Universitas launches erotic novella competition

Have you got the next Fifty Shades burning inside you? Do you ponder the best places to have sex on campus? Are you ready to sell your artistic soul for a pass to Øya? You’re in luck!

On the panel of judges we have comic duo Sigrid Bonde Tusvik and Lisa Tønne, actor and literature-enthusiast Hans Olav Brenner, and university college rector Curt Rice. The competition is open to all, and the winner will get a pass to Øya, plus their story will be featured in this school year’s final edition of Universitas.

Yes to humor, no to clichés

Sigrid Bonde Tusvik expects a modicum of realism. «The worst is when women come multiples times from intercourse, or men explode with passion!» She says there is unexplored potential in this kind of writing.

«The most important thing is to not rely on clichés. Take the genre to new heights,» Tusvik said. «Not Fifty Shades of Grey,» she advised.

Hans Olav Brenner is known for his interest in literature, but he says erotica is uncharted territory.

«I think it will take a lot for an erotic novella to stand out in a positive way. I’m not sure if people should put more emphasis on the literary quality or the content. Those are contradictory goals,» Brenner said, before concluding, «I appreciate humor.»

Evidence-based research preferred

Rector Curt Rice thinks the evaluative criteria of academia and erotica should be similar.

«It’s important that the novella be researched-based. If the main characters’ decisions are based on evidence that has gone through peer review, the result will be better quality,» he joked.

Rice also pointed out the similarities between writing erotica and being a school rector.

«I have a lot of experience with some approaches that might better be avoided. For example, sometimes you need to use top-down leadership, while other times it’s impossible to succeed without a bottom-up, grassroots initiative,» he said.

Convince us!

The jury is would like to point out they do not make a habit of reading erotica as their daily bedtime stories, but are nevertheless very excited to read the submissions.

«I don’t read a lot of erotica, but that’s why I said yes to this,» Tusvik explained.

Brenner seemed to view the task as a challenge. «When I read books, I hope the erotic scenes will be as short as possible. That’s why I’m looking forward to this,» he said.

«Would you give erotica to your kids before porn gets to them?»

Tuskvik laughed. «Yeah, maybe I have to do that soon, since children are exposed to porn as early as eight years old. How much erotica is there for eight-year-olds? Someone should get on that,» she said.

For his part, Brenner says he hopes the submissions will exceed visual pornography. «Good erotic literature can probably create better, higher quality fantasies,» he said.

Student focus

The only constraint is that the theme has to do with student life. It could be a steamy night in the reading room, study-buddy romance, or a wild field trip. The deadline is Sunday, May 14. Send your story to novelle.universitas@gmail.com