Do not pass Go, and do not collect two hundred dollars . . . Apparently the filtering of erotica by Amazon is still in full swing and hasn’t stopped; and many erotica writers are feeling the effects. To all you Joe Schmo’s out there, please stop looking for all the naughty stuff in all the wrong places. Make it simple for yourself and find the erotica stories you want. Instead of landing on the Amazon homepage and typing away in that big, long box, just click the down arrow where it says “All” and scroll on down to “Kindle Store.” From that point on, you can find your titles or pull up more comprehensive searches.
If you’re feeling funky and brave, you can always search “Books” then “Literature and Fiction” and then “Erotica.” That will work too, as does “Books” then “Romance” then “Erotica,” but it’s more involved. Amazon likes the money it makes from adult literature, but apparently some bee in their bonnet has instigated their desire to “hide” the titles.
Now, I must say this: SELLING ON AMAZON IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.
Yes, you saw that correctly. Amazon owes me nothing, even though the naughty category makes them a ton of money. It’s a privilege to sell on the sight, especially when I see boutique book sites mentioned in Mercy Faulk’s book that do not accept erotica if it contains certain elements, like “golden showers” or bestiality–not that I care about farm boy doing unsuspecting sheep or goat; but if someone wants to write about that, then have at it. Other sites are the author showcasing their own works or that of their friends.
But what about the small indie authors who are starting out? They don’t have their books reviewed, and let’s face it, most review sites I see pretty much guarantee your work won’t get read, anyway. So a writer is out of luck there too. There are some authors whose works are not accepted by mainstream publishers, so they have to self-publish instead. At least on Amazon, the reader gets an opportunity to taste this style of writing, with unique elements and story lines that are barred from other so-called erotica and romance sites.
I loathe the idea of trying to cloak my work by putting it in the “Romance” category. Why not call a spade a spade and just let the chips fall where they may?
So how do you search for your naughty materials? Do you do an “All” departments search on Amazon? Or do you go to the specific category and start there? Do you agree with filtering adult titles, or do you think there should be more parental supervision? OR, are people too prudish and puritanical for their own good and just like something to fuss about?? Feel free to share your ideas. I’d love to hear from you.
