Should I? A question for readers of “A New Past”
I’ve explained why I choose to write Erotic Science Fiction and have shared other author’s examples in the genre. My last post explored the types of conflict that can engage readers as well. I’ve recently spent many hours reformatting the three books of “A New Past” to provide readers with the option of having a printed copy of the books. As I’ve worked through the 66 total chapters to check formatting in the print editions, I began to question myself if this was really “Erotic Science Fiction”.
When I think about the interaction of romanticism and eroticism intersecting with science and technology, I’m not certain.
There are definitely erotic elements to the story, or at least I hope readers find parts to be erotic, but the main themes are more based in science fiction than erotica. If I think about the types of conflict that readers of the genre find engaging, “A New Past” is more closely aligned with the genre. Specifically, the following conflict types appear throughout the story:
1. Political intrigue: Paul, the main character, faces political intrigue in each book, as forces look for an advantage or to maintain the status-quo. Many readers enjoy this aspect of the story.
2. Technological dilemmas: Paul is all about solving technology problems. Technology sent him into his own past, and he is willing to work hard to create the foundation he needs to understand how that happened while overcoming resistance to his technical advancements in the world.
3. Personal growth: Paul grows as a person and helps those around him grow as well. He cannot help but change as he moves through life for a second time.
4. Forbidden love: Paul has multiple “forbidden” loves in the story. The nature of each creates emotional bonds and conflicts as the story unfolds.
5. Dangerous situations: Paul is personally put into dangerous situations requiring his intelligence to resolve. At the same time, his technology creates dangers for the existing political structures that he and his associates must navigate.
6. Ethical dilemmas: At the heart of Paul’s motivations lie the ethical dilemma he alone recognizes and faces. Just as arm-chair philosophers ask if it would be ‘good’ for a time traveller to go back to the past to kill Adolph Hitler, Paul must balance what he knows with what he hopes to achieve.
7. Time travel: At its heart, “A New Past” is a time travel story. Instead of the easy trope of going back in time and getting rich by riding the wave of history, Paul wants to create a better world. Much of his drive and overall conflict is the result of him wanting to not just get rich, but to change the world for all mankind.
8. Mind-bending concepts: The concepts of what reality is and how Paul might influence it do not really emerge until the final climax of Book Three, but the foundations of these concepts are established in the opening chapter of Book One.
This is eight out of ten for the types of conflict that engage readers. Aside from the “Forbidden love” aspect, these conflict types could be applied to any main-stream science fiction, so what do I gain by adding the erotic elements? I could tone down the explicit elements, and still touch on all of these conflict types. The story could be “tamed” and brought into the mainstream if I wanted to invest the time and effort.
My question is “Should I”?
It may make for more commercial success. It would be easier to market the tale without the explicit elements. But, would it be the same story? Would the characters have the same appeal if their private lives were a little more private from the reader? Would we understand the depth of their love, the emotional turmoil they undergo, the satisfaction they feel?
If you’ve read any of the story, feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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