why do you write?

[Omenainen]

To smash the patriarchy and make the world a better place one orgasm at the time.

 

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

Like others here, because it's in my head and it generates constantly. Putting it down on, um, paper releases some of that tension and, to my continuing astonishment, other people seem to enjoy it which is also very satisfying

 

[Britva415]

When I write, it's largely as an outlet.

I'm in a sexless marriage. It's open now, so I can ethically have extramarital sex, but for a while there I didn't have much of an outlet and I wanted something different/more than just stroking, toys and porn.

I write what I would like to read.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

When I write, it's largely as an outlet.

Yeah, it's hard having no outlet.

 

[MK_Whimsy]

Echoing what some others have said, it's an outlet and a way to explore and share fantasies, particularly some of the more niche ones that there may not be a ton of existing content around.

 

[MillieDynamite]

WOW, a cover with no plugs to stick it to!

Yeah, it's hard having no outlet.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

WOW, a cover with no plugs to stick it to!

Like I said, no outlet.

Everybody needs a good jolt from plugging in now and then. (blushh)

 

[Rob_Royale]

Take a high school education, add a sex drive dialed to eleven, mix well and add healthy dollop of ego. Garnish well and serve.

 

[theMasterBaiter]

Mostly to just get some ideas and fantasies out there and out of my head. It helps sometimes, and it's usually a good time getting to share with people who I know
A) Won't judge me
B) I'll never meet

This, but I've met a couple and had nice conversations about a wide range of topics, e g. Not all about sex. I don't want to hook up with anyone in real life but the feeling of sitting in a quiet corner of a coffee shop and hearing things like "that one scene where the women gets spanked after she acts out on purpose helped my husband understand why I like a nice smack on the ass sometimes." Well, that sort of open connection is not to be missed. And no, we never had sex. Or even considered it. She loves her hubby, and I love my wife. And the same for the guy I had lunch with. It was nice to say "I'm bi" face to face with another man, and not worry about it. Acceptance is wonderful.

 

[SmokingFap]

I always write what I want and it's nothing more than an escape from everyday life. I can live vicariously through the stories.

^^^^ This. I've written about a dozen spiral-bound notebooks full of my personal fantasies over the years. It's a great way to explore my unusual and varied fetishes, a good way to just pass spare time, and it helps keep my handwriting nice. Since I joined Lit, I've transcribed a couple of them. I think they probably have a very finite potential audience, since they were only written for me originally. But if a handful of other people get off reading my stories, so much the better. And so far I've been getting mostly positive reviews, which isn't necessarily why I'm publishing them, but it's a nice bonus.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

To hone my craft, tell stories others don't, and hopefully for profit one day.

 

[AllenWoody]

I'd always enjoyed creative writing. Studied it in both high school and college but never developed it as a hobby beyond that. I have a knack for it well beyond most people, though many of the authors here humble me. When I discovered Literotica I realized that I could get readers and positive feedback, which is addictive. I wouldn't write here if no one was reading my work or if it was poorly received.

 

[Naughtylit81]

It is my escape. I am in a sexless marriage and currently working a job I hate.

Erotica allows be to delve into an aspect of human experience I don't get to have for real (sex) and make my fictional characters happy even as I slowly am losing the struggle with my mind monsters.

 

[PapaRomantic]

Back in the days of dot matrix printers and 5 1/4 floppy drives, I wrote a couple of scenes that nobody else ever read. I found Lit while looking for erotic storied to read. Read for a couple of years and felt I could write better stories than most of what I was reading so I tried it, and got really good feedback. I didn't have people in work situations telling me they got off to my technical writing, so the approval of readers here was addicting, and I kept at it. Like others, I've slowed way down in my production, but the passion to please readers is still there.

 

[WCSGarland]

I am really curious what motivates everyone to write Erotica

For me I write because I have a very vivid imagination (ADHD) and writing it down really helps me to proces all those fantasies.
I just started writing Erotica, but I have written (or at least started) some fantasy stories before for that same reason.
Doesn't mean I don't want to improve or enjoy other people liking my stories though. But mostly seeing my fantasies written out just gives me enjoyment.

So why does everyone write?
To let others enjoy your stories?
To get published?
To share your own experiences?
Or like me, to get your fantasies in writing?
Do you write what you want or write what others will enjoy?

I'd like to think others enjoy my stories. I've not seen much evidence of it yet though. Perhaps I will one day.
Self publishing is its own reward I think. I at least, get a sense of accomplishment from it.
Definitely to get my fantasies in writing.
I write what I want to write. I hope others enjoy what I write, but I know I enjoy the writing part of the process.
I get to live vicariously through the characters that I bring to life. Doing things I wouldn't ordinarily get to do. Having experiences I wouldn't ordinarily get to have.
Also, lately, I've become obsessed with writing. Erotica is free-use compared to other genres.

 

[yowser]

These aren't my words (wish they were) but here's what Nabokov said:

“I don’t wish to touch hearts, I don’t even want to affect minds very much. What I really want to produce is that little sob in the spine of the artist-reader.”

 

[BellaBestia]

I’ve always been a good writer make believe was my favourite childhood game and I was a daydreamer. Turns out I had undiagnosed ADD. But it wasn’t until I discovered erotica in my teens that I felt I had found my niche. I used to write to read things I couldn’t find elsewhere, to put my fantasies and inner life on a page and re read or relive them. Wasn’t until more recently that I thought I could try to publish my writing, that others would enjoy it too and maybe make a bit of money ( haven’t yet). Now that there is a very good chance I will have genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s and dementia I’m writing everything down as a testament to my life, to prove to myself or others that I did indeed have a life. Reading these things when I no longer know who wrote them will be interesting.

 

[Hypnobitch01]

I write because I lost my passion for it for a while and while reading erotica one day remembered how much I loved writing and decided to write my own!

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Because when I'm on my death bed I can rest easy as I tell myself, "Yes, at least I got that story done and out there," instead of, "if only I had finished those stories."

No one ever says, "If only I had worked a crappy day job for more of my life instead of adding my creations to the world."

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I think Sir Ian McKellen said it best…

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[Syzoth]

A lot of the stories that I've posted on Literotica are about my wife. They're a means for me to express my fetishes as well as my crazy fantasies; I won't deny that.

However, I write these stories sort of like love letters to my wife because when people read them, I want them to understand how much I truly adore her.

 

[oneagainst]

The actual practical truth? Because it needs to be said. Like @Erozetta said, to process happenings, like a disappointing marriage (like @Naughtylit81), or to get the ideas out of my head and onto "paper". But increasingly, the adage that today's headlines are tomorrow's fish and chip wrappings rings more and more true. In the face of a story you've worked on and worked on staying in the "new" slot for 2 days, or at most 5 days, and then being consigned to the backlog to go down onto the pile, what's the point? Spending all that effort for a moment in the sun seems ludicrous, right?

I suspect that, like me, a lot of people write for purely the art of the thing. Even if it's only read by one other living soul, the action of committing it to "paper" is reward enough. I don't have any illusions... I map the views from my stories on a daily basis and can project what happens if I don't publish something for a week, or a month. Like the man said, the race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself.

 

[onehitwanda]

a. To prove that I can do it.
b. To please myself with capturing something ephemeral and giving it a voice beyond my own.
c. To silence the voices and intrusive thoughts and loneliness.

 

[StillStunned]

I write so I have an excuse to hang around here and annoy Wanda.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I write so I have an excuse to hang around here and annoy Wanda.

Overachiever!