Should I write nasty or Nice? I'm confused . . .

[Roxanne Appleby]

I have a Valentine's story nearly complete, which will be the fourth work I post on Lit. Like my third story, the Christmas contest one, it is sweet and tasteful while still containing the requisite amount of juicy sex lovingly and explicitly described. Like that story it will probably score very well in its category, but not in the stratosphere. Both would be considered "quality" erotica, suitable for inclusion in a "respectable" anthology, for example.

So what's the problem? My first two stories were not tasteful and not "respectable," unsuitable for either contest or anthology. They were raunchy if not obscene. But - they scored in the stratosphere, and are probably better works in terms of feeding the libido of the masses.

Now I'm confused. Should I return to my original formula, cranking out more “filth” and to hell with "respectability?" Or should I listen to the little "sweetness angel" whispering into the other ear? Maybe she is really a devil in disguise, and the real angel is the voice telling me to be nasty.

At least we porn writers have interesting problems.

 

[LadyJeanne]

Write both - there's plenty of room for all kinds of kinks, be they mild or outrageous.

 

[Stella_Omega]

write both- alternate. It depends on the story you have in mind, and how best it will be served.
And you'll still get contrary feedback. My story, "Passing the Torch" which is as tasteful as i can make it, recieved feedback the other day that said "This is sick and disturbing on so many levels..."

 

[rgraham666]

Write what you feel like writing.

Don't sweat the scores.

If you're happy with it, that's the really important thing.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

"Passing the Torch" which is as tasteful as I can make it, recieved feedback the other day that said "This is sick and disturbing on so many levels..."

LOL! Confirms my "at least we porn writers have interesting problems" hypothesis.

 

[dysphemist]

Write what you enjoy most. If you're satisfied with it that's all that really matters.

 

[Liar]

Try all kinds of themes, styles and filth-levels, is my suggestion. Variety is the spice of life. Or is that oregano?

 

[BlackShanglan]

My story, "Passing the Torch" which is as tasteful as i can make it, recieved feedback the other day that said "This is sick and disturbing on so many levels..."

I can't imagine a better advertisement. You ought to have it put up on placards around town.

Shanglan

 

[LadyJeanne]

I can't imagine a better advertisement. You ought to have it put up on placards around town.

Shanglan

Or at least in her sig!

 

[sweetnpetite]

I have a Valentine's story nearly complete, which will be the fourth work I post on Lit. Like my third story, the Christmas contest one, it is sweet and tasteful while still containing the requisite amount of juicy sex lovingly and explicitly described. Like that story it will probably score very well in its category, but not in the stratosphere. Both would be considered "quality" erotica, suitable for inclusion in a "respectable" anthology, for example.

So what's the problem? My first two stories were not tasteful and not "respectable," unsuitable for either contest or anthology. They were raunchy if not obscene. But - they scored in the stratosphere, and are probably better works in terms of feeding the libido of the masses.

Now I'm confused. Should I return to my original formula, cranking out more “filth” and to hell with "respectability?" Or should I listen to the little "sweetness angel" whispering into the other ear? Maybe she is really a devil in disguise, and the real angel is the voice telling me to be nasty.

At least we porn writers have interesting problems.

I know that for myself, I write both.
In some ways if you write 1, your audience will know what to expect.
You could make an alter, one who writes sweet stories and one who rights raunchy. All of my alters write raunchy, lol. But you can do both under 1 name if you'd like. Sometimes I'm not even sure *which* some of my stories are.

PS-raunchy can go in the contests here, I've seen both kinds win. Infact, some writers make a point to put one of each in every contest. It's all I can ever do to write one story and post it before deadline. (I usually don't even do that)

 

[Stella_Omega]

I can't imagine a better advertisement. You ought to have it put up on placards around town.

Shanglan

maybe a tattoo?

 

[Stella_Omega]

Or at least in her sig!

I grant that my work might be disturbing, but really, it seems to me to be rather... wholesome.
Really!

 

[BlackShanglan]

maybe a tattoo?

Good idea. Right across the forehead.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I grant that my work might be disturbing, but really, it seems to me to be rather... wholesome.
Really!

Y'know, I totally get that.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Y'know, I totally get that.

Damn straight! You too?

Shang, I'm not tattooing anything across my forehead-
there isn't enough room there, for one thing

 

[BlackShanglan]

Shang, I'm not tattooing anything across my forehead-
there isn't enough room there, for one thing

*laugh*

I think of myself as the character in "Snow Crash" who has "POOR IMPULSE CONTROL" tattooed across his forehead. I could really use that. Then at least people would know what to expect.

 

[Stella_Omega]

*laugh*

I think of myself as the character in "Snow Crash" who has "POOR IMPULSE CONTROL" tattooed across his forehead. I could really use that. Then at least people would know what to expect.

Raven!
NOW I'm impressed.
He's just about the size of a horse, anyway...

 

[BlackShanglan]

Raven!
NOW I'm impressed.
He's just about the size of a horse, anyway...

Ah, sorry to get your hopes up. It's only in the impulse control department that I can see a real resemblence.

Shanglan

 

[Stella_Omega]

Ah, sorry to get your hopes up. It's only in the impulse control department that I can see a real resemblence.

Shanglan

Fine, be modest.

Actually, I'm impressed that you reference him

 

[cantdog]

Try all kinds of themes, styles and filth-levels, is my suggestion. Variety is the spice of life. Or is that oregano?

Oregano is 'wild ass' spelled backward, almost-- ONAGER--OREGANO

 

[velvetpie]

Write whatever makes your heart sing.

 

[Tom Collins]

write both- alternate. It depends on the story you have in mind, and how best it will be served.
And you'll still get contrary feedback. My story, "Passing the Torch" which is as tasteful as i can make it, recieved feedback the other day that said "This is sick and disturbing on so many levels..."

They're just stupid, Stella, I loved that story!

P.S. I agree with the others. Write what you need to write. Some will like it, others wont. Fuck 'um if they can't take a joke, babe.

 

[Pure]

Writing well to formula is going to satisfy a certain niche.

I'd say the choice between sweet romance, with a bit of juide, and rauchy porn is morally and aesthetically indifferent.

What's hard is to break either mold, and perhaps the 'raunch' one is hardest since the consumers take just about anything 'descriptive' and detailed, no matter how hackneyed. (That's the reason there's almost no porn in a major library of millions of books: Miller, Nin, Aury. Out of 10 million books, I could carry out in my arms, one trip, all the porn considered to be of any literary merit.)

 

[sophia jane]

I'm incapable of sweet writing. My one story that attempted emotion and sweetness got me the most hateful of all my feedback. Evidently the husband wasn't getting enough action. Guess I'll stick to random encounters and meaningless fucking.

Oh wait, this thread was about writing! Oops.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Write both - there's plenty of room for all kinds of kinks, be they mild or outrageous.

Roxanne,

I second Jeanne's suggestion. My stories tend to have upbeat endings. It came as a shock after a year or two here at Lit to discover my Romance stories were considered semi-readable by some folks. If you don't try new things, you'll never know.

In the Halloween writing contest, I managed to hang onto second place despite my entry being a one-page Romance with NO sex, and Penelope Street being in third place and closing fast.

I tried to make amends in the Holiday contest with a mega-stroke Group Sex story. It didn't place, but finished with a good score for that category. It contained a LOT of sex, but absolutely no redeeming literary value except most folks seemed to find it as much fun to read as I did to write.

So experiment, already.

Rumple Foreskin