On Writing...

I read. A lot. To say I've read 10,000 books would not be an exaggeration. As I read, I often come across points in the story where I thought a different scene should have been written or a certain paragraph should have been removed or rearranged. Which leads me to writing.

I write. I've kept a journal for most of my adult life. I've boxes of paper and ink that will probably make a really great bonfire one day. Back in college I'd taken a creative writing class, and I was enraptured. I wrote poetry (which I hate, for the most part), a script for a television movie (which was terrible and riddled with cliches) and short stories. I love writing.

Tying these two things together, a few years ago I heard a piece on NPR (National Public Radio) driving to work, talking about Harry Potter fanfiction. I had no idea what they were talking about, let alone that people were writing stories about Harry Potter. Gay stories! Slash, I found out it is called. I was horrified. But curious. Not so much about the gay aspect but that people were actually writing alternate scenes and story lines in the world of Harry Potter. And if they wrote for Harry Potter, were there other books being turning into fanfiction, as well?

Oh my fucking God.

I had no idea what can of worms I opened once I started looking! But that is another story. The point is, I began writing SERIOUSLY again. Yes, some fan fiction, which led to editing work. Original short stories, as well. And now, my play. Not the horrible screenplay I'd written in college, but another. One I'm very excited about; one I'd started a long time ago.

When I decided to actually start writing again I zoned in on the genre that I love to read but didn't think I could ever write - erotica. Nothing like getting your feet wet with a bit of sex, is there? Turns out, I'm pretty good at writing erotica, judging from comments I've received. I branched out into stories with actual plots, which gave me the confidence to write some original work, which has led me to my play. The play is NOT erotica, however. Know you were curious.

Which brings me around to posting a story I wrote a little while ago. I'm not going to explain why I wrote this story, but suffice it to say, there is a story behind it.

Now I'm offering it up to you.

Fuck. I'm nervous again.