u/Acceptable-Mail891

As a faithful patron of this sub, and as a weird girl sloopie myself, I think a lot about sloopy romantacy literature and american American-demographic reading listening trends. I listened [the irony] to an episode of [redacted to protect our precious baby girl brains] today about the idea that we’re becoming a “post literate” society. This idea is pretty popular on book social media, often referred to as becoming an illiterate society—though that’s quite the misnomer because one means that you can’t read and one means that you read posts good. The struggle isn’t that people can’t read [wait what?] it’s that people are reading fewer books [fuckin’ audiobooks, man], we’re losing the ability/desire to sustain attention through long-form text [because we keep listening to fucking podcasts and now we can’t even finish a sentence properly], etc. Startling statistics point to less than 30% of adult americans Americans finishing just one book in 2024….[I can’t with the pronoun inconsistency here. And yes, a grown woman used a four-dot ellipsis to end her sentence rather than leading us to the conclusion she is painstakingly attempting to reiterate. Moving on….]

This got me thinking about this subreddit, where we are so invested in the project of weird girl sloopy romantacy literature and frankly, creating a non male mail male dominated [I, Dr. A. Mail, hereby prescribe CMOS 7.96 to this sloopie before they be allowed to write any further] space to discuss themes central to women’s experience through the romantacy smut literary art form. How is it that the pod cast [*claws eyes*] bro consensus is that “no one reads anymore” when communities like this are stronger than ever?

So I’m curious what you all think. My lovely, fascinating, girl power compatriots- get into the weeds of this with me:

Do you think people are genuinely becoming less interested in reading, or are we just reading differently- remote in one hand, headphones moaning erotic asmr audio, our left hand free to sin at will?

Why do you think weird girl romantacy lit inspires such intense engagement compared with a lot of other contemporary fiction? Is it that our porn brains are different from other readers?

Has being part of an online reading community made you read posts more? Or are you like me, and you skipped ahead to this part, only to realize, damn, that’s a lot of words and I aint readin’ alla dat. But then you feel like you’re missing out, so you scroll back and try again. And again. Until your eyes cross and you think that you may actually be illiterate after all.

Does the internet ultimately compete with reading, or has it instead created new kinds of readers and reading communities? Are we post literate now?

And perhaps most importantly: **what does this subreddit tell us about the future of reading?**

[today is my third cake day. enjoy.]

Or at least it depends if you think it "counts" or not.

So for many people here, if not most, there is something kinky found in vampire neck biting, and especially feeding. Depends on the lore, but many often times it results in sensual neck sucking. A little "fan service" that occurs in stories.

Why am I pointing this out? Well, because it's hard to find material on it. Sure, there's the occasional movie scene. But I'm talking about short clips. Just focused on the bite and neck action. Now some may just say, "Well that's vampire porn."

Maybe. But then why is it nearly impossible to find? If you try looking stuff up, all that comes up is sex. What's wrong with sex? Nothing. But its also not what I'm looking for. 90% of the stuff that shows up is people doing the business, only they're vampires.

That makes it no different than any other adult media. What I'd assume makes something "vampire" themed is the necking. But there's almost none of that anywhere.

Sorry if this sounds like a weird rant. Basically "unable to find hickeys online" if you think about it. But with so much vampire media out there... why so little neck sucking media?

I read The Deal, The Mistake, then The Deal again, then The Score. Finished my 45th rewatch two days ago and I’m still staring at the wall. It’s like… I never want to read that book again but I also never want to read any other book.

Sometimes it really feels like that genre churns out the same book over and over again, so this one totally caught me off guard. And the fourth episode!! I had heard it was crazy, so my expectations were high, but it still hit me like a slap in the face.

So if anyone has successfully recovered from {Off Campus by Elle Kennedy}, please let me know. Otherwise, I’m off to spend another day crying at work :)

(Mods, can we get a Sloopy Seconds flair?)

At least according to the girls I've talked to in the past. When I tell them it's one of my favorite genres, they usually laugh and question my sexuality. Surely more guys enjoy it?

I'm going to keep reading them regardless, but I'm genuinely curious 😭

Need some help from the experts. My wife has been reading/listening to books like ACOTAR and Forthwing (and a lot of other ones I don't know), and she is obviously taken by the strong male characters. Conversely, I have the personality of a golden retriever.

Can someone send me a guide or reddit thread or book recommendation so I can learn the character traits and how to emulate these characters?

I tried reading ACOTAR but the characters were unrelatable.

Bonus question, is there a subreddit for romantasy husband/boyfriend support?

Why are so many FMC written as 🐴 whinny 🐴 immature 14 years old while being presented as though and badass/competent? Is being stubborn and overly emotional/irrational seem as strength? Neigh.

Is this a poor attempt as "relatable", or are writers unable to write a plot without the MC making 🐴 horsendous 🐴 decisions? I'm genuinely confused. Neigh.

And please don't tell me not to read it if I don't I like it. I don't, I DNF them before they can show any character growth beyond being horse girls. I'm just tired of DNF books with potential but an 🐴 in-furry-ating 🐴 FMC. Neigh.

🐴

YouTuber Ronald McDonald just made a video about Jaunting As-a-Mime's adaptation titled "How's this even allowed?" I want to start off by saying I watch her videos and like her analyses about stuff a lot. The video itself is to be expected. But dear God the comment section. Here are a few:

'This book shouldn't exist let alone be adapted into a movie.' [And yet 🎈It 🎈is allowed?]

'This is only sexy to people who have never experienced anything or even heard of anything. This is giving me trauma just to hear about. 💔 How can a woman write something like this?' [Let women live!]

'I think it's the utter fascination and popularity of these books that confuse a bunch of young men trying to understand in today's society 'what do women want in relationship?' [And then they come on reddit to ask about it! This needs to end!]

There was also one where a person says their girlfriend read this type of stuff. And people replied calling her sick and a masochist. [Can’t a girl fuck a clown, a knife, and a gun without the internet jumping down her throat?]

And We, yes, we [sloopies] specifically, are ruining young girls' heads. [OK, that one’s true]

Welcome to the shitshow, people. It's gonna be loong one. Unless by some divine intervention the movie gets cancelled. I don't think I hate anything as much as I hate ClownTok rn. I'd love to hear your thoughts. And I know I don't need to keep seeing these comments. [So don’t actually comment] But it's like there is not even one person who can fathom the reason for us enjoying what we do. And that stings.

I’m genuinely curious about something. I am by no means a romantasy aficionado, but I have read several books and noticed a bit of a pattern in the male leads. In addition to being physically strong and deeply emotional, which I can appreciate the attractive qualities, they also tend to be very dominating of their female lov interests. Sometimes, often even, their wishes are obeyed.

What I am wondering, as a man attracted to women, [there it is] is if people who are attracted to men find this idea of being ordered around by a man attractive?

Speaking just for myself (because I, a male seeking acceptance (and once again seeking to speak to my lessers about how I can be more sexually appealing to them and/or impose my morality on them), would never dare speak for women and gays others), I would never want to be that guy and if I had a partner who wanted me to take charge of her, make important decisions for her, and absolutely refuse to allow her to take agency for herself… I would be really turned off by that (I can barely take charge and make decisions for myself, let alone a woman). (Also, I have never heard of communication or consent or negotiated power exchange.) Why do you think this seems to be a part of what is often included in a male lead in a romantasy? [Oh I don’t know, the fact that YOU, A MAN, AREN’T THE TARGET AUDIENCE? For fuck sakes.]

Anyway, I definitely don’t want that. Unless? 👉👈

DM me if you want to have sex dialogue about how I can make women listen to me why all you sloopy bitches are sexually and socially regressing into the patriarchy no one listens to me or obeys my wishes.

This is definitely not another market research questionnaire.

He earns well, got his own house plus another he rents as an airbnb, car, saved a lot, ready to fully provide for me and support me....but I said no.

I said no because marriage for me means prison. It means I need to focus on him and making our relationship work and thrive and I would have no more time to travel to different fictional worlds...it means I might give him a child. It took me so much...so damn much to say no because I didn't want to hurt him but I can't do this...he's been telling me how he'd like his wife to be, to give him children, to raise his children, to take care of the house would be best, etc. No. I hate it. I will never ever birth a human and ruin my body and then having to work hard to become beautiful again, impossible unless he pays for mommy tummy tyck and breast job, only to perform again (I know how men talk about their wives when they don't find them attractive pp).

All I want is books. He's been focusing on what I could be doing with my free time, go to the gym to maintain my body, take care of the house, have his children, I'm approaching my 30s so my clock is ticking and it's best if I focus on that he says...like bruh you're in your late 30s yourself... age really doesn't make a man mature they will always see you as meat to use, even if they speak intelligently and maturely like this guy does...oh no...he provide but I need to perform for him it's clear.

No. It's not even worth it, my Romantasy books feels so magical, even a good damn quote has my heart flattering...yet anything that comes out of a man's mouth makes me dread even talking to one ever again, even if they have the best intentions (wanting to fully provide for you like this guy wants to do for me)...hell no.

Emotional connection is in hell. These men are so boring, so...so shallow. They think because they can do business well they can bag any woman, but I'm not just a woman who wants it easy because yes this guy got LOTS of money. I need to feel like i'm in a movie, my brain has to have this transcending experience and it simply does not with a man irl, my books make me easily feel that and they don't demand i bend over to please them, to stay skinny, to wear cute lingerie, to be on top of my shaving routine, hair routine, skin routine, etc. I'd rather break my own back and save up to buy my books than have it easy to perform for someone that don't grasp how rich internally i am and how if you neglect that I'd grow resentful because you think performing for you like a puppy is the dream simply because I wouldn't have to work my garbage job no more? oh hell nah.

Like, I'm not crazy for thinking ink on paper is more interesting than a man in 2026, right!?

uj/ word for word

I have to pre phase by saying that RCJ is ultimately a romantaCy sub; it may have dark and difficult topics, but that doesn’t erase that, ultimately that is what it is. Without its romance sloopies there would be no sub; as the whole sub stands upon it.
There is nothing wrong with it, but acting so pretentious and pompous because it is a “real circlejerk” when is not is just lying, and unfair for other jerkers.
The fact that the OP themselves acts like it’s not, speaks really loudly about them.

**Intent vs Impact**
RCJ relays a lot intent, but is never met by the impact; because it wants to do more than it actually gives.

It wants to be about snark, but that it’s just used as a backdrop for the romance between sloopies.

It wants to question morality, but evilness is transformed in a caricature of it. There is no real question in why people act the way they do, they do it, just because.

It wants to expose the erasure of women and their place in society, but it’s never interrogated. And ultimately erase women to uphold men.

Those are all things that are there just to add karma, there is no real exploration or questioning.

# Dark topics

The themes there are just present for shock value, they are taken and used with no care and interest.

Many dissent and are in denial that OP wasn’t lost, but she was; coercion is a thing and she was subjected to it.
Still, doesn’t erase or soften the fact that she wasn’t as responsive an asshole and extremely abusive towards Acceptable Mail even before it.

But ultimately you cannot take this seriously because it holds no real impact; not for the sloopies and neither for the snark.
It’s just there for the OP to get off of it.
[Pointless Link]
A tumblr post I stumbled upon why researching about the OP.

The thing is, in fanfiction, everything is valid, that is a thing of its own. Something that you cannot control, that’s why sites like reddit have filters and a very detailed searching system. So that a sloopie can engage safely in what they what and what they need. When it comes to published posts, you must have real in world reasons to have things like crossposting happening, not just because, not because you want to get off of it.

This post reasoning is so flimsy and nonsensical that you just don’t take it seriously. So is for the sloopies that just move on so fast.

All the darkness that is put in the post, is not expired, is not treated well, is just there for shock value. Making it all just feel grim derp.

# What could have been

This post, this world, had so much potential; but it all fell flat because the OP had to do a reposting of another of their posts.

If a sloopie, a real one, got their hands on this post, they could have made of this mess a new day masterpiece

(What I personally think the OP already feels like they achieved. But oh well, they just seem so pretentious and self absorbed. Parading themselves as smarter than they are. There is so much dissonance between how they articulate themselves in posts, what they wrote and how they engage with their reddit comments.)

They wanted to talk about war and women, why not actually do that? That is the real thing i can’t wrap my head around.
They had all the tools to do so, why not then?

A vast and different cast of female characters that could have showed to the RCJ sub different prospective of the war between RCJ and main, and how women interacted with it.

All came from different upbringings, with all different goals and interests. Why not explore it?
Wait I know, the OP didn’t had any real interest in exploding those themes, exposing the pains and suffering of being a woman they’re so adamant in bringing up in interviews.
Because if they did, the book would have been so much different and oh so interesting.

Take completely out the romances, all of them are so irrelevant and vestigial and uninteresting.
Focus on their feelings, their circumstances, how they interact with the world around them, how they’re shaped by their environments and roles.

But ultimately the only thing they cared was Mail. It all revolved, ends and started with her. Her goals, her wants, her needs. Her pains. It’s all about Mail, Mail and Mail

# Conclusion

I really believe that this OP has it in them to write a really good post. In order to do so firstly they need to fully understand what they really what to talk about in their works; and step down the pedestal.
There is a big difference between being ambitious and pretentious, I don’t believe the OP knows it.

every few months a book gets pitched this phrase and half the time, reading it, she's not unlikeable at all, she's just not endlessly accommodating its basic she gets annoyed and she wants something for herself but somewhere the industry decided that's the same as "difficult." i write men constantly but i've never once faced this cause ik and can write what actually a difficult man is but to a man a women being herslef is difficult apparently

I think the actual unlikeable protagonists, the ones who are genuinely hard to root for, rarely get marketed with the phrase at all, cause true unlikeability is a much harder sell than sharp-tongued woman who says what she thinks and it's the label's become a safety net, a way to promise edge while delivering something pretty comfortable underneath it

we've seen every hard cock sex system in romantacy eventually introduces one sexception, usually latefor a specific plot need which is more annonying than the power of friendship

problem is the moment a sexception exists, readers start treating it as the real rule and get annoyed when it's not reused to solve the next crisis which kinda got me wondering if the fix isdeciding up front that the sex system genuinely has 0 sexceptions, or if sexceptions are fine as long as they're sexpensive enough that using them again isn't actually attractive

thots? should i sexplain some more?

Hello, I am an autistic woman who is struggling a bit with writing neurotypical romantacy dialogue. The rest all seems to work well, and to test it Ive run examples through Ai detectors and everything but dialogue comes back human. Unfortunately im not sure I know how to write dialogue between neurotypical people without it coming accross as very ai.

Im not actually sure how to fix this issue. Despite being a self-proclaimed author, I have never heard of editors, proofreaders, or beta readers. I feel like my story is strong, my magical system is interesting and I even wrote an autistic fmc because write what you know? You know? The autism even factors into the storyline in what I feel is also a unique way (my FMC is not like other girls, she’s different because she feels different and she feels different because I feel different—because I, too, am not like other girls). But when I need to write dialogue between the non autistic folk, I am struggling and im just really not sure how to get around this. (Despite writing romantacy, a fully made up and make believe world.)

Suggestions? Should I ask another non-human to diagnose my romantacy characterization? Would Claude be better than Copilot?

SJM's laws are famous we all know that hard cocks vs soft magic even readers satisfied by a solution to the extent they understand the rules of the magic limitations more than attraction

ik it sounds smart and it's given romantacy writers a framework for talking about their sex systems but whats the point of writing when you're writing ina mold

problem is what happens when a framework designed for one writer gets treated as universal law.

Rebecca Yarros’s brain works a specific way ina way she builds sex systems, engineers plot holes around the mechanics of those systems, and produces books where the magic is a puzzle the protagonist solves that is one valid mode of romantacy and it is not the only one, and treating it as the default has made romantacy narrower.

Sex magic in Le Guin’s books doesn't follow SJM’s law neither does Gene Wolfe's, or Susanna Clarke's, or the magic in Piranesi these systems are deliberately unknowable, dreamlike, resistant to being catalogued

wonder and arousal comes from the lack of a rulebook, not the presence of one they're also, arguably, better novels than most of what modern hard-cock romantacy produces

think we've collectively decided that hard cock is the mature choice and soft magic is amateur, and that's a value judgment nobody made explicit but everyone's absorbed

meanwhile the greatest romantacy of the last fifty years mostly ignores SJM’s laws entirely, and gets away with it because the writers understood something laws couldn't articulate, which is that mystery is a fuel for anything else being better

If your sex system feels like a mechanic, ask yourself whether you want it to and there's a whole tradition of romantacy where the sex is supposed to remain strange, and it's the tradition most likely to produce a romantacy book that lasts

I said I'd never do an NLOG and I have written an NLOG.. In my defense she doesn't know she's the NLOG and there's a good structural reason for it

ik reason sounds a lot like the reason every other author's NLOG gets a free pass but as the story moves I can't find alternative for this like the truck-kun in every isekai anime

this changed my perspective of trope tho I still think it's either creative block or a writer being lazy to write something anew

writing this hoping we could find tropes and workaround to them

I know that this will offend people on every other sub but here at least there's a chance that people will understand.

I am thinking of reading this series because it gets mentioned a lot for the great writing and character work. I'm a picky [neuroseasoned romantacy] reader and for me strong emotional arc and character psychology ate important so it seems like a good fit.

That being said, I have issues with sex work from a feminist perspective [I only support women’s rights, not women’s wrongs], and am also somewhats ambivalent about kinks that reinforce patriarchal norms [because all kinks are inherently political].

I'm wondering if this book would still be enjoyable to me in light of that. I don't mind encountering things that upset me in fiction, but it would probably annoy me if I felt like an author was clearly trying to push those things as good or normal [because as a feminist, only my definition of good or normal is the correct definition].

Was wondering if anyone who thinks about these issues like I do has read the series and what they thought of it. [So let me know! Does anyone else think like me? Solipsistically?]

Monster is the base natural form not a transformation. for my fellow monste fuckers you know what I'm talking about dicks appendages tentacles very not human in eney shape way or form. Like a insect monster or a sea monster tentacle monsters shark man not like the basic bitch monster mmcs the are just very muscular tail and handsome maby with horns tail and Some different colored skin. don't get me the basic is still good but sometimes I just can't control my need for real authentic monster dick.

A lot of books I've read that are explicit smut are typically horribly written, which is understandable because nobody is reading porn to sit there and think deeply about the beauty of the prose afterwards.

Buuut I wanna know if there's anything like porn with a plot++ or what I'd call high-class smut. Well-written, beautiful, emotional, sweet with characters who aren't just blank marionettes that the author is making bang. I've read {morning glory milking farm} and it was alright, but still not as well-written as I'd like it to be.

I need 5 chillies, but with yearning and plot. Pretty please

[don’t rec Kushiel’s]