intothewood (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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writerslounge2011-06-09 03:49 pm
intothewood) wrote in writerslounge2011-06-09 03:49 pm
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Okay, well, my profession and obsession has always been writing. I was an editor/story writer for an organization up until about a year ago, when I was laid off. I always did need a kick in the pants, so I took that as a big old flashing neon sign stating I best quit whining about a lack of time and energy to devote to my own stuff, and get to writing.
I picked up and old piece I had begun many years ago, something I had always intended to be a novel, but was forgotten in the shuffle of life. I read what I had, which was about 1/3 complete. To my surprise, I liked it and I was inspired. A series was born of that first effort. Two books later, I’ve begun work on the third. I am in my glory.
To keep my hand in and keep up my interviewing skills, I also do volunteer writing of profile pieces for an organization. I have yet to seriously pursue getting my own stuff published, partially because I’m not ready and partially for a lack of reputable resources and support for what I’m doing. I don’t want to get pigeonholed, but everyone dearly loves a label.
A switch to novels was eye opening, as I’d previously mainly written one-offs of boysmut to entertain my friends. I often wrote based on storyline requests from friends, and I loved the challenge to create something beautiful and thought provoking with lots of hot sex driving the plot. So to speak. I still center around gay characters, with less smut and more philosophical leanings.
I came to Dreamwidth to build relationships that are focused primarily on writing. I have other communities elsewhere that serve other purposes, but this piece was lacking. I have always shied away from writer’s communities because of preconceived notions and a lack of focus. I hope that will change as things progress.
I picked up and old piece I had begun many years ago, something I had always intended to be a novel, but was forgotten in the shuffle of life. I read what I had, which was about 1/3 complete. To my surprise, I liked it and I was inspired. A series was born of that first effort. Two books later, I’ve begun work on the third. I am in my glory.
To keep my hand in and keep up my interviewing skills, I also do volunteer writing of profile pieces for an organization. I have yet to seriously pursue getting my own stuff published, partially because I’m not ready and partially for a lack of reputable resources and support for what I’m doing. I don’t want to get pigeonholed, but everyone dearly loves a label.
A switch to novels was eye opening, as I’d previously mainly written one-offs of boysmut to entertain my friends. I often wrote based on storyline requests from friends, and I loved the challenge to create something beautiful and thought provoking with lots of hot sex driving the plot. So to speak. I still center around gay characters, with less smut and more philosophical leanings.
I came to Dreamwidth to build relationships that are focused primarily on writing. I have other communities elsewhere that serve other purposes, but this piece was lacking. I have always shied away from writer’s communities because of preconceived notions and a lack of focus. I hope that will change as things progress.
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There are sub-sub-genres, different styles... the surge in ebooks has reinvigorated it exponentially. Largely, from my experience, there's no difference between erotica and romance, because romance is increasingly judged on its 'hotness' - viz., the bandying of terms such as 'erotic romance' and 'sensual romance', which still adhere (mainly) to the same rules as Harlequin's formulas. The only major differences are what publishers coyly refer to as the 'use of direct language'.
As you point out, there's been more and more graphic sex in mainstream books in recent years (Wetlands, anyone?), so I see it as much as changing social tastes and expectations as an erosion of boundaries. Publishing has seen some seismic shifts in the past few years, and they're not over yet.
I'll dig out the dixploitation blog, though, and pop it up over the weekend.