Endeavour vs Inspiration

[Pedals2003]

More years ago, than I care to recall, I wrote a 30,000 word MA dissertation. It took 2 years of research and many months to write. Subsequently, I've had numerous articles published in journals (non sexual). All of this took a lot of effort, which I didn't particularly enjoy. I've come to realise that I wasted the 2 years. All I really learned, was good research skills.



Over the last couple of weeks, I've submitted 6 stories to Lit. (2 still pending). Total output, nearly 72,000 words. Putting aside the quality (not sure anyone on here, would be interested in my other work). Maybe, not my erotica, either. I didn't have to do any research. Probably says something about my warped mind, that everything just flowed. I've found the process far more enjoyable.



Anyone else found publishing here, an easier, less stressful experience. Or, have you had to work equally hard?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Anyone else found publishing here, an easier, less stressful experience. Or, have you had to work equally hard?

Publishing here is a self-indulgence. As a consequence, there's no pressure at all. There's no obligation to post on a regular basis, so I post when I choose, what I choose.

I don't consider my writing to be "work" at all. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I publish here partly because I wanted a challenge, so my viewpoint might be different. I write professionally (non-fiction), but I had never really attempted fiction until I started here. Like it says in the author profile, the Writing Group came here as a way to learn to write fiction. Our stuff here potentially reaches a large audience.

I've sort of fallen out of doing Literotica. My professional work has gotten busy and other things in my life are taking up time. I'm trying to get back into it now.

-Rocco

 

[StillStunned]

As @ElectricBlue says, it's a hobby and there's no pressure.

Except sometimes we put pressure on ourselves. I haven't published anything for a month. I need to write a new chapter in this series, my readers are waiting. There's a new contest or challenge, I'd better write something for it. I want to publish in every category, and I still have ten to go. This story has been in my WIP for a year, I'm going to finish it now.

Unless there are words in your head that are fighting to get out, it's best just to write what you feel like writing, and when you feel like it. Nobody's paying us to stress ourselves out.

 

[Not2Pervy]

I have tried to push myself through stories at times when I did not feel inspired, making it more like work. When doing that, sometimes the inspiration comes, and sometimes it does not. It’s certainly a lot more fun when I’m inspired, and for the most part, I think my inspired work gets a better response here.

Not too surprising when you remember the heart of what this site is all about: stimulating people’s erotic imagination.

To be honest, sometimes when I get caught up in the writing I care about more than that, but I think readers rarely do.

 

[Nynah]

Anyone else found publishing here, an easier, less stressful experience. Or, have you had to work equally hard?

I think if you were to become reasonably "popular", you might feel pressure to keep up with publishing here to appease your followers. That being said, you're not getting paid (or validated academically, as in your example) to write here and your best work goes up alongside things that barely qualify as prose. It shouldn't be a stressful experience and the only person you should have to answer to with regards to your writing is yourself.

I have tried to push myself through stories at times when I did not feel inspired, making it more like work. When doing that, sometimes the inspiration comes, and sometimes it does not. It’s certainly a lot more fun when I’m inspired, and for the most part, I think my inspired work gets a better response here.

I have felt the same way too, so when I run into that, I always try to take a second and sit with my feelings, then do something else until I feel inspired again. As you said, it doesn't always work but as long as it happens a certain percentage of the time, I feel like it's worth trying.