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Seems that in the last decade there is more and more stories with a BDSM arc.

For instance:

  • The Fifty Shades series
  • The Sword of Truth series
  • The Black Dagger Brotherhood series

I remember when I first read the Wizard’s First Rule and follow-ups; I was mildly shocked that it was a great success in spite of the sexual content.
(Since then I have been thinking that it may be because of the sexual content that the novels were so well received.)

So, is this a trend? Is exploring BDSM mores becoming more conventional?

Or is it just that in the aforementioned cases it is a direct result of cross-genre writing ( i.e. romance+erotica; fantasy+erotica; dark fantasy+detective+romance+erotica and other +s for the rather messy J.R. Ward stories)

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"Mainstream" may not be the right word. But it is clear that BDSM is becoming "acceptable."

There was a time when "romance," like "marriage," was between one man and one woman. And more to the point, in a conventional sense of the word, with no "unusual" sex.

BDSM used to be seen as a "perversion." The ("S" stands for Sadism, perpetrated by the Marquis de Sade.) But now, all sorts of lifestyles are considered acceptable, including homosexuality, transgender (Bruce Jenner is the latest one), and "kinky" sex. BDSM has gained acceptance along with other lifestyles that have now gained acceptance.

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  • and M for the Baron de Masoch, but is it worth it to integrate kinky elements in “regular” stories, or in these instances it is more due to the way these particular stories are told?
    – Reed -SE is a Fish on Dry Land
    Jun 15, 2015 at 0:11
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    It must be noted that some of the people within at least some of the groups mentioned above would have issue with their inclusion being termed a "lifestyle."
    – Nicole
    Jun 19, 2015 at 8:05
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    @Reed, my opinion is that if such elements do not serve your story meaningfully, they are going to detract from it at the very least. At worst, they'll turn off your readers who were not expecting "that kind of story."
    – user2686
    Jun 19, 2015 at 18:47

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