Part of what’s throwing me off is that in every story I start, I write up until the sex scene and stall out. That’s a major handicap for an erotica writer. It’s also the reason I decided to get this project going in the first place. I wanted to challenge myself as a writer, to push myself past my comfort zone, and I’ve definitely succeeded on that front. Unfortunately, my comfort zone was a great place to write. Now I’m rebuilding my confidence from the ground up, and it isn’t a pretty process.
See, I’ve been sitting through critique sessions and writing workshops and so on since high school. I can bang out a decent piece of exposition or a character profile or an action scene in no time at all; I have years of experience on that front. I never turned in erotica as a class assignment (I wasn’t allowed to, and even if I was, it would have been in poor taste). This makes sex scenes seem more intimidating to write than they actually are.
Strangely, some of the best compliments I’ve ever received have come from fans who want to talk about their boners. I appreciate the good analysis and constructive criticism from higher-minded folks, but really, I’m trying to get my readers off. There’s something charming and deeply flattering in knowing that I’ve succeeded on that front.
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