Perhaps a boost of motivation for all the authors.

[OddLove]

There's a post in the self improvement category on reddit where a guy in his early twenties discovered literotica and explains why he started reading instead of watching pornography.

It's interesting reading, but I also thought it was motivating seeing new people discover erotica, so just wanted to share this for other writers to check out.

https://www.reddit.com/r/selfimprovement/comments/1l6k077/i_quit_porn_and_switched_to_literotica_never

If for some reason I'm not allowed to post the link, you can google "reddit literotica self improvement" and hopefully it will show up as the first result for you.

 

[PennyThompson]

aww I love that! Literotica for male sexual health!

1. You learn how to talk dirty and stuffs, better sexual communication and become better sexual partner cause you'll read that and later can apply it too.

I'm a little concerned about what kinds of ideas this guy is going to pick up from some of the stories on here, but I suppose it's not necessarily worse than what he'll get from porn...

 

[filthytrancendence]

I'm a little concerned about what kinds of ideas this guy is going to pick up from some of the stories on here, but I suppose it's not necessarily worse than what he'll get from porn...

Uh, oh. You're liable to turn this thread into another 'there are no ethics in erotica' debate with that kind of talk

 

[StillStunned]

"6. Less addictive."

Clearly he hasn't evolved from reading to writing yet.

 

[Bamagan]

"6. Less addictive."

Clearly he hasn't evolved from reading to writing yet.

I know your statement is semi-serious at best, but it got me thinking. Most addictions that I'm aware of depend on more-or-less immediate forms of gratification to be satisfied. Writing is hardly that, even for the most fevered scribes amongst us. Nevertheless, it does apparently feel almost compulsory for many, and of course, satisfying the urge doesn't necessarily mean finishing something that's fit to publish. So now I'm left pondering whether creativity and imagination and daydreaming qualify as addictions.

 

[filthytrancendence]

So now I'm left pondering whether creativity and imagination and daydreaming qualify as addictions.

I've always found the universal disparagement of addiction to be puzzling in the first place.

In a psychological sense, in my experience clinicians make a distinction between 'chemical dependence' and addiction, because addiction in that context is a specific thing one can be diagnosed with. But in the colloquial usage, addiction is just pretty much anything you cannot easily stop doing.

We're all addicted in a sense to air and water and food. Most of us are addicted to caffeine.

It's only a real problem if the 'addiction' is causing a problem. In the case of writing, I'm thinking there's no real problem.

 

[NotWise]

Meh, but it reminded me of an essay that was linked here a few years ago. It was written by an Indian woman, and related her experience reading Lit, which started long before she was eighteen.

It's good to be reminded now and then that what we write is important to some people.

 

[Bamagan]

I've always found the universal disparagement of addiction to be puzzling in the first place.

In a psychological sense, in my experience clinicians make a distinction between 'chemical dependence' and addiction, because addiction in that context is a specific thing one can be diagnosed with. But in the colloquial usage, addiction is just pretty much anything you cannot easily stop doing.

We're all addicted in a sense to air and water and food. Most of us are addicted to caffeine.

It's only a real problem if the 'addiction' is causing a problem. In the case of writing, I'm thinking there's no real problem.

I consider that to be a pretty non-serious sense, or perhaps someone trying to get cute with the flexibility of definitions. Lacking any of those things, one dies, often quite quickly. Minimum biological requirements don't really belong in a discussion of chemical dependencies, much less addictive behaviors.
Now, regarding your last statement, I don't think I'd personally consider a 'writing addiction' to be a problem either. But I guess I can imagine hypotheticals where people might consider it to be such.

 

[StillStunned]

Most addictions that I'm aware of depend on more-or-less immediate forms of gratification to be satisfied. Writing is hardly that, even for the most fevered scribes amongst us.

Speaking for myself, I get a huge rush when the words are flowing. It doesn't happen all the time, and sometimes writing is a struggle, but it's often enough that I keep chasing the high.

 

[THBGato]

"6. Less addictive."

Clearly he hasn't evolved from reading to writing yet.

Umm.... I beg to differ. Reading is addictive enough.

In related news, I posted my 1444th comment today. I joined in Feb 2024.

 

[filthytrancendence]

Now, regarding your last statement, I don't think I'd personally consider a 'writing addiction' to be a problem either. But I guess I can imagine hypotheticals where people might consider it to be such.

That was my point, yes. The thing to worry about is harm. That is what tends to get hidden when the word addiction is used. That's all I was trying to say.

 

[iwatchus]

Most addictions that I'm aware of depend on more-or-less immediate forms of gratification to be satisfied. Writing is hardly that, even for the most fevered scribes amongst us

I don't know if writing is addictive by the textbook definition, but it is certainly possible to become obsessive about it. I think @StillStunned has one aspect of the addiction of writing, the actual process of it, the labor itself. There is also an immediate buzz to pushing that submit for publication button. The thrill of finishing something that was hard. The worry of putting yourself on public display; will the readers love it or hate it, will they even read it?

 

[TheLobster]

Umm.... I beg to differ. Reading is addictive enough.

In related news, I posted my 1444th comment today. I joined in Feb 2024.

Since you also have over a thousand posts on this forum, I feel justified to suggest the following, in the kindest of possible ways

 

[Voboy]

Interesting!

I started young, too. Not 21 years young (Literotica didn't exist then, I don't think), but not long after.

 

[lovecraft68]

I'm a little concerned about what kinds of ideas this guy is going to pick up from some of the stories on here, but I suppose it's not necessarily worse than what he'll get from porn...

Or from reddit

 

[crookedletter]

That's pretty cool. Some interesting (skimmed) discussion, too, on the relative merits of erotica vs. porn, in part how it relates to healthy sexuality. Makes writing erotica seem like a public service. Good work everyone.

 

[NotWise]

I found the essay I referred to above.

What I learned on Literotica.com by P. Mani.

I had to load this twice to get it to work, and it might be a rewritten version of what I remember. It's still a thoroughly entertaining, well-written and wide-ranging article. I recommend it. Five stars.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Cool! Thanks for that!

 

[Cagivagurl]

Perhaps there needs to be a differentiation...
Addiction, a chemical addiction. Alcohol, drugs...
Maybe for things like sexuality, it's more an obsession??? a fixation????

Cagivagurl

 

[Voboy]

Perhaps there needs to be a differentiation...
Addiction, a chemical addiction. Alcohol, drugs...
Maybe for things like sexuality, it's more an obsession??? a fixation????

Cagivagurl

Dopamine is dopamine.

There is a part of that your brain doesn't differentiate between.

There are other parts where it does, depending on the drug or substance... but then again, some sex is more enjoyable than other sex, no? So it's not as simple as dopamine, but the compulsion to repeat something over and over again because it brings enjoyment? That's physiological.

 

[SimonDoom]

That was my point, yes. The thing to worry about is harm. That is what tends to get hidden when the word addiction is used. That's all I was trying to say.

I agree. For addiction to be meaningful, there has to be an element of harm, i.e., you do it so much that it impairs healthy life functioning. I doubt the sort of compulsive writing that characterizes some literoticans (it doesn't characterize me) qualifies.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I agree. For addiction to be meaningful, there has to be an element of harm, i.e., you do it so much that it impairs healthy life functioning. I doubt the sort of compulsive writing that characterizes some literoticans (it doesn't characterize me) qualifies.

Your only risk is not finishing. Over time, that could have diabolical consequences, glands and tubes blocking up, that sort of thing - could be the cause of considerable harm.

I might be confusing the issue .

 

[KittyOfSteele]

"6. Less addictive."

Clearly he hasn't evolved from reading to writing yet.

Yup. I've been writing schoolgirl erotica for so long I'm surprised I don't have one of those fetish uniforms in my wardrobe yet... or sewn one.

 

[Bamagan]

I agree. For addiction to be meaningful, there has to be an element of harm, i.e., you do it so much that it impairs healthy life functioning. I doubt the sort of compulsive writing that characterizes some literoticans (it doesn't characterize me) qualifies.

I guess my question was not really, "Are any of us addicted to writing?" so much as, "Can this or related behavior be considered addictive?" Anecdotally, at least, one hears about people whose passion for their chosen art is at the very least obsessive, which several people have suggested as an alternative characterization (and with good reason). And I suppose there's an element of subjectivity concerning what constitutes harm or impairment. If it occasionally keeps you up later than you intended and you're tired at your day job and make a few mistakes, is that bad enough? If it becomes a chronic recurrence, the answer might be yes, but it's hard to pick any precise line at which it is undeniably a problem.

All that being said, we might not be in the best position to decide if we're addicted to writing. After all, we can quit any time we want to, right?

 

[VallesMarineris]

I guess my question was not really, "Are any of us addicted to writing?" so much as, "Can this or related behavior be considered addictive?" Anecdotally, at least, one hears about people whose passion for their chosen art is at the very least obsessive, which several people have suggested as an alternative characterization (and with good reason). And I suppose there's an element of subjectivity concerning what constitutes harm or impairment. If it occasionally keeps you up later than you intended and you're tired at your day job and make a few mistakes, is that bad enough? If it becomes a chronic recurrence, the answer might be yes, but it's hard to pick any precise line at which it is undeniably a problem.

All that being said, we might not be in the best position to decide if we're addicted to writing. After all, we can quit any time we want to, right?

Might as well face it: