I'm about 2/3 of the way through my latest book, "Brat Witch Masters Free Use Power," book three in the "Witch's Awakening" series. The first two are shorts, one at 8,000 words, and the other at a little more, I think 15 -18,000. I didn't have everything nailed down yet, but we learn at the end of Book 2 that Gwendolyn's free use is designed to build power. The ridiculous premise, because all erotica is ridiculous, is that the more violent and abusive the free use that witches let happen to them the more powerful they become. Surrender to free use = generate magic energy, and the more depraved and disgusting it is to the witch the more the power grows. Subjective degradation?
I wonder if it is like that scene in "Requim for a Dream" where the female character is stripping and doing a double ended dildo for cash so she can buy heroin, or bail her bf out of jail I can't remember which. Subject your body to emotional trauma and abuse in order to get ahead. You feel stained, soiled, and disgusted with yourself.
We see hints of this in Gwendolyn's mom, Alexandria's warning at the beginning of Book 3. The free use sex parties are a clever way of achieving power, but in a safe and less degrading setting. They're more like orgies and fun instead of the back alley dubcon that Gwendolyn engages in. She is totally willing, putting herself out for free use, but in the most disgusting and awful ways.
I'm at 40,000 words right now as of today, and I'm hoping to get to 60,000. So far i have 8 sex scenes. That is right, 8 fucking scenes of free use sex where Gwendolyn is nailed and used by whatever men happen to see her.
There is one big scene of group use coming up that I'm both excited, horrified, and scared to write.
Though, I'm wondering tonight, as I'm doing some light editing, is 9 sex scenes too many for an erotic urban fantasy novel? Most of these scenes are pure sex, used, degrading and standing on her face sex. The men take her, and sometimes violently, though she is always willingly submitting. Would I have been better off writing smaller situational free use stories where each book was a free use time?
I feel like that is what i've been doing, and I haven't seen the success I wanted to with the quality of writing I think I'm putting out there. I have a few typos, and some repeating phrases, but nothing too egregious to warrant the low sales and page reads for my near 20 books.
So I'm taking a different route; longer novel style books, and SERIES! Yes! I'm writing in series.
Abusing the Neighbor Brats, two book series I intend on continuing.
Backdoor Practice, the Tennis Star series is 2 books, really 3 but book 2 is a combo; it was the first longer novel book i released about public sex and exhibitionism with an older man and a teenage tennis star. Virtually no sales :(
Witch's Awakening, free use series, now an urban fantasy with a proper story and villain. There is some light magic and conflict beyond the sex. It is purely erotica with magic.
The Hill's Secrets series with "Take Her," and "Abusing the Game," as well as the four holiday specials.
The goal is to have more series with full books. I'm hoping that it will entice people to spend more money on my books, and allow me to bundle them into a total box set that will perpetuate higher sales.
What do you think?
Are 8 - 9 standalone sex scenes too much for an erotic novel?