How easy is it for us to go out of our comfort zone as far as writing? I've done (mostly) true life stuff about my husband and I, some girl/girl stuff and a few bits. I had someone request something VERY different after reading my story Blurring The Lines, but I have as yet been unable to make it work, as the subject (gay men) isn't something I seem to be able to write. Three months trying and nothing useable yet. I'd like to be able to try just about everything, but I'm stuck in a rut!! How easy is it for the rest of you to try entirely new story ideas, and how do you motivate yourself to go outside your usual realm of writing?
"A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere." - Groucho Marx
When writing a story for Lush, I'd say I find it easier writing about something I'm familiar with or had experience in.
I had someone send me an idea about rough sex and reluctance. As much as I found it interesting to read about, it just didnt seem right when I thought about writing it. I think it has to be something that you are comfortable with in order for it to work.
This isn't exactly a new story idea, but I'm writing about a male voyeur watching 2 women. The women are attracted to each other and are performing sexually. The story is from the male's viewpoint, but I am having some problems relating to the women. How attracted are 2 women who are basically straight? What sexual acts might they perform on each other? It's primarily from the voyeur's viewpoint, but I would hope to get it right from both viewpoints.
research the topic that you want to write about. that usually the beginning for me, but as far as coming up with ideas that is something that is a hit and miss with spurts. sometimes i can sit down and just type away and the story sort of writes itself when you really get into it.
I had a writing professor in college who said that we write what we know. I find that although my characters and stories are fiction, there is still an eliment of truth in many of them. That is not a comfort zone to me, it is just how we view the world and that comes out in our writing. When I am creating a character that is outside of my realm of experience I do a lot of research and interviews to learn as much as I can to build a realistic chacarter or scenerio. If you want to write about something you have never experienced then educate yourself about it.
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer. ~Swami X
It amazes me what imaginations some writers on this site have. There certainly is something for everyone here and I'm sure that some of it is just high-class fantasy. The human mind can be creative it does not need real experience. What is needed is the urge to write and that is not so easy to induce.
I don't always find it easy, but it can be very enjoyable. When I first started writing on another site, I flat out refused to delve into what I considered extremely explicit scenes/topics because I found them uncomfortable to write, even though I may have fantasized about them. Eventually, I decided I didn't like feeling fearful of exploring my darker, libidinous side in that way and reasoned I needed to try it at least once. Basically I turned it into a challenge for myself, dove in, and I'm very glad I did because, though it was like pulling teeth at first, there is something very liberating and erotic in writing about the . Since then I've learned that fetishes or scenarios I used to avoid, can actually be fun to write and I was surprised to discover I can almost always find something erotic about them, which in turn makes it easier. Perhaps the most important thing for me turned out to be giving someone else pleasure from something I write, which is quite intoxicating just by itself. I suppose for me that's the biggest inspiration, and thus allows me to go where I might not go on my own.
The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself.
-Oscar Wilde
Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question.
- Albert Camus
I have a lot of new ideas (I add them to an ongoing list on my computer). For me, time is more of a factor, as well as the motivation to delve into a 10,000 word effort. When I get inspired to write, the story flows fast (usually in 1-3 days).
I like going out of my comfort zone because I want to diversify my writing portfolio and I enjoy a challenge. It can quickly become boring to regurgitate the same sex-scene over and over again. My last story, Fade to Black, was riskier for me because it involved a femdom element and a strap-on (which I don't have direct personal experience with). Typically I write more from the "slutty-female/male-dominant" perspective so it was an interesting challenge for me. I questioned how much I wanted to push the content because I could have gone a lot darker and more intense, but I wanted to make it more "femdom-lite" because I knew I would be asking readers that expect a certain kind of story from me to walk with me down a path they might not be immediately comfortable with.
For the most part I think I would have trouble writing about a concept that I haven't *at least* explored through fantasy and found to be a turn-on myself. But as you push your own limitations and start to explore fantasies and kinks that are more 'out there' than you're used to, you'd be surprised at what you might find exciting. It also helps to have someone that you can explore these concepts with too... I'll be honest in saying that the engine that starts most of my stories and brings them to life has relied heavily on this.
The general rule for me though, is that until I get to the point where the idea makes my panties wet, I won't attempt writing about it.
The only project I haven't tackled is one I've had in the back of my mind for some time now . It would be a dark sexually explicit thriller about a woman kidnapped and forced into a pseudo medieval-Turkish style harem/slavery situation.
It would be graphic and violent as those others who failed to adapt were "weeded out" and in the end my heroine would ascend to the level of mistress of the harem.
I have this story detailed out in my mind inclusive of lesbian/ gay themes but as yet haven't written it. I am afraid that such free sites as lush would be put off by the violent aspects even though they are a necessary component to the story arc.
Alas perhaps one day I'll have enough good pieces in my portfolio to attract an agent. I'm sure then I could find an outlet for such a work.
