Creator Spotlight: AURORE

AURORE is here to redefine erotica and to empower women to express their sexuality through writing. AURORE is making mainstream porn seem boring and simply not good—and isn’t that what sex should be all about? They're changing the game, and helping you be part of this movement of modern erotica that is honest, relatable, and real. We’ve been reading their stories on Vocal since they recently joined, and we can confirm that this is in fact all about erotica, updated.

We grabbed coffee (and juice!) with Carly, founder of AURORE, and we truly can’t wait to share what we discussed—so without further ado, here’s what she had to say.

On the road to AURORE:

AURORE is a digital space to record and explore your hook-up greatest hits. I’m Carly, the founder, but AURORE is made up of a group of writers and contributors, too many to list!

Before AURORE, I wrote about sex and relationships for publications including Nerve, Refinery29, Vice and Brooklyn Magazine. And now, I get to edit erotica on a daily basis. It’s awesome.

I went on a trip through Europe with the idea to interview people about sex and dating in their culture. It was a simple plan: set up a casual Tinder date with a local, then surprise them with a recorder and interview after we met. I was happy to find that everyone was really willing, even eager to talk, and we ended up having these really beautiful, honest conversations. Once we became so vulnerable with each other, sleeping together kinda just happened naturally.

Originally, the project I envisioned didn’t include real erotica. But it felt important, like it would be a disservice to the experience not to include it. So I started writing the whole story with excerpts from the interviews. The stories felt new, edgy, and needed. I hadn’t read real erotica before, at least not since I read the diaries of Anaïs Nin. So I created a space for the content I wanted to create and consume—AURORE.

On where the name comes from:

AURORE is named for a 19th-century writer who wrote under the pen name George Sand in order to gain more respect and privilege. But George was actually a woman, known to her friends as Aurore. I felt naming a space for her true/intimate identity was a nod to the progress we’ve made as women, and the fact that many people publish on the site under pseudonyms out of privacy and retaliation fears highlights how far we need to go in accepting women’s sexuality.

"This is a picture of 19th century writer George Sand. You may notice the picture has been doctored up a bit to look more awesome. You also may notice George is a woman." —@readaurore

On what the deal is with mainstream porn:

I think mainstream porn is boring. I want porn on the same level as everything else I consume in life. I read killer novels by brilliant writers, watch great TV and award winning films, I live in New York where I can go see amazing art at museums or galleries, why am I stuck with porn that makes me feel cheap and doesn’t stimulate my mind?

AURORE provides literary porn, so you have to use your imagination. The stories don’t just titillate, they make you think, and they’re good reads beyond the sex. The site itself creates a beautiful space to spend time in, and the workshops we hold build a community around being sexually empowered and make porn something that doesn’t feel gross and naughty, but something you can take ownership of, and create.

Real life is more interesting to me than the ridiculous fantasy a lot of porn and erotica serves up. By rooting stories in reality, they are more instructive and educational, showing what real people want.

On some valuable lessons she’s learned (take note!):

Because AURORE is based on celebrating women’s pleasure, we’ve hit a lot of roadblocks. People are very uncomfortable with women-focused sexuality, so I’ve had to learn to present things in a way that is more palatable to a general audience without sacrificing my beliefs.

My advice to young women starting their own business is to start! And then, make sure you have clear boundaries and expectations when working with friends and anyone, really. Sign contracts and NDAs. Protect yourself and don’t be afraid to self-promote.

On AURORE beyond what we see online today:

We’re doing an erotica writing workshop in December in Brooklyn. We’ve hosted a few events in the past and will continue to do so, so check below and sign up for our mailing list to get the invites.

We will also be relaunching as a subscription-based newsletter in the future, where subscribers get erotic stories straight to their inbox and can upgrade to get empowering nudes as well.

In the more distant future, I would love to do AURORE porn.

On her favorite story published on AURORE:

I absolutely love "Forty-Eight," the story of a woman’s first foray into BDSM. As the reader, you get to go on the journey with her.

First thing that comes to mind:

What is one thing you couldn’t live without? Mental stimulation.

Cats or dogs? Dogs.

Literotica or Pornhub? AURORE!

Go-to late night snack? Dark chocolate.

What’s a movie that gets you going? The Love Witch.

If you could go anywhere for vacation, where would you go? Safari.

If you could speak a new language, what would it be and why? Japanese! I’m fascinated by Japanese culture but it is impenetrable, removing the language barrier might help.

Favorite local bar? Pearl’s in Bushwick.

What’s your favorite Spotify playlist at the moment? Idk, but is there a Lilith Fair playlist? There should be*.

*Well, there is!

And there you have it, Carly from AURORE. Listen to this great playlist while you browse for some more *elevated* erotica, and might we suggest you pair that with a glass of wine? Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Carly.

Keep up with AURORE by following their Instagram, checking out their website, and definitely keep an eye out for their newsletter—be sure to sign up! You can also read their most recent Vocal story below.