How has your interest and motivation in writing erotica changed over time?

[GuiltyCowboy]

I’d be really interested to hear from writers here, especially if you’ve been writing for a while, about how your interest in writing erotica has evolved?

When you embark on a new story now, what’s the impetus for writing it and is that the same impetus as when you wrote your first stories?

I’m new here. Been about a month or so. I’ve knocked out four shortish, standalone stories. And I’ve already found that my initial motivation for writing - to write the kind of sex fantasies that I wasn’t finding in porn - is changing.

Only somewhat relatedly, I’ve also noticed that this website seems to pull me in unexpected directions: categories, ratings, the natural style and culture of the community…they all seem to have a subtle warping effect on my decision making.

But that’s of secondary interest. I’m mostly keen to hear about writers’ own evolution, if you’re willing to share that. Thanks!

 

[ElectricBlue]

But that’s of secondary interest. I’m mostly keen to hear about writers’ own evolution, if you’re willing to share that. Thanks!

I got better at writing, and got better at writing what I want to write. i've got stories in eighteen categories at last count, so I guess I wander about a far bit - I'm definitely not a single category writer. As I get older my fantasy life gets richer, I experiment more with my writing, and I still wander about a fair bit. Can't see myself not writing anytime soon.

 

[HordHolm]

I haven't written much here (more non-erotic elsewhere), but overall my experience writing erotica has been a move from simple wham-bam sex towards fully fleshed out stories (pun intended). The result of this change in focus has been a WIP folder with a mountain of half finished drafts due to the story/characters, rather than the sex, just not doing it enough for me.

 

[Ssbbw4u1974]

My writing subject matter evolves.
I first started writing erotica in my early 20's... It started when a male friend wanted me to write out his fantasies, and I've been doing it since.

I have written in the BDSM, group sex, erotic coupling sections of Lit since 2021.

It really depends on what muse is in my life that I fantasize about...

 

[THBGato]

My interests and motivations haven't changed especially, but then I've only been reading here since Dec 2023 and writing since Jan 2024.

I still read almost exclusively Lesbian romance stories (with cheating and heavy D/S dynamics putting me off), with the exception of Penny Thompson's works. I'll read anything she writes. Photo developing instructions. Dog training manuals. Poetry reviews.

Writing-wise, I can feel myself slowing down a little, but that doesn't bother me. Hopefully, it'll mean quality improves. On the other hand, I can't help but feel that some of my best work might be behind me, rather like the band that focuses so much on that difficult second album, they've then got nothing left in the tank for anything after that.

 

[Erozetta]

*points to podcast link in my signature.* If you go to the 1st episode (An Introduction to Liz and Grim) then skip to the Topic episodes ("On Characters in Stories" and "How We Got into Erotica") you'll find almost four hours of conversation (cut down from probably 10 hours of conversation and two hours of me laughing) where my fellow Literotica writer friend and I discuss this idea to varying degrees. How we got started writing and reading erotica, how our interest has changed since we started, what we are drawn to now, etc. we go into it a little bit in reviews as well, but the bulk is discussed in the first episode and the most recent two-part topic episode.

I've been writing erotica for a very long time while he's newer to writing erotica, so we have fairly different perspectives on the craft, how we got here, and how we see our writing progressing as time goes on.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

It's funny you say that you were originally motivated because you wanted to see fantasies that you couldn't find. I think that may be the most common reason for a lot of people to start writing. Mine was a mixed bag - it was partially that, and also partially that I wanted to write, had always kicked around the idea of writing a book, but never believed I had it in me to do it. Being able to write here gave me an audience, and it let me try things out without a ton of risk given how pseudonymous we can be.

Now that I've gotten a lot of my original motivations out of the way, I think the main thing driving me is to tell good stories that people enjoy. I want folks to have a good time reading what I write - whether that's being moved emotionally or just getting off. Either way, if the story generates an emotional response, either in the heart or in the pants, I feel good about it.

I also think there's probably one last thing I'm looking for with my writing, and that's acknowledgement from fellow writers that my stuff is good. It's weird how one comment or post from another author can keep me going for weeks, lol. I think @THBGato's comment on my On the Job post is probably enough to keep me writing for another year, lol.

And I, too, will read anything @PennyThompson writes!

 

[jehoram]

I have these fantasies, see, and sometimes they're good enough for me to create a story around them. Then I have to write it. That's all there is to it.

Over the years, I've been more careful not to tell the same story over and over again. Not that there's anything wrong with it, and some writers do it masterfully, but I can't. It does mean that I'm submitting stories more rarely than I did before. I'm still fantasizing like crazy, but they're not not new fantasies.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

It's funny you say that you were originally motivated because you wanted to see fantasies that you couldn't find. I think that may be the most common reason for a lot of people to start writing.

Any time that I have been inspired by a piece of art it has been a case of, "now if I were to write a story/screenplay/novel/song it would go like this."

One might think that if one were to write stories the way that one thought that they should go, or to write the stories that they want to read, that one would be their own favorite author. It would only be logical. Of course it's not that easy. We write and we quickly realize that we do not have the skills of Pratchett/Atwood/Vonnegut, etc. But of course the more that we write and the more that we strive to improve ...

Personally, I've been writing songs much longer than prose and I know that I'm going to get stink eye from my haters by saying this, but I've gotten to a level with my songwriting where I just might be my favorite songwriter. When I hum a tune in my head or put on some music when I get home, more often than not it's my own and I realized over the past four or five years that it's because these are among my very favorite songs. I think that I'm actually at that level where I truly am writing the songs that go the way that I want them to, they're extremely good and I would put them up against some of my favorite all time writers.

My prose is not at that level. I can put my songwriting up against Konishi Yasuharu or Duran Duran or Prince or Van Halen or Benny and Bjorn. I cannot put my prose or storytelling up against Margaret Atwood or Salman Rushdie.

 

[AG31]

I’d be really interested to hear from writers here, especially if you’ve been writing for a while, about how your interest in writing erotica has evolved?

When you embark on a new story now, what’s the impetus for writing it and is that the same impetus as when you wrote your first stories?

I’m new here. Been about a month or so. I’ve knocked out four shortish, standalone stories. And I’ve already found that my initial motivation for writing - to write the kind of sex fantasies that I wasn’t finding in porn - is changing.

Only somewhat relatedly, I’ve also noticed that this website seems to pull me in unexpected directions: categories, ratings, the natural style and culture of the community…they all seem to have a subtle warping effect on my decision making.

But that’s of secondary interest. I’m mostly keen to hear about writers’ own evolution, if you’re willing to share that. Thanks!

I have what I've concluded is a unique story about how I got started writing erotica. It's best explained in this post. My writing didn't change as regards theme, but it changed over time in that it got steadly shorter and "thinner." Until, after about three years, my impulse to write has disappeared altogether. I've set "it's over" before, and was wrong, but it does seem to be over. I still thoroughly enjoy talking about writing, and reading some special stories.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've slowed down over the past couple of years. Some of it is real life drama like my wife's health, but some of it is a mix of getting a bit tired in general and also I don't feel there's anything left to challenge myself with, and if I don't have a challenge, I get bored.

I did a thread about this last year that sums it all up.

https://forum.literotica.com/threads/when-theres-nothing-left-to-do-and-winding-down.1621276/

 

[yowser]

In general, as for evolution, I think those here who get serious about their writing, unless they already started at a high level, go from writing a fantasy (more or less a porn script, however conceived) into story-telling, with some of the more sophisticated elements involved - plot, character, pacing, movement, attention to the reader.

I have become fussier as time as gone on, both as a reader over the stories posted and as a writer. My goal is simple, if likely unobtainable: make my next story my best (or at least better than the last one.) Writing is hard work if you do it right, but this is a fabulous, relatively low-stakes place to experiment. The arousal umbrella is huge, lots of room to explore. The various contests/challenges are terrific opportunities to expand one's craft.

From the great jazzman Yusef Lateef: “The fact is one's own voice is not heard anywhere else. It's a challenge to be yourself. It takes a lot of courage.” Or as the radio newscaster Scoop Nisker always said: If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own.

 

[GuiltyCowboy]

Thank you so much to all for your responses. When you think about it, the variety and the experience of the writers here are quite amazing. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

I feel mostly the pull of trying to be more ambitious with my story-telling - out of a desire to improve the quality of my writing, out of a desire to please others, to get others to rate me and comment. Which is not at all why I first came here. That was never the impetus, for me.

And so I was interested to explore whether that development, that internal pressure, was worth accepting or resisting - by asking you how your own impetus had evolved over time and how you felt about that. You’ve all been writing for far longer than I have.

There’s no simple answer, really. As the variety of responses suggest. And I guess that’s a good thing.

Improvements in my prose and a better reception for my stories may give me satisfaction but my instinct now is to not chase that satisfaction - and be happy instead with the simple pleasure of putting down onto the page my own fantasies.

[I’m now going to devote the next three weeks to writing some deeply complex story that doesn’t come naturally to me and is based entirely on one comment I received from an anonymous reader, aren’t I?]

 

[Nynah]

I've been reading stories on Lit since the late aughts but took until 2017 to publish something here. My impetus for that was to try my hand at a niche genre (Mailgirls) that excited me, but didn't quite scratch the itch I wanted it to. I think I did fairly well at it, but then life and the pandemic happened so I took a sabbatical. Really only came back to Lit late last year when I decided to try my hand at another, less niche genre (hot roommates) that excited me. My motivation for writing both of the things I've got published here is the same: I had a particular way I wanted a fantasy to go and none of the stories I'd read fulfilled that so I decided to write them myself.

Nowadays, what I read here is more varied and I have been pretty tempted to step out of my comfort zone and try other genres. And while I still write primarily to fulfill my own illicit fantasies, having fellowship with other authors here as well as feedback on what I've written has definitely given me another reason to write. Whether or not I actually get around to doing that is still in the air but I'm trying to at least keep myself accountable and on task.

 

[Cagivagurl]

My interests and motivations haven't changed especially, but then I've only been reading here since Dec 2023 and writing since Jan 2024.

I still read almost exclusively Lesbian romance stories (with cheating and heavy D/S dynamics putting me off), with the exception of Penny Thompson's works. I'll read anything she writes. Photo developing instructions. Dog training manuals. Poetry reviews.

Writing-wise, I can feel myself slowing down a little, but that doesn't bother me. Hopefully, it'll mean quality improves. On the other hand, I can't help but feel that some of my best work might be behind me, rather like the band that focuses so much on that difficult second album, they've then got nothing left in the tank for anything after that.

This resonates so deeply.
My experience mirrors it.
Musically, my first album just happened. No shortage of material and inspiration. The process just flowed. The second album, still unfinished felt like dental surgery..

Writing feels much like that. Initially it felt like I had an endless supply of plots to choose from.
These days, it seems so difficult, my pen dry, and my mind dull. I empathise sincerely.

Cagivagurl

 

[GuiltyCowboy]

This resonates so deeply.
My experience mirrors it.
Musically, my first album just happened. No shortage of material and inspiration. The process just flowed. The second album, still unfinished felt like dental surgery..

Writing feels much like that. Initially it felt like I had an endless supply of plots to choose from.
These days, it seems so difficult, my pen dry, and my mind dull. I empathise sincerely.

Cagivagurl

Right - but can I ask: As the writing has become more difficult, has the reason for wanting to write changed?

I found it exceeding easy to bang out a story at first, then I thought I'd try to take it up a notch in terms of quality and complexity, and that writing was mostly torturous. And I realized that it wasn't because they were more tricky to write but because I wasn't writing those later stories for the same reason I wrote the earlier ones.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Right - but can I ask: As the writing has become more difficult, has the reason for wanting to write changed?

I found it exceeding easy to bang out a story at first, then I thought I'd try to take it up a notch in terms of quality and complexity, and that writing was mostly torturous. And I realized that it wasn't because they were more tricky to write but because I wasn't writing those later stories for the same reason I wrote the earlier ones.

All my life I have been a voracious reader...
No specific genre, if I opened the cover and liked the first few chapters, I read it...
I was introduced to Erotic literature by a friend, and after reading a few, I was hooked... I enjoyed it.
As a musician, I wrote a lot of songs, and poetry, so stretching to a story wasn't an impossible challenge.
With my friends encouragement, I started writing, and yes, the plots and characters tumbled out easily.
I'm not suggesting they were good stories, or even well written. I am never going to be a good writer, and I'm OK with that. I write for fun.
It is therapeutic and calming.

There has to be an inspirational spark though. Something that drives the desire to sit for hours and write...
You have to have something to say.
My stories aren't that sexually charged, there are some that have almost no sexual content...
My writing isn't driven by a desire to see my fantasy's come to life. I simply like to write, and this web site is a great tool for posting stories. As a bonus, you get some feedback, and you get some indication regarding how well you wrote...
Has what I write changed?"

Maybe, I focus more on my favoured genre now. I love romance, and happy endings, so I guess I try to do that...

I will add, my expectations have changed. I have friends within these walls who have encouraged and influenced me. Now I feel like my writing has to get better each time, so I have goals which I like to meet. Less errors, less clumsy mistakes...

I guess I try harder...

Which may add to the stress, and make it harder to write.

Cagivagurl

 

[Dearelliot]

When I was younger I didn't have the time to put into my writing the way I do now, life was much too hectic.

 

[MK_Whimsy]

I think the motivation across all of my stories has been the same--to explore different kinks and fantasies. It's hard to say whether there has been any kind of "evolution" per se, though I'd like to think this experience has made me at least a slightly better writer.

 

[alohadave]

Right - but can I ask: As the writing has become more difficult, has the reason for wanting to write changed?

The reason hasn't changed for me. I still want to tell stories, but I want to tell more complete stories.