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Maryn

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Revised January 2021--but just a few tweaks

Newcomers arrive a little leery of going public. To any and all, I’m glad you took the step to join us even if you’re only reading at this point.

AbsoluteWrite’s an especially good place for erotica writers, because there aren’t many writing sites that take erotica seriously. AW treats it like any other genre, unlike a lot of writing sites I checked out.

Those who prefer--which is a lot of new people--can read boards (lurk) without posting. Both members and non-members can read all message boards which have no password protection, so any content you post here at the Erotica Board (a category under Writing Genre) must be okay for all ages. Remember, AW welcomes writers 15 and older, and younger people can lurk without joining.

It is never okay to post your writing for critique on this board. Every genre has its own Share Your Work (SYW) board where members with fifty posts can put up their own work for feedback. (Careful, we can tell when you're racing to hit fifty rather than interacting as a member, and that won't work.) The SYW - Erotica board and the password-protected part of the erotica board require a special password which you can get by contacting AW Admin MacAllister. You must state that you are 21 years old or older. Yes, we are aware that in many places, 18 is an adult, but the higher age requirement is for the legal protection of the site.

It's a good idea to get that password early and to offer your critique to others before asking for any. You'll learn a lot analyzing someone else's erotica writing that you can apply to your own.

That password also allows you entry to the password-protected portion of the Erotica board. There we discuss aspects of writing erotica without concern over being too graphic. We also socialize. Sometimes it's pretty quiet, other times a busy place.

I recommend you read not only the Writing Erotica board but also the general boards about writing fiction of any kind. Just because it's about sex doesn't mean it needn't be well written. You’ll pick up all kinds of tips, meet great people, and quickly learn who knows their shit and who’s a beginner. The Novels board and the Grammar and Syntax board are the equivalent of lots of college with a Creative Writing major. Seriously.

Among the people seen often at the Erotica board are authors who have sold books, ebooks, and/or short stories, and plenty more who will sooner rather than later, along with still more who are only beginning to explore the genre. At every level, people are able and willing to share what they’ve learned on the way, both about writing in the genre and about marketing. It's pretty cool, actually, that we're not competing with but supporting other writers.

While some of us at the Erotica board are pretty open about who we are and what we like when it comes to sex, others are not. It’s not like other genres--nobody assumes the thriller author really wants to kill anybody, or in fact already has. Posting writing intended to turn people on reveals something that’s deeply personal, and we’ll all understand if you choose not to do it, now or ever.

I do hope you and any others who only lurk will feel free to step from the shadows and introduce yourselves, telling us only what you’re comfortable with. I’ll go first: I’m Maryn, the oldest one here (I think) but not the most experienced (I know!), long married, two adult "kids," and I'm a recent transplant to the frozen upper Midwest. I started writing sexy fanfic when the market for mystery short stories got tiny, and found I really liked it. I removed “my guy” and started writing stories nobody could sue me over. (He's still really handsome, though, and I cast him occasionally as one of my characters.)

Maryn, quite long-winded as usual
 
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firedrake

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What Maryn said.

I lurked for a long time before I posted anything. I write women's fiction but was clueless how to approach certain romantic scenes and Erotica SYW has helped me tremendously.
 

Seaclusion

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Most of my erotica is in the form of PMs and Reps. No wonder I'm on so many ignore lists.


Richard
 

Maryn

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Richard, you need to trot out those naughty bits and we'll help you polish 'em right up!

Maryn, not on many ignore lists, she hopes
 

Seaclusion

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There is a sex scene in my current WIP and it's pretty tame. Maybe I should think about spicing it up a bit.


Richard
 
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I lurk way more than I post, mostly because I can never think of anything interesting to say. Also I still haven’t worked up the courage to post any of my stuff in erotic SYW (apart from a short story on a practise thread which really doesn’t count). To be honest I’m a little intimidated by the quality of work posted recently so … I suppose I’ve got a bit of an inferiority complex. Still, I'm keen to inprove my writing, especially my (rather clinical) sex scenes, and I doubt I'll improve much without feedback. Might make it a New Year’s resolution to post more and lurk less :)
 

SFLP

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Well said, Maryn. It's an incredibly supportive group of people. (Even if we do get a bit carried away in the Bordello at times. :D)

J.
 

Maryn

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Well, the Bordello is a special case. I found it intimidating for quite a while--in exactly the way I found Ray's House of Love intimidating once upon a time. Everybody seemed to know everybody else, and there were inside jokes, and people who'd all read one another's work and knew the names of the characters and what their sexual kinks were, yada-yada-yada. But I finally took a deep breath and started posting, not saying anything much, and just like the House of Love, I was welcomed.

For someone lurking, Writing Erotica should probably come first, but when they're wanting to socialize and play, the Bordello never closes, right?

Maryn, buying the next round, as well as the oval after that
 

kuwisdelu

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I lurk way more than I post, mostly because I can never think of anything interesting to say. Also I still haven’t worked up the courage to post any of my stuff in erotic SYW (apart from a short story on a practise thread which really doesn’t count). To be honest I’m a little intimidated by the quality of work posted recently so … I suppose I’ve got a bit of an inferiority complex. Still, I'm keen to inprove my writing, especially my (rather clinical) sex scenes, and I doubt I'll improve much without feedback. Might make it a New Year’s resolution to post more and lurk less :)

It's always scary to post your work.

One thing to remember about this SYW in particular is that several frequent posters are published or soon-to-be-published and are putting up masterpieces the rest of us feel intimidated by as well--but we're addicted to their work, so they humor us.

We all have to start somewhere. No one will get down on you if you're struggling. SYW is where we try to improve each others' writing and help each other out. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a pro--we all need help sometimes, and the folks here--and around all of AW--are always happy to give it.

Critiques can be scary. Especially about something so personal. But it's always very rewarding, and always a learning experience even if it means finding out something doesn't work. The next thing you do will be better ;) We're all of us always learning.
 

Celia Cyanide

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Thanks for this post, Maryn. The particular lurker is a friend of mine, and I hope she comes around to post once in a while.

But I suppose that makes me a hypocrit, because I sometimes pass through these parts, and I never say anything. I just don't know what I'm supposed to say. But thanks for being here.
 
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ELMontague

Well said, Maryn. We welcome everyone. Please stop in and share the conversation.
 

SouthernFriedJulie

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Very nice welcome you posted! I hope the intended lurker does post.

To her/him: I've been scared to death to come out about my attempt to write naughtiness. It's that first time you hit 'post' that gets you. You'll be fine, the folks here are very reassuring and remember- writing is writing is writing.
 

SFLP

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EL, you should sticky this.
 

Maryn

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Doesn't anybody else wonder what substance El uses to sticky things?

Maryn, covering her mouth with both hands before she goes too far
 
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Kanike

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Hi! I'm said Lurker-person! :hi:Thank you, Maryn, for the welcome! I'm still trying to get familiar around here. I see a lot of resources that'll come in very handy!
SouthernFriedJulie said:
I've been scared to death to come out about my attempt to write naughtiness. It's that first time you hit 'post' that gets you.
I certainly agree! I was talked into posting some of them on LJ last year and almost had a panic attack after pressing the 'post entry' button. I didn't put them all up either, only a couple. Kinda lost my nerve. To me, sharing what I write in a large public place is almost...ALMOST as terror-inducing as public speaking. Oddly counter-productive! I want to write, and am scared of anyone reading it! :Shrug:
 

Maryn

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I want to write, and am scared of anyone reading it! :Shrug:
Luckily, you are among your kind here. I live like a hermit and hate my telephone with a passion that approaches a sickness. I joked about it once here and learned that lots of writers are just like me, except they write better.

Maryn, trying (very)
 
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Why the hell do I get landed with the gift basket work?

Don't you guys know how hard it is to find a genuine discarded Letodrumstick these days? Not to mention Colin Farrell's beard-shavings?!