Does anyone know you write erotica?

[brodieloads]

Recently, in another thread I mentioned one of my IRL friends managed to find one of my WIPs. Since then, they've found the anonymous reddit account I post on and sometimes ask how my projects are going. They're only supportive and genuinely seem interested but, as I said earlier, it's awkward as fuck. I'm sure I could ask them to stop bringing it up and they'd respect that, but I haven't yet.

I can't think of another time in my life where I experienced something that was simultaneously wholesome and surreal. As close as we were before, specific kinks and fantasies were never really mentioned if/when we talked about sex. It's a relief to be able to actually ask someone "Hey, does this make sense to you?" At the same time though, there's a a little voice in the back of my head saying to just shut up and pretend it never happened.

 

[HordHolm]

No-one knows. But then I write and edit 'straight' works and in so doing supplement my main salary so I ensure that professional work is kept separate from my occasional dabbling in kink.

 

[Seadog777]

My family knows.
I ask them for their input sometimes.
They're supportive.

 

[Rob_Royale]

It was an interesting day when I told my wife. I was 95% done with my first story when I told her. I wasn't sure how she'd take it. She took it fine but has zero interest in reading my stories, allegedly. Aside from her, no one else knows, nor do I want them to. This is a secret part of myself that I enjoy sharing anonymously.

 

[ElectricBlue]

No one knows that I write erotica, and I can't see that changing.

 

[Defluer]

Nope, there is literally nobody in my life who I believe would understand. So there is literally nobody who knows Defluer and Name Redacted are the same person. I'm sure some people wouldn't be surprised. If I made money doing this it might cause me to "come out" to a few people but writing as I do, just to get the demons out. I don't think many would understand that.

 

[TxRad]

Anyone who asks knows and some who didn't ask.

At my age what does it matter. The shock factor is fun though.

 

[MrPixel]

I have two who know... well, a third, maybe, from casual conversation at a venue where such conversations are prone to take place. However, she's also a publisher of erotica and has an erotic-themed podcast, and really doesn't know me from Adam.

Anyway, my wife is my proofreader, and one of her boyfriends knows and has read excerpts. He is an English teacher and also dabbles in erotic prose, but nothing published, online or otherwise.

 

[MrPixel]

At my age what does it matter. The shock factor is fun though.

I'd like to take that attitude as we are of similar vintage (belated happy birthday, BTW), but I am visible in the local community in civic affairs. It's already an issue as certain political elements became aware of my and my wife's extracurricular exploits totally by accident; she lost her job and I was blackballed out of a quasi-administrative appointment by one of these cretins.

 

[Lifestyle66]

I used to share my erotic pondering stories with a friend who provided feedback. Then after posting a few here last year, I asked my wife to proofread one or two stories. She then asked my daughter to do the proofreading, as the daughter was an English major in college and my wife gave her a description of the genre. But the wife asked her in front of the entire family.

So, no secrets here, except from some prudish neighbors and other friends. But with my wife's outrageous personality bragging about vacationing at nude resorts, even they wouldn't be surprised.

 

[brodieloads]

Thanks to everyone who's commented so far. I knew I couldn't be in a unique situation, but it's been great to hear that other people are in similar or even more open scenarios.

A part of me does still regret that I was caught at all, because it could have been someone who definitely shouldn't know about all this. That said, my friend has been great and, like the few of you who have someone on the inside, I imagine this will ultimately make the friendship even stronger or at least more interesting.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Mr KQ has known from the days 30 years ago now when I'd write filth in notepads,.on long coach journeys to visit him. Back before mobile phones, if the light wasn't enough to read, writing was a good choice.

Some of those old scribbles became some of my stories on here. About a dozen friends know of this account, about three have read a couple stories. But when you've met most of your friends via being a kinky polyamorous bisexual, the fact that they might notice that from stories doesn't really matter. The rest of my friends know I'm bi and poly and might suspect kink has happened, but prefer to talk of other things.

I admit I breathe a sigh of relief each time English chaps on the forum old enough to be my dad confirm that they actually aren't.

MrKQ is severely dyslexic so hasn't read any, though he did get me to read him the one about him. He thought there was too much description and sexual tension, and not enough fucking... Philistine!

 

[FifthEstate]

No one knows about my writing and that saddens me at times. It would be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of who I actually know. I loved DarkRaven13’s Halloween story premise of an actual event where Literotica authors hung out together at a party…

 

[PeytonMirabelle]

My spouse knows, my parents and siblings know, and some close friends too. No one seems to care one way or the other. Many of them read my fantasy but won't read my romance or erotica, so ... I toil on, in obscurity.

 

[TxRad]

I loved DarkRaven13’s Halloween story premise of an actual event where Literotica authors hung out together at a party…

Year ago, we actually had Litogethers as they were called. I attended a number of them and made some lasting friends and had a ball. We even swapped some ideas for stories.

 

[Emotional]

Just my wife

I own a business and have several young female employees. It would possibly get awkward working with them if they read my work.

 

[brodieloads]

MrKQ is severely dyslexic so hasn't read any, though he did get me to read him the one about him. He thought there was too much description and sexual tension, and not enough fucking... Philistine!

This got a genuine lol out of me, we need to bring back Philistine as an insult / slur.

I'm thinking I want to make a character based around my friend. See how long it takes her to realise.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

This got a genuine lol out of me, we need to bring back Philistine as an insult / slur.

I'm thinking I want to make a character based around my friend. See how long it takes her to realise.

He does enjoy reading, just he has to have a payoff in every sentence as for him, 10-15 min reading before bed is a couple paragraphs. Pratchett, Bryson, kid lit. I'm no War & Peace, but more discursive for sure.

A story my friends read made them laugh, as I'd needed some throwaway names for neighbours of the main characters. One laughs down the phone, the others are only mentioned the once. I basically used the names of real nearby friends, who recognised that!

 

[SimonDoom]

A few people in the "outside" world know that I write erotica, but they don't know my pseudonym.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

No one knows, and no one will. I don't think anyone I know would be very understanding of this interest of mine

 

[KeithD]

Recently, in another thread I mentioned one of my IRL friends managed to find one of my WIPs. Since then, they've found the anonymous reddit account I post on and sometimes ask how my projects are going. They're only supportive and genuinely seem interested but, as I said earlier, it's awkward as fuck. I'm sure I could ask them to stop bringing it up and they'd respect that, but I haven't yet.

Mostly only my publisher knows I write erotica as well as mainstream. And one other from years ago. A then-regular Lit. discussion board member discerned who I am from the stories I write and correctly called me out in private. It was/is a bit awkward, yes. She's still here--or was the last I looked--participating in another board other than AH, but she's kept the ID to herself. It's telling (and surprising), though, that she could get to an ID from what I've put in stories here.

 

[Demiurging]

One, a good friend, so I know who to bury if anyone else turns out to know.

And a lot of people know I write "romance" under a penname I'm too embarrassed to let them know.

 

[jaykaythree]

The only one who knows, outside of me, is my wife (on whom I based the female lead in three of my stories).

 

[elizaloo]

Most everyone I know, knows, as my user name is a family nickname and a play on my first name. My brother joined Lit many years ago, my sister has read my work, several good friends read/publish here. I've retired from professional type work and am a 'kept wife' so it's not as though I need to fear being outed, thankfully.

 

[firmbutgentle]

Nobody IRL knows about my writing and I've been careful (I hope) to segregate this from the rest of my online life. It would cause too many complications and given that I rework some autobiographical material into my work, violate others' privacy as well.