With the explosion of indie publishing over the last fifteen years, there's no longer a gatekeeper preventing an author from writing, and publishing, whatever they want. Today's authors are pushing boundaries, breaking taboos, and delving into uncharted territories like never before. If you have a niche you love, chances are you can find it somewhere out there in the author-verse.
Spicy and erotic romance writers no longer have to sugar coat taboo topics and controversial themes. Authors can delve into complex human emotions, challenge societal norms, and spark conversation about consent, power dynamics, and so much more.
I first published Slave (Finding Anna, Book 1) in July of 2011. Back then, it wasn't common to have a book where the heroine had been a victim of human trafficking. It wasn't uncommon for me to get reviews saying how unrealistic the premise of the story was because that didn't happen here (the United States).
Fast forward twelve years and a lot has changed. The truth of the matter was, and still is, that human trafficking happens everywhere, even in the US. It just wasn't getting a whole lot of representation in the publishing world.
The same can be said for many other more taboo topics. Would bully romances have been such a huge trope if not for self publishing? What about modern age gap romances? Reverse harem?
It's hard to say, but authors today are able to address sensitive topics and help open the doors of communication. Writers tackle everything from challenging societal norms to power dynamics to consent.
I recall a conversation on a forum not long after I published my first book. It stemmed around whether or not authors needed to include birth control in their stories. Today, I look at the books publishing and, if they're set in modern times, they all address birth control. I can't remember the last time I read one that didn't. But only a dozen years ago, it was a big question.
Another big turn in the publishing industry has been moving BDSM stories into the mainstream. Kink in spicy and erotic romance novels was rare two decades ago. Sure you'd maybe see the hero tying up a woman and having his way with her, but that was about the extent of it. Other than that, kinky romances were relegated to the dark recesses of the erotica section of the bookstore.
Writers today are pushing boundaries. They're showing sex as a natural part of human relationships, even for those who may veer out of the norm, whether that be because of their body types, desires, experiences, or career choice.
Most of the readers I encounter embrace this change. In fact, they love it. There really is something for everyone these days. You only need to look.
No comments:
Post a Comment