An ongoing discussion within the erotic writing and reading community is to define the difference between erotic literature and pornographic literature and when does erotic writing become pornographic. There’s a similar discussion going on with romance writers and readers of when does romance become erotic. Since I don’t read or write straight romance, I won’t get into that discussion. 
Here is the definition of pornography: Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal. Back to Erotica vs Pornography or if you prefer smut. The purpose of both, I think you’ll all agree, is to sexually scintillate and stimulate the reader. Some say that pornography goes farther than erotica and therefore appeals to men more than woman. Then again, define goes farther. I know there are erotic stories that go every bit as far as pornographic stories and I can’t see how gender has anything whatsoever to do with the difference. Therefore, that doesn’t work for me.
Among other things, I write erotic romance or erotica. I suppose, though I have written mostly erotic romance, I have strayed over the imaginary border between erotic and smut on a couple occasions. I consider Bananaz such a story. What was the difference? Simple. Erotic and pornographic alike, both contain sex and were approximately equally explicit. Therefore one could say erotic romance is romance with pornographic scenes. The difference was in the story. The pornographic story was pornography there was no story. If you took the sex away, you were left with next to nothing. Not so with erotic stories. If you removed all explicit sex scenes, you still had a story. It may have been weakened but a good writer could smooth it out and a story remained. The bottom line; no story it’s pornagraphic, story with pornographic scenes it’s erotic. I would be interested to hear your opinion. 
I agree, remove sex and if no story left equals porn. But I also read Laurel Hamilton and one book was 500 pates you still had 200 pages of story after removing sex. I have also read stories that claimed to have a plot and fell far short, were not labeled as porn but ended up being so –story not available–but the sex was good.
I have also bought books label ADULT ONLY NO ONE UNDER 21 only to have them turn out milder than any erotica writer ever wrote–I guess because subject was slavery is what made it adult.
I agree with that definition. I like a story with the sex. I nearly quit reading LKH because her stories were getting to the point where there was no story, only sex. It seems she has backed down from that
oops it posted by its self.
Sorry.
Hamilton has gone back to more of a story line, but I will stop buying them it it happens again.
I could not have said it better. Erotica is so great, because not only is there hot sex, but there is a story to hear. Porn is just that, sex, no story.
Melissa
Thank you, Gerald, Connie and Melissa for your opinions on erotica and erotic romance. It’s reassuring to see we have similar views.
Dee
That’s funny about taking out the sex in Erotic Romance and you have a story.
Ha.
In every Erotic Romance I ever saw, if you take out the sex, you have 3 pages of horny people preparing to have sex.
You Erotic Romance writers just tell yourselves you don’t write porn. It gives you a false sense of cleanliness as you advocate gross, fixating, disgusting, and selfish sex.
I hope none of you are raising children. They’ll be screwed up, pregnant at 13, and dancing on a pole at 16. And YOU’re gonna wonder why.
Because YOU are a part of the sexualizing of America.
Next time you see a twelve yr old girl dressed sleazy in a shirt that says, “Sperm Bank”, go look at the mirror and realize you’re a part of it.
Ellen–I have read porn with more substance than you give to erotica. Oh and my son is 25 owns his own business, knows how to use a condom and no girl friends have come up pregnant. My daughter is 23 not married not pregnant. I never censored their movie watching or book reading and made sure they knew what caused pregnancy.
So just because I thank erotica should have more story line than 2 dog in heat does not mean that I think people should receive proper sex education.
Also just because you dress like a slut does not make you one. Also a pole dancer can pay the high cost of college and not sell his or her body–look but don’t touch.
I grew up in a time when the book CANDY was a big deal and the movie WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLF was scandalous.
The only reason I answered this was because of you negative attack. But maybe you just have bad information.
Yoho, Way to go Gerald,
Ellen, If your mind isn’t closed, I suggest you read my novel LEGS. It has a great story and has received four recommended read rating.
The Best, Dee