Reasons for Writing

[Cagivagurl]

I'm intrigued to hear what people's reasons for writing at all are. I think we need more discussion on the forums about writing itself, as an art form. It's Author's Hangout, after all. This can be for your erotica here or elsewhere and for your writing in general, not limited to any specific story, though I'm aware reasons may differ for each one. The reason why I'm interested is because I think there must be some deeper reasoning and motivation beyond just "getting off." The whole "I write to please the readers" shtick doesn't seem sufficient either. There were no readers when you first sat down at the keyboard. Do you want to change the world? Do you want to explore parts of yourself? Do you want to escape into a visualization of a better life? Do you want to alter people's outlooks about erotic subjects? Do you want to play a part in shaping peoples' erotic pretensions and outlooks? Let me hear it.

Why do I write?
Good question...
I write because I enjoy the process. Being a creative person by nature. I'm also a musician, song writer, painter and artist. Creating things from nothing intrigues me.
Most importantly. They give me pleasure. Taking a thought and turning it into a story is something I dearly love. Building characters, giving them life...
I don't write to change the world, or sell philosophy's mine or others.
I'm a novice, and amateur. I write because I love it. Once the lightbulb goes on, and a story or plot line emerges from the fuzzy depths of my brain. There is a driving need to see it fleshed out. To grow into something tangible.
The other side of the coin is, why post them?
I'm interested in how others interpret what I wrote... Insert the word ego here. We all have them. As a song writer the first time you play a song you've written. It is a very cathartic experience. You open your soul for dissection. You totally expose yourself.
Writing is a bit like that. Not so much here in the faceless annonymity of the internet. But if you write and sell mainstream literature. You are exposing a little of yourself.
When you write, you have to include a little of yourself to make it authentic. (This BTW, is only my opinion. I am not speaking on behalf of the human race.)

Why do I write.....
Because it's fun.

Cagivagurl

 

[Naughtylit81]

I am in a sexually dead marriage and have been for about a decade.

Writing is my sexual outlet as much as it is a creative one. Unlike some of my other creative outlets this one I get to explore ideas I will never experience and put myself in a characters place and feel physically and sexually desireable and desired again.

As a bonus since I don't get to give the one I am with any gratification at least someone out there is getting off to my efforts.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I think because it really scratches both sides of my brain. On one hand, it's very creative and artistic. On the other, it's very technical. Writing well.

So the idea of taking a story that I dreamed up and then writing it well so that I and others enjoy it, is very gratifying.

 

[Kasumi_Lee]

I assume you don't mean the "Me so horny" Saigon prostitute in Full Metal Jacket. Kubrick does invert his testosterone-laden movie at the end by having a female Viet Cong sniper pin down the squad and then killing some of them. See the movie for the final results of that.

P.S.: I checked, and she does say "me love you long time" as her next line. Sorry, I seem to be wrong.

Sorry to say, I've never seen the movie. I only know those lines and couldn't have named the film until you mentioned it. Either way, being demur and submissive and sexually alluring aren't inherently bad things, but I have always wished for more three-dimensional Asian female characters who fall into bed with their White lovers on their own terms.

 

[VallesMarineris]

I write for a variety of reasons:

1. I have a high sex drive and this serves as an outlet, particularly since my partner travels a lot for work
2. I find it easier to get off using my own imagination than reading other stories or watching porn, and my stories service that purpose to some extent
3. I like to write and tell stories, and I like knowing that people read and enjoy them. Publishing stuff here gets me a broader/wider audience than elsewhere
4. I'm a big fantasy nerd and I find that many traditionally-published fantasy stories are disappointingly lacking in terms of erotic exploration. I play a lot of tabletop RPGs and that sort of erotic exploration isn't really appropriate for most tables, so my stories are a way of exploring that side of fantasy
5. Writing is a way for me to explore kinks that I'd never really engage in IRL (breeding kings, gangbangs, etc).

We are in frightening agreement:

1. For me it's a long distance GF, but check.
2. Check.
3. Check.
4. Sci-fi for me, not fantasy and RPGs, but otherwise check.
5. Check.

 

[THBGato]

I've been telling myself stories in my mind all my life.

Yeah, me too.

I've always wanted to write. I always liked the idea of being a writer, but never felt good enough or felt I had an idea that was worth fully developing or would find an audience. I guess, my own reading - classics, literary novels, Sci-Fi, fantasy - meant I belittled my own ideas as too ordinary to be interesting.

I wrote journalism. I wrote a YA novella. I write creatively as part of my job. So, I was scratching that itch. I knew I had the skills and could do it, I just didn't think anyone would be interested in the stories in my head.

Then I discovered Literotica last December and realised that here was a format were there were no real rules about acceptable lengths of stories (something that had held me back before, worrying about whether or not a story idea could run to a novel length 70,000 words). I also read some amazing stories that inspired me and were simple (and I don't mean that in a derogatory way) enough in terms of plot, yet were clearly read and loved by lots of people. That made me think that maybe the unremarkable, fairly prosaic and everyday story ideas I had in my head might just find an appreciative audience here.

And so, genuinely, one of my motives as a writer on Literotica is to pay tribute to those other writers here who made me feel like I could write, and made me want to write. If you've read either the Third Date or Love is Place or Eve & Lucy you may have noticed this!

 

[stickygirl]

Like one or two others who've posted, I write as a kind of therapy - an outlet to ideas in my head that won't leave me alone. I need that pent up energy to set my ball rolling and once I'm focused I'll write a thousand words in an hour, then I'll go back and pretty it up.

With a rough plot already in my mind, I'll explore my FMC through her interactions and thoughts. Like a new friend, we have conversations, share jokes, explore our emotions through the situations we create together. Sometimes she'll surprise me, twisting the plot in a way I never envisaged.

Generally she is a trans woman, like me and in more recent stories she discovers she is autistic, like me. I give myself a voice through her and hope my advocacy embraces the experiences of other transgender women. She is far more eloquent than me in describing her emotions and thoughts but the stories are not moral essays. You may have already met her. She is the passing stranger who catches your eye. I simply nudge her to reply to your hello with a smile and I'll let you discover the layers beneath her exterior where she is tender and passionate.

... then there's also quite a bit of sex

The writing process is a zone I love to inhabit - it's almost trance-like. Does anyone else look back a page the next day and wonders 'who wrote that'?

 

[nice90sguy]

I write for a multitude of reasons, and different stories address different reasons.

1. I write because it's enjoyable to write a story. I have story ideas in my head and it's pleasurable to get them out of my head into words.
2. I have always loved reading, and I enjoy words, and the process of putting something into words and fussing over the words is, for me, pleasurable.
3. I'm probably getting something psychological out of my system that I don't wholly understand. I didn't start writing erotica, or ANY fiction for that matter, until I was over 50 years old. I had a lot of things by that time to get out of my system.
4. I feel like I have something to say (not always sure exactly what that is) and this is a way to do it.
5. Erotica turns me on.
6. I get to express, through fictional narrative, my views about erotica, human sexuality, and human self-expression. I have very strong sex-positive views and I think the world is seriously messed up on the subject of sex. I can get on my soapbox and nobody can stop me. I like that.
7. Power trip. I can make my characters do whatever I want them to. I am the God behind my stories. I can make my characters do all kinds of crazy stuff that gets me going. I love that.
8. I enjoy the positive reader response. I don't write for readers, but I sure do appreciate them, and I enjoy the author-reader relationship.
9. I like knowing my words can help people achieve orgasm. That's pretty fucking awesome.

9/9 for me too, but mainly 3.

 

[AchtungNight]

My recurring male lead Doug is autistic also. He also has a speech impediment, a background in law enforcement, a tendency to flirt excessively, and fancies himself a modern knight. The key difference between us is he’s more often successful in his seductions (helps that the women generally approach him), he’s mastered talking with a British accent, and he won a series of lotteries with the help of a Faerie Alien Hybrid and used the funds to establish a swinger’s resort. He prefers deep emotional connections and lasting relationships, while most of his dates end up casual at best. This is an unfortunate similarity between us.

His soulmate Lisa is a bisexual woman whose background would make Cartman have a heart attack. Ginger psychologist with Jewish and hippie parents, former biker gang member and Hollywood stuntwoman, also autistic but an extrovert, Southern Belle with numerous neuroses.

Both are martial arts masters and dedicated to sex positivity. They lead a colorful cast of supportive characters. Enjoy their adventures here and on AO3 (same username).

 

[Ssbbw4u1974]

Creative writing was one of the only classes in school I got A's in. I loved it.
I've been writing poetry since I was younger, and was always told I'm a gifted writer.
I don't remember how I got into writing erotica. But I know I was around 20 years old. I used to pass my stories around among my guy friends for attention. And I got plenty of positive feedback!!

Now I write because I hear others fantasies and combine it with my own. And it's just fun to put into details.

 

[ElectricBlue]

The writing process is a zone I love to inhabit - it's almost trance-like. Does anyone else look back a page the next day and wonders 'who wrote that'?

Absolutely. And when I read some of my older stuff again, sometimes several years later, I think, wow, did I write that?

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Other than contract writing, a story comes to me through a multitude of worldly inspirations. Often it is a story that I feel compelled to share with others, and writing allows me to do that. Not every story I write gets shared, but I do enjoy being a storyteller when the material is worth sharing.

I didn't write my first story here that most would consider erotica for five years after joining, and erotica is still not the focus of my writing efforts. I challenge myself sometimes to explore different genres and categories, but in the end, it still has to be a story worth sharing.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Sorry to say, I've never seen the movie. I only know those lines and couldn't have named the film until you mentioned it. Either way, being demur and submissive and sexually alluring aren't inherently bad things, but I have always wished for more three-dimensional Asian female characters who fall into bed with their White lovers on their own terms.

Probably such movies would have to be made in Asia, although likely there are such films that I don't know about. It's not a matter of good or bad intentions, but mostly because films are going to reflect the themes of the culture that produced them.

Full Metal Jacket is notable because the climatic scenes depict a battle between a squad of American Marines and a single female Viet Cong sniper. (It's during the battle of Hue at the end of the Tet Offensive of 1968,) The sniper remains unseen until the last couple of minutes. She appears to be quite young, probably under the age of twenty.

Kubrick obviously created the scene as he wished, but I'd have to think further about what it means.

P.S.: I can see that this thread is starting to drift in that it is going off the original topic.

 

[Dearelliot]

For me writing is like building. I think of it like building a bridge... to take the reader from here to there. I work hard to try to make it an enjoyable walk for the reader... I try to build a good foundation with strong supporting beams, and make it a sturdy bridge...by Getting inside the head of my characters, usually two people and guide them through a period, a day, a few hours, or more. I like my characters, and as I go along with them, sometimes they "Sort of" talk to me, point me, suggest how they would act...and I make that change.
But I write because I really enjoy writing, so unfortunately I'm not especially good at it...and it isn't the Golden Gate bridge, it's just a little rickety wooden bridge, but it's my bridge.

 

[ideological_imbroglio]

Grew up autistic. I connected more to books than people -- which led me to writing as a means of relating to others.

Since then, I've developed a passion for the craft itself -- alongside a desire to encourage it in others wherever I can.

 

[LetsMisBehave]

First, the question was an excellent one, forcing many of us to think about our rationales.
Second, some of the stories I have written have been about trying to understand the POVs of the people who I knew in my teens and early twenties (including myself).
Third, wanting to explore people whose ideas of morality do not fit with the accepted standards of their time.
Fourth, wanting to write about people who are trying to make sense of their lives and motivations.
Fifth, perhaps to give a sense to people nowadays of the swings and roundabouts about the past - formally a less permissive society of what was publicly allowable and, in practice, a more permissive society about what people could do with confidence that it would remain private.
Sixth, I have tried a couple of fan fiction sites, and the readership and feedback are better here. Sex is universal in a way most other things aren't.
Seventh, I have learnt that there is an audience (albeit not huge) for stories which mix emotions with sex without a woman having to be a victim.

 

[StillStunned]

I write because I think I can do it better than anyone else.

If we're being honest, most of probably think so.

And here's the thing: because we're writing what *we* want, in the style that *we* enjoy most, in our own experience we probably are doing it better than anyone else. We're giving ourselves the perfect combination of form and substance.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Seventh, I have learnt that there is an audience (albeit not huge) for stories which mix emotions with sex without a woman having to be a victim.

What categories do you write in/read in?

I'd have said there's more than an "albeit not huge" audience for intimacy and emotion in affirmative stories featuring women with agency. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I am, I'm pleased to be an outlier, - none of the women in my stories are victims.

 

[BDSMGromit]

I've always had ideas for stories. I always wanted to try my hand at writing. I'm in my 50s now and just starting my hand at it. I also like the feedback; even if readers think what I write sucks, I appreciate them telling me it sucks because who wants to write a novel and submit it to a publisher only to find what you thought was the next "Tale of Two Cities" novel was really mindless dribble. Mainly I'm writing for me, but I do check how readers rate my stories and read the comments. It's a growing process. I may be the next J. K. Rowling, or not. It's a learning process. I've read a good story; the author should have an outline of the story and how the story ends. In my published first work, I haven't a clue what the ending is, but for the series 'Sharing Gina,' I have a rough outline for the series and know how I want the story to end.

While BDSM stories aren't exactly the "Harry Potter" audience or anything mainstream, If an author learns to write masterpieces for these types of stories, the skills/knowledge could be applied to more mainstream works that can be monetized.

 

[Lbethy]

I started writing as a teen to explore myself. I wrote dark fiction about abuse because i was unable to admit i was being abused. Coming to this site in my early 20s was about exploring sexuality. 15 years later.. i write for lots of reasons. Ive written non-fiction for my industry. When i write fiction, im much more interested in exploring the different motivations and embodiments of the characters. Whether thats psychological thriller or erotic writings.

 

[LetsMisBehave]

What categories do you write in/read in?

I'd have said there's more than an "albeit not huge" audience for intimacy and emotion in affirmative stories featuring women with agency. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I am, I'm pleased to be an outlier, - none of the women in my stories are victims.

I try to mix it up in the writing. I started off with erotic couplings but have moved into exhibitionist and voyeur, group sex, mature, first-time, and even Loving Wives. Also writing stories based in the 1970s and 1980s allows women to have a better chance of ring-fencing their lives. I still remember my first reaction to the idea of phones which took photographs being one of absolute horror.
There are stories I can enjoy reading, but they are not what I can write myself. In others, I ignore the aspects I feel uncomfortable with.
Perhaps I am being a little defensive on the audience for certain types of stories (venturing into Loving Wives requires a thick skin, and the One Bombers do sometimes go for a scorched earth policy on other stories).

 

[WrongFrog]

Two basic reasons.

One, my mental health is on a permanent scan setting, and if you write the intrusive and bizarre thoughts out and change the names, people think you're creative instead of crazy. I can do all sorts of things in print that don't run the risk of proving just how awful I look in orange and stripes.

Two, I have made a decent chunk of change of of it here and there, and the older and more I get, the more I think about my 401k and other relevant financial decisions. Someone has to pay for the shovel and gasoline to plant my ashes in the back field.

 

[Inkent]

I write for my enjoyment, by putting it up on Lit. it may give someone else some enjoyment reading it too, so it's a win-win. Don't like my work, that's fine, there's always something else to float your boat. Many, many, years ago when I was but a boy at school (in my second year they had electric lights installed, so we didn't need to bring a candle as well as a packed lunch) my English teacher said I had a rare gift of being able to dig into my imagination and put quill to paper, I could write reasonable fictional stories. She wanted to nurture me, yeah right I discovered girls, waaaay more interesting!

Fast forward to now, I wish I had taken her up on her offer. I've done alright in life, I do an awful lot of technical writing which has given me a nice income throughout my life. But why erotica? I enjoy sci-fi, no doubt I could dabble in that but, sex...how can I put it...it's always been a major part of my life, there's so much to explore and write about, so many things to use as reference. I now spend between three to five hours a day writing or researching, all for something I do for fun. And that's the answer, I do it for the fun of it.

 

[Paddleboardpnw]

For me I found enjoyment in letting my mind wander where it will, and thought that others may also enjoy the oddities that I have written.

 

[AG31]

I'm intrigued to hear what people's reasons for writing at all are. I think we need more discussion on the forums about writing itself, as an art form. It's Author's Hangout, after all. This can be for your erotica here or elsewhere and for your writing in general, not limited to any specific story, though I'm aware reasons may differ for each one. The reason why I'm interested is because I think there must be some deeper reasoning and motivation beyond just "getting off." The whole "I write to please the readers" shtick doesn't seem sufficient either. There were no readers when you first sat down at the keyboard. Do you want to change the world? Do you want to explore parts of yourself? Do you want to escape into a visualization of a better life? Do you want to alter people's outlooks about erotic subjects? Do you want to play a part in shaping peoples' erotic pretensions and outlooks? Let me hear it.

I'm surprised I missed this in early May. But now I remember why. I turned off Watch on AH because we were out of the country and out of easy internet connection for 8 days.

My reason for writing is to put the best words I can to my fantasies. I enjoy the process of articulation. The fantasies themselves come to me pretty much full blown, although I do elaborate them at some points while I'm putting them into words.

In the absence of fantasies I have no impulse to write fiction. I do thoroughly enjoy reading and writing posts in AH and other forums.