Some dead horses simply must be flogged (writerly)

[Varian P]

I'd like to write a broad range of stuff, both in form--short stories, novels, screenplays--and content.

It never occurred to me when I started writing that I'd always write in the porn/erotica genre; I figured once I got that first novel that had been lurking in my brain for years out of my system, I'd move on and write...I don't know, something else.

Three novels and a handful of short stories later, I'm still writing porn, and all my ideas for future stories seem to be in the same vein.

But more than that, every single thing I write revolves, in one sense or another, around a single issue: rape.

I've come at it from a lot of different angles: the fantasy of domination/being dominated, the uglier realities of rape as the crime of an individual and a weapon of the group, etc. And here I am, finishing one novel that largely deals with institutionalized sexual slavery, and the next story burning a hole in my brain has to do with the global history of male-on-male rape in military combat.

I have some grasp on why I'm so fixated on this subject: my own discomfort with my conflicted reactions to it; rape fantasies turn me on, while the realities of rape are deeply horrifying. And it compels my morbid fascination because it's such an awful, violent act, but unlike other kinds of torture and brutality, it's not perpetrated by the rare sociopath; in certain circumstances, it's been argued, most men are capable of it. Certain wars, past and present, seem to support that theory.

A horribly long preamble, but really I just want to ask my fellow writers:

Is there some theme, some issue, some thing that you find yourself thinking about and writing about, over and over, year after year?

Does it leave you feeling like a one-trick pony? Or are you making progress on a quest to solve some emotional/intellectual riddle, toward finally capturing the elusive essence of some compelling, core human conflict?

 

[oggbashan]

...Is there some theme, some issue, some thing that you find yourself thinking about and writing about, over and over, year after year?

No.

I try several themes even here. I experiment because I like stretching my writing. That doesn't get me votes or a high proportion of Hs'.

Only part of my writing is on Lit. The rest, non-erotic in any sense, is elsewhere.

Og

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I purposely avoided submitting an incest story as one of my first stories here. I waited until my fourt or fifth before submitting one. Because if you look at what is on my hard drive, 90% of it is all incest stories.

But that isn't all that I have started. I have a few novel length stories in the works (on hold is more like it) that don't have any porn in them at all.

So no, not a one trick pony. Close, but not quite

 

[BlackShanglan]

Re: the thread title - must they absolutely be dead first?

And yes, I do find certain recurring motifs, although mostly in my porn. I think porn lends itself to that, because we all have our own little sexual quirks and whimsies that lure us back to them. When I write non-porn, I don't see nearly as strong a tendency to return to the same images or situations, but there are a couple that often seem to crop up.

In porn, I have the most ridiculous weakness for master/servant relationships. Not theatrical BDSM ones, but actual domestic servants or other sorts of superior/subordinate structures. My title, on Carson's excellent suggestion, used to be "your humble servant."

 

[sr71plt]

I try to do something different with each one, including different themes. Probably doesn't work--they probably all boil down to the same one plaguing the back of my mind.

 

[cloudy]

Must they absolutely be dead first?

c'mere, horsey.....I have a flogger just for you.

 

[Varian P]

No.

I try several themes even here. I experiment because I like stretching my writing. That doesn't get me votes or a high proportion of Hs'.

Only part of my writing is on Lit. The rest, non-erotic in any sense, is elsewhere.

Og

I succeed in keeping my votes to a bare minimum by writing 15+ chapter novels. Different method, same results.

I try to experiment and stretch my writing: I've experimented with POV, I'm currently attempting my first piece of speculative fic, etc. And the stories I write vary pretty significantly (I hope).

But that theme, that issue, won't let go of me.

So, when you're "experimenting" and "stretching" your writing, do the various stories you pen hold you imagination equally? Or do you find yourself feeling like you're sort of going through the motions to get a story done? Does it every become an intellectual exercise rather than a labor of love?

 

[Varian P]

Must they absolutely be dead first?

Certainly not in your case.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I've covered a lot of categories... and a lot of different topics... but there is an overriding theme... more like a spectre... I find in my work. Some pick up on it. Some don't.

 

[impressive]

Must they absolutely be dead first?

*Diet Coke spew*


On topic -- Um, yeah, I have common themes in my work. I can't make myself write either weak or submissive women. Almost all -- no, ALL -- of my protagonists are very open-minded. While they might not openly expound their theories in the narrative, they all lack the uglier shades of jealousy and possessiveness.

I have a lot of trouble writing mediocre people. They're either TOTALLY bad or TOTALLY good. No shades of grey.

Hrm. Interesting.

 

[Varian P]

I purposely avoided submitting an incest story as one of my first stories here. I waited until my fourt or fifth before submitting one. Because if you look at what is on my hard drive, 90% of it is all incest stories.

But that isn't all that I have started. I have a few novel length stories in the works (on hold is more like it) that don't have any porn in them at all.

So no, not a one trick pony. Close, but not quite

And I just wrote an incest story--just to see if I could. But it does veer awfully close to non-con, here and there.

So I'll ask you the same question I asked Ogg, or at least one along the same line: are your novels on hold because there's nothing in them compelling you, the way the incest stories do?

 

[BlackShanglan]

So, when you're "experimenting" and "stretching" your writing, do the various stories you pen hold you imagination equally? Or do you find yourself feeling like you're sort of going through the motions to get a story done? Does it every become an intellectual exercise rather than a labor of love?

Personally, I'm far too indolent for that. If there's nothing I'm really excited about in the story, it never gets written. But then, I inherently like some variety and alternation. Right now I'm swapping back and forth between the polishing/revision of a dark piece and the planning and brainstorming stages for a couple of comedies. For me, the old saw still cuts: a change is as good as a break.

 

[oggbashan]

...So, when you're "experimenting" and "stretching" your writing, do the various stories you pen hold you imagination equally? Or do you find yourself feeling like you're sort of going through the motions to get a story done? Does it every become an intellectual exercise rather than a labor of love?

No. They don't hold me equally. Some of my experiments fail and are never completed.

Yes, I go through the motions sometimes. It is part of being professional (even as an amateur) about writing. Writing when you don't feel like writing or have lost the impetus for a particular story is hard, like "hitting the wall" in running. You have to work through it. When I am most inspired, I write crap.

It does sometimes seem like an intellectual exercise. If after writing the pre-planned plot it doesn't work as a completed story then I'll file it away for months or even years before resurrecting it or using it as a quarry for future stories. In that sense none of my writing is "wasted".

However some challenges produce failure. I still haven't revised and completed the first erotic story I attempted. I still have an incomplete story on the sexual attraction of hairy and sweaty South Indian aunties armpits...

Og

 

[Varian P]

...yes, I do find certain recurring motifs, although mostly in my porn. I think porn lends itself to that, because we all have our own little sexual quirks and whimsies that lure us back to them. When I write non-porn, I don't see nearly as strong a tendency to return to the same images or situations, but there are a couple that often seem to crop up.

Makes perfect sense. Certainly that maps onto my tendencies in consuming stories; if seeking out erotica for my own pleasure, the frisson of reluctance is always a draw, but when it comes to literature and film, more broadly, I find favorites in the realm of every sort of tale.

In porn, I have the most ridiculous weakness for master/servant relationships. Not theatrical BDSM ones, but actual domestic servants or other sorts of superior/subordinate structures. My title, on Carson's excellent suggestion, used to be "your humble servant."

I'll indulge myself in the happy belief that being a silver-tongued papist will in no way prevent you from skillfully performing your office of humble servant.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Umm... penises, and having or not having one-- or two or three or four...

Really though, my horse is that sex can be transformative, and that people who have lots of sex can be transformative people.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

And I just wrote an incest story--just to see if I could. But it does veer awfully close to non-con, here and there.

So I'll ask you the same question I asked Ogg, or at least one along the same line: are your novels on hold because there's nothing in them compelling you, the way the incest stories do?

No. I haven't written anything in about 18 months. It's across the board writers block.

 

[Varian P]

I try to do something different with each one, including different themes. Probably doesn't work--they probably all boil down to the same one plaguing the back of my mind.

Tease.

 

[Varian P]

I've covered a lot of categories... and a lot of different topics... but there is an overriding theme... more like a spectre... I find in my work. Some pick up on it. Some don't.

You, too. You're as cryptic as sr7plt.

 

[Varian P]

Almost all -- no, ALL -- of my protagonists are very open-minded. While they might not openly expound their theories in the narrative, they all lack the uglier shades of jealousy and possessiveness.

I have a lot of trouble writing mediocre people. They're either TOTALLY bad or TOTALLY good. No shades of grey.

Hmmm...I'm right with you on the former, and exactly opposite on the latter. What they lack in jealousy, my characters make up for heartily with other flaws.

 

[Varian P]

Personally, I'm far too indolent for that. If there's nothing I'm really excited about in the story, it never gets written. But then, I inherently like some variety and alternation. Right now I'm swapping back and forth between the polishing/revision of a dark piece and the planning and brainstorming stages for a couple of comedies. For me, the old saw still cuts: a change is as good as a break.

I tried that change strategy when I ran out of steam during the penultimate chapter of my grueling post-apocalypse scenario, and diverted myself with a fluffy(ish) incest castaway romp. But now I just want to stay on the island with the happy, horny people.

 

[sr71plt]

Tease.

Well, all the time I'm writing it, I'm muttering to myself, "the hook, the hook, what's the damn hook?--is that hook a better one?"

So, I guess the theme I write to is "the hook."

 

[Selena_Kitt]

You, too. You're as cryptic as sr7plt.

It's all a ploy to make you go read!

I got this piece of feedback the other day, and it boils it down much better than I could:

You have an extraordinary sensitivity to the earliest stages of sexual development, and that not only with women, but with men as well.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I'll indulge myself in the happy belief that being a silver-tongued papist will in no way prevent you from skillfully performing your office of humble servant.

Better. One of my favorite stories involves a servant to a silver-tongued papist. I still go back and read that one from time to time.

Really though, my horse is that sex can be transformative, and that people who have lots of sex can be transformative people.

I like that. In terms of theme, my hobby horse is quite similar. Passion that breaks boundaries and overcomes powerful obstacles is endlessly interesting to me. Someone is always the wrong thing in my porn stories - wrong social class, wrong gender, wrong species, wrong race. I want to see the characters break through that. I confess an endless fascination with the oldest of themes: amore vincet omnia.

 

[BlackShanglan]

But now I just want to stay on the island with the happy, horny people.

And who can blame you?

I just love that quote. I'm saving it.

 

[sr71plt]

It's all a ploy to make you go read!

I got this piece of feedback the other day, and it boils it down much better than I could:

You have an extraordinary sensitivity to the earliest stages of sexual development, and that not only with women, but with men as well.

Well, if we're plugging work, the last comment I got on a story was:

Very Different
12/27/07 by Anonymous in usa
from your normal stories. In my top 5 favorites in Literotica's site.

How's that for tease? Doesn't that make you want to go read "Fading Star"? It's even a straight one.