Erotica versus pornography

From a set of submission guidelines I received yesterday:

We consider Erotica as a literary or artistic portrayal that arouses or sexually stimulates using sensual imagery. Erotica includes foreplay, intimacy, and a mutually satisfying experience for all involved. In its literary form, it serves to gradually arouse the reader, giving one the sensation of “being there”.

Pornography, on the other hand, is blunt and tends to focus on one thing and one thing only. Think of the old phrase “wham, bam, thank you ma’am”. Pornography seldom if ever uses sensual imagery. Pornography does not bother with the descriptions, perceptions, and sensibilities seen in good erotica.

Erotica is a process where pornography is a goal, or to put it another way, erotica is about the journey, while pornography is all about the destination.

Interesting -- I've never before seen it broken down quite that way. I would also add that pornography is chronological: he did this, she did that. It's a reporting of sorts, a recounting. Erotica can make leaps of time and go nonlinear, which often makes for far more interesting storytelling.

That said, there's plenty of erotica I find dull as dishwater. Combine erotica and porn, throw in a dash of laughs and surprises, and maybe you'll get something really worth reading.