different titles). They were aimed at women, and while some were fairly tame, some of them had stories that were as raunchy as any of the letters you would find in Penthouse. The stories were longer, and tended not to "get right to the action" as fast as in Penthouse. I don't know what ever became of these magazines, but there was a market.


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## mscottwriter (Nov 5, 2010)

Okay, so here's a question...

Is it okay to label a book as a romance if there is no sex in it?

I'm about to release a paranormal romance that doesn't contain an actual *sex* scene.  You know, lots of flirting and build up, but the lights dim when the couple enters the bedroom.  (Okay, so I'm shy  )

I'm giving the cover a fun chick-lit feel, and I'm hoping that I don't mislead readers who might buy the book thinking it will be all eye-popping sex when it's really rated PG-13.


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## NS (Jul 8, 2011)

I don't like to read about sex or wright about it. I just get bored, to be honest. But I don't read romance novels, too. My friends, who do, they want sex and lots of it


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## Erica Savage (Jul 19, 2011)

Sex sells pretty decently for me. I would not shy away from it but at the same time I would not include it if it does not naturally fit the story.

_[EDIT: No Self-Promotion outside the Book Bazaar -- Moderators]_


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## Stephen_Melling (Jun 26, 2011)

Sex sells all right. Smut, porn, filth, eroticism, call it what you will. But it sells.


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## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

Kathleen Valentine said:


> I have a real love/hate relationship with this topic. I like there to be a sensual component to the novels I read but if it is badly written it is worse than not having one at all. I can't read most "romance" novels in that genre _per se_ but I love a romantic theme withing a larger story. Romance by itself, without a more compelling story gets tedious.
> 
> Sad to say, but there are too many writers who put sex in just for the purpose of capturing attention and wind up making it tedious in the bargain.


Yep. I'd say for me personally, I would never be drawn to something just for a sexy storyline ... I think clunky or tacked-on sexual elements or scenes are tedious and annoying. On the other hand, a well-written book with strong characters is enhanced by sexual tension, if it arises organically in the plot. But I would not be driven to read a book just because it billed itself as "really steamy," no.


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## Richardcrasta (Jul 29, 2010)

When I was growing up in India, with zero access to sex, for 5-7 years of an elongated pubescence (which dwindled over the next 20 years), I would have had to commit suicide if there had not been writers writing sexy stories and sexy books. I was hungry for them, they fed my fantasies, they made up for what my life utterly lacked. 

And now, when I have no trouble getting sex when I need it, I no longer read sex for sex's sake, but I write sex blended with humor, and would love to read other books where the sex is packaged along with high-quality literary language, including word play and humor.


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## Andrew Davis (Aug 5, 2011)

At the risk of posting a short post, this question begs an exception.

Answer: Duh...?

Less than sixty seconds of research on the Internet will reveal such sites as this that back up the short answer:
http://www.rwa.org/cs/the_romance_genre/romance_literature_statistics/industry_statistics

Sex sells, baby! If you can write it, you can reap it!


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## B Regan Asher (Jun 14, 2011)

Of course sex sells.  If the book is primarily about sex there's no problem.  But if sex is being used as a marketing gimmick then I prefer it to be necessary to the development of the plot or characters.  If it's purely gratuitous then, for me, it detracts from the book.  If it fits in with everything else then great.


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## Sara Pierce (May 15, 2011)

One might wax philosophical as to why the human condition seeks out the sexual experience in a consumer-based marketplace.

But seriously.

Yes.



I was sneaking peeks at my mom's old Johanna Lindsay books when I was growing up, it was my "introduction" to the adult conspiracy. Been addicted to romance novels ever since.  I loved certain fanfic writers because they wrote their, ahem, _certain scenes_ well. Erotica, or so I've read, was one of the first breakouts for the Kindle and e-publishing (I sometimes wonder if they lump "romance" into that statistic).


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## Bellagirl (Jul 23, 2011)

It worked a hundred years ago for Colette and Anais Nin. It got DH Lawrence's books banned, thereby skyrocketing him to success (what better way to sell books than to forbid people from reading them?) 
And it's working now.
I really should stop hanging out on internet threads and go write some smut. It would probably outsell everything else I have


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## indiebookslist (Aug 5, 2011)

To quote sparklingbean on another thread:



> The promise of sex sells. Think Twilight, you know it will happen but when Make the readers wait.


I think even the good erotica holds to that premise.There should never just be sex just to have a scene. Is there a plot that moves it along, and justifies that scene? Is there a proper setup? Is there tension?

That being said, if you look at the "People who bought this, also bought that" section, you'll notice that the same people who impulse buy on one type of cover, do it for all the others.


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## Nick Wastnage (Jun 16, 2011)

Whether it sells or not, and I guess it does, this is a pretty good thread.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Sex is a natural desire to reproduce. The problem is when it is out of control.


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## Elizabeth Black (Apr 8, 2011)

There's definitely an audience for erotic romances so those books sell well to that audience. The more explicit the better the sales in many cases. In other genres, sex doesn't sell so well. I've found that horror and dark fiction publishers don't like sexual content in their fiction although some sex does sell in those genres.


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## TracyRozzlynn (Jun 15, 2011)

I think sex in novels is like trying to sell a house with a swimming pool. It doesn't increase the value. For every person who thinks it adds to the home, there's a person who thinks it detracts. 

I have nothing against a well written sex scene, but when I'm in a store looking for something to read, I skip right over the section full of sweaty, hot bodies. I'm bias; I assume the books favor sex in lieu of a good plot. 

I actually prefer young adult novels. They tend to tend to focus more on the emotions of the romantic interactions instead of the physical aspect. The only down side is there's not a teenage boy (or adult for that matter) alive who could reproduce the incredible kisses some YA novels describe.


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## Marata Eros (Jul 23, 2011)

Absolutely sex sells...


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## John Dorian (Jul 23, 2011)

Eh, i'm going to say that it sells to a market. I personally am not a huge fan, just makes me feel a bit lame


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## hakimast (Jul 23, 2011)

Not for me, no.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2011)

I think something can be sexy, without being hardcore sexual. That's a definite plus. Sex just for the sake of sex might entice, but ultimately bore.


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## John Dorian (Jul 23, 2011)

That's my issue Stern, very few can do it in moderation, and when overdone, you just feel kindof slimy reading it


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## AnnetteL (Jul 14, 2010)

There's a reason that 99-cent erotica novels are selling like hotcakes. 

That's disheartening to me on so many levels.


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## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

It is rather disheartening. Not to sound like sour grapes, but, I saw this book on the Smashwords YA bestseller list for a good long time (won't mention title) and wondered why it was ranked so highly. The cover was drawn in colored pencils and was pretty poorly done, and the premise wasn't all that exciting. When I started to read the sample, the writing was also poor. Then on page seven or so, WHAM! Gratuitous werewolf rape scene. What's even more wacked out, is that the MC somehow falls in love with this guy at some point in the book. I stopped reading the sample at that point, but I'm sorry, nothing against the author but that's screwed up. Your MC werewolf gets raped by a werewolf and falls in love with him? The only reason this book was a bestseller was because of the sex.


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## unitbit (Jul 22, 2011)

Marata Eros said:


> Absolutely sex sells...


Hate to say it but I definitely agree... even if people don't want to agree deep down they do!


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## Sharon Red (Jul 23, 2011)

Without a doubt yes it does


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## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

Sex sells to a big readership. Self-help books sell to a bigger readership. Sex self-help books...well, they should be bestsellers, right?

I'm thinking sex sells better now because of ebooks. You can read something kinky on the bus, in the office, wherever--an no one will ever know 

This has probably been mentioned somewhere in this thread, but wow...I really can't go back and read through everything...

Anyway, my question is: Does _bad_ sex sell because of taboo subjects?


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## TracyRozzlynn (Jun 15, 2011)

rweinstein6 said:


> It is rather disheartening. Not to sound like sour grapes, but, I saw this book on the Smashwords YA bestseller list for a good long time (won't mention title) and wondered why it was ranked so highly. The cover was drawn in colored pencils and was pretty poorly done, and the premise wasn't all that exciting. When I started to read the sample, the writing was also poor. Then on page seven or so, WHAM! Gratuitous werewolf rape scene. What's even more wacked out, is that the MC somehow falls in love with this guy at some point in the book. I stopped reading the sample at that point, but I'm sorry, nothing against the author but that's screwed up. Your MC werewolf gets raped by a werewolf and falls in love with him? The only reason this book was a bestseller was because of the sex.


Just out of curiosity - do you know if the book was even flagged under the prude filter? (They've recently changed it to an adult content warning.)


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## Not Here (May 23, 2011)

I'd say it really depends on the genre and audience. Some is going to sell more with sex as opposed to others. On the whole with adult fiction, yes, I think sex sells. I'm not really talking hardcore stuff but just the inclusion of sex. Adults have sex, therefor it only makes sense they would expect to see sex in their fiction.


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## ErinW965 (Aug 15, 2011)

I think the cover is very important, but I don't think it's just sex. I think people really want a sense of connection. They crave intimacy more than just physical bodies. Sex can be a part of it, but it's not everything.


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## Joseph DiFrancesco (Aug 1, 2011)

At 13th and Locust?  Like hotcakes!  Oh, in literature...

I think it can grab a reader, but sustain?  I need more, of course.  It can make me reach for a book, and flip it over, but if there's nothing else going on with respect to the overall plot, I'll keep going.


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## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

TracyRozzlynn said:


> Just out of curiosity - do you know if the book was even flagged under the prude filter? (They've recently changed it to an adult content warning.)


I don't think it was, but I can't be sure. It was sitting at the #1 spot for some time, so I was really curious as to why. And as I was reading it, I was like, this is so baaaad, why is it #1?? But as soon as I got to that scene, I was like, ohhhhh. So that's it.

I was so surprised by it that I went back to its profile and that was when I saw the disclaimer of not appropriate for under 17. But really, it's labeled as a YA. The MC is a teen. There's teens reading it that had been reading it on Wattpad, and followed the author over to Smashwords to read the ending because she (apparently) didn't post the ending on Wattpad. I'm sorry, but gratuitous rape scenes don't belong in YA.


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## Marata Eros (Jul 23, 2011)

Sex is like ice cream; there's a different "flavor" for everyone. Erotica is the same. There's all different types.

I also read a ton of books where sexuality is a subplot only. Variety rocks! 

_--- sorry  no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## TracyRozzlynn (Jun 15, 2011)

rweinstein6 said:


> I don't think it was, but I can't be sure. It was sitting at the #1 spot for some time, so I was really curious as to why. And as I was reading it, I was like, this is so baaaad, why is it #1?? But as soon as I got to that scene, I was like, ohhhhh. So that's it.
> 
> I was so surprised by it that I went back to its profile and that was when I saw the disclaimer of not appropriate for under 17. But really, it's labeled as a YA. The MC is a teen. There's teens reading it that had been reading it on Wattpad, and followed the author over to Smashwords to read the ending because she (apparently) didn't post the ending on Wattpad. I'm sorry, but gratuitous rape scenes don't belong in YA.


I agree with you gratuitous rape scenes and a YA label just don't mix. It's irresponsible for an author to mislabel their work in such a way.


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## Meb Bryant (Jun 27, 2011)

Does sex sell? Isn't prostitution the oldest profession according to They Say?

When I tell people about my mystery, their faces are mildly interested until I mention there's sex in the last chapter. Then, they show genuine interest. Go figure. It's a mystery to me. (tongue in cheek)

Oops, that's almost sexual.

Meb


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

I've read some samples of samples of smut erotica that seemed very strange. It's almost like the author knew very little about sex. Just like any other genre, the characters should act like real people, or at least like real people's fantasies. It's like the author had no idea what a woman might like or what a woman might be like. No surprise, this wasn't best-selling stuff.


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## Katie Salidas (Mar 21, 2010)

Meb Bryant said:


> *Does sex sell? Isn't prostitution the oldest profession according to They Say?*
> 
> When I tell people about my mystery, their faces are mildly interested until I mention there's sex in the last chapter. Then, they show genuine interest. Go figure. It's a mystery to me. (tongue in cheek)
> 
> ...


Love the way you put that above!!

Every time I see a thread like this come up, I have to laugh. This question is really not something debatable. Just as the quote above says, it's the oldest profession. Whether it is your dirty little secret or something you enjoy publicly. Sex sells. Romance and erotica are the hottest written genres. Strip clubs still pack in clients every day. Prostitution is still alive and well (whether legal or not), and don't get me started on the porn industry. LoL. Yep, I'd say without a doubt, sex definitely sells!


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