How arousing to you is your own work?

[Colleen Thomas]

Over the last few days I have reread several of my older pices. In general I have cringed at mistakes I made ruglarly and am frustrated with things I could have done better or differently.

One thing I haven't done is gotten aroused. Not in the least. It just seemed odd to me, as you would think something written by you would be tailored to your own perception of what was hot.

Many times, reading erotica, I have found myself taking the action where I would have, rather than where the author went. yet in my own work, where the action goes exactly wehre I would have take it, nothing happens.

I wondered if anyone else feels the same way? Does your own stuff turn you on? If not, any ideas why?

 

[impressive]

Does your own stuff turn you on?

Sure does. Even the older stuff.

 

[Hooper_X]

Yes, of course. My erotic writings are geared toward my masturbatory fantasies.

 

[Liar]

My own work does not turn me on for one simple reason, it's not news anymore. It does when I first think up the plot, and sometimes while I write the text. But once it's done, I've already lived the scenario to it's fullest in my head. For the same reason, I can only read someone else's story once and get aroused. It's the surprise of where the story takes me that is exciting. Only a well written and multi levelled story can trigger that response again, if I missed a layer of it the first time around.

However, I enjoy going back to reread my stories, simply to rediscover the writing itself, the narration and descriptions, jokes, devices and dialouge. That is, unless I go so far back that all of that is embarraingly crappy.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

When I'm writing it or reading it?

I'm usually aroused when I'm writing it, because I'm into the picture and sensations I'm trying to describe, and I'm sustaining that vision for a long time. Sometimes I actually have to take a Kleenex break to sop up some of the overflow. I tend to be a juicy guy.

When I read it? Mnyeh. I think I read it too critically to let myself get aroused. I think, "Oooh. That was good!" or "Jeez, that sucked!" I'm just too critical to let myself get involved in it.

The funny thing is, when I do get aroused, it's usually one little image that does it for me, one little string of two or three words that breaks through the narrative drone and hits me with unexpected force and brings the scene into vivid life. It's the same way for me when I'm reading other people's porn.

I still remember, back when I was a boy, the first time I came across the image of a woman clawing the sheets during sex. It was in a sleazy pocket book, way before the internet at a time when porn was still pretty tame, and that just did it for me. The image was graphic, sensual, and yet said so much about what she was feeling that it just kind of blew me away.

I still search for images like that and steal them when I find them.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

When I'm writing it or reading it?

I'm usually aroused when I'm writing it, because I'm into the picture and sensations I'm trying to describe, and I'm sustaining that vision for a long time. Sometimes I actually have to take a Kleenex break to sop up some of the overflow. I tend to be a juicy guy.

When I read it? Mnyeh. I think I read it too critically to let myself get aroused. I think, "Oooh. That was good!" or "Jeez, that sucked!" I'm just too critical to let myself get involved in it.

The funny thing is, when I do get aroused, it's usually one little image that does it for me, one little string of two or three words that breaks through the narrative drone and hits me with unexpected force and brings the scene into vivid life. It's the same way for me when I'm reading other people's porn.

I still remember, back when I was a boy, the first time I came across the image of a woman clawing the sheets during sex. It was in a sleazy pocket book, way before the internet at a time when porn was still pretty tame, and that just did it for me. The image was graphic, sensual, and yet said so much about what she was feeling that it just kind of blew me away.

I still search for images like that and steal them when I find them.

I think I'm like you doc. I'm so hyper critical I don't ever get into the flow of my own work. I'm obsessing over what I did right, what I did wrong and what I would change if I revised it.

P.S. If you ever care to share that image, I'd love to see it

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Yes, of course. My erotic writings are geared toward my masturbatory fantasies.

Hiya Hooper. I can see you've been around a while, but I'm not sure I've said hi

I'm going to guess your female characters have nice asses

 

[Penelope Street]

I wondered if anyone else feels the same way? Does your own stuff turn you on? If not, any ideas why?

My stories sometimes arouse me as I write them, but I can't say that any ever has done so after I've finished it. I too reach for tissues on occassion, but always for my eyes. My stories will often being me to tears when I write them and still can when I read them months later.

Why? I have no idea why I can experience one form of emotion from reading my own words, but not another.

Interesting question.

Take Care,
Penny

 

[carsonshepherd]

The only time my stories arouse me is when I'm totally in "the zone" while writing... losing track of time, etc. The moment fades and I'm back to being self-critical again. Seems like most other people are the same.

 

[dizzylia]

Like others, the process of writing one of my stories can be quite arousing, but in rereading it, it's too easy to become self-critical, for the same reason we can see flaws in our bathroom mirrors that no stranger would ever see. We just know ourselves and our work too personally.

It is rather fun to reread old work, however. These stories of ours can be such a personal journey sometimes.


-dizzy

 

[Guest]

Lovely topic, Colly!

Am I aroused during the writing? You bet. I think many of us have heads filled with intensely erotic scenes. I have some true situations, some fact-based fiction, and some strict fantasy; all make me squirm when I'm putting them on the page.

But during the nut-and-bolt processes: the proofing, the editing, rereading, more proofing, editing, rereading?

It feels lukewarm to me by then.

And the finished product? By then I don't want to see it for a long, long while.

 

[Guest]

My most recent stories had sex in them only because I felt obligated to put it in. It wasn't out of place, just not necessary. I wrote the story then added a sex scene. Even there, those scenes were arousing to me when I wrote them, but reading back through them now, not so much so.

On the other hand some of my older stories that were written around the sex still turn me on no matter how many times I read them. The Boat and After Midnight are the best examples I can think of. They were writtenspecificly for that erotic scene and everything els was just garnish.

 

[Dar~]

My own work does nothing for me except when I am in the zone writing it. Mostly I get off on things I have no idea how to put on paper. My writing is done mainly to turn on my husband

When I go back and reread my writing later, I notice things like repetitive words or bad sentence construction.

If I do find someone else's story that just fits my desires, I use the mental image for a long itme afterward in my fantasy life. I rarely reread stories. (except in books)

 

[sophia jane]

Most of the time I get turned on while I'm writing it. Then, I hate it during the editing process. But if enough time has passed when I go back and read it, I do get turned on again- not as much as I did the first time, but enough.

SJ

 

[Stella_Omega]

My work still turns me on, but maybe not to the pitch that it did originally. And I always find one word that could be replaced...
There was one point when I simply quit writing. I could not summon any interest in yet another sex scene...

 

[Belegon]

Like most of us who have posted, I am more likely to be aroused writing it then reading it...the only exception is when I have based a story on a memory, because then re-reading brings back the true event and that memory turns me on.

 

[carsonshepherd]

My work still turns me on, but maybe not to the pitch that it did originally. And I always find one word that could be replaced...
There was one point when I simply quit writing. I could not summon any interest in yet another sex scene...

try writing an erotic novel.... the repetitive sex scenes get to be a struggle. I was stuck on one for almost a month

 

[Stella_Omega]

try writing an erotic novel.... the repetitive sex scenes get to be a struggle. I was stuck on one for almost a month

Now that brings up another issue!
How many sex scenes should go into a novel? One per day of action? My characters look at each other after a particularly strenuous day and say: "We're going to DIEeeee..."

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Now that brings up another issue!
How many sex scenes should go into a novel? One per day of action? My characters look at each other after a particularly strenuous day and say: "We're going to DIEeeee..."

In my novel length one, the actual sex scens probably occure one or twice a month in book time. That isn't to say my characters only have sex once otr twice, but I only detail the braphic nature when it's important to move the plot.

So I will only describe one blowjob (Carson, if your reading this. Pweese?) but may not the chsaracter is blowing her partner every day over the next two weeks.

In a novel length work, you have to sprinkle the detailed sex in at places. Else you will find the sex scenes aren't building plot or moving the story forward, they are just gratutious.

 

[carsonshepherd]

In my novel length one, the actual sex scens probably occure one or twice a month in book time. That isn't to say my characters only have sex once otr twice, but I only detail the braphic nature when it's important to move the plot.

So I will only describe one blowjob (Carson, if your reading this. Pweese?) but may not the chsaracter is blowing her partner every day over the next two weeks.

In a novel length work, you have to sprinkle the detailed sex in at places. Else you will find the sex scenes aren't building plot or moving the story forward, they are just gratutious.

Oh crap!!!! *hates self*

*runs off to PM box in shame*


I like gratuitous sex as much as the next person but agree with you that it's good to use sex to move the plot...show character development in character relationships, etc. Also, it keeps the reader interested even if writing it does get sort of tedious after the first ten times....

edit: dammit, i just cleaned out my PM box last night

but Colly, I did like it a lot. overall impression very favorable (heard many good things about this piece from shanglan also )

 

[Guest]

It's really pathetic, but to me, I'm the hottest writer around. No one gets me going, like my own stories.

Back to listening to my "So you're self-loathing" self-help tape.

 

[matriarch]

Truthfully?
Not at all.
By the time I've finished reading, re-reading, editing, checking, I am so heartily sick of the damn thing, I'm just glad to post it and get rid of it.

Much later, I will read one or two of them again, and am astounded that I actually enjoy them (noot aroused), and find it hard to believe I actually wrote something that other people found arousing. *shrug*.

It's that old self-worth thing, I guess.

I do find other people's work, seriously arousing, but not my own.

 

[CharleyH]

Personally I have some that are a turn on completely to my guinea pigs - Did I write that? :| But others are more erotic and story bound than pornographic. I rarely get turned on by my own stories.

 

[rgraham666]

Yeah, I get aroused.

When writing my imagination usually gets right into the action. Polishing not so much. I still read my stories frequently and I still find them exciting.

Just as well, if they weren't exciting, I wouldn't write them.

 

[scheherazade_79]

I'm glad it's not just me. When I started writing smut I found it hard to keep my hands off myself. Now that I'm paying more attention to the other aspects of my writing (as opposed to bringing myself off) it doesn't turn me on half as much. In fact, I even get some days when sex scenes can be a chore.