Comicality

Still feeling good! And every day that I feel good is a reason to celebrate! Hehehe!

My obsession was the "Take On Me" video!

Author Experience There are many different talents and unique gifts that go into being a really great writer, and you have to eventually learn how to master them all over time. That pretty much goes without saying. You have to be able to create compelling characters, write engaging dialogue, have an understanding of plot points and strategy, add details, pay attention to themes and tone, build reader empathy so you can get your audience to invest the time and energy that it takes to make your story work, and still maintain a sense of literary cohesion and continuity. You don’t really understand how much work goes into making a story from scratch until you take the time to break it all down and pay attention to all of its moving parts in order to understand the difficulty of how much creative genius it takes to manipulate all of these elements to create something special while still making it look easy. All of these things not only have to be a part of your common writing discipline, but they have to be added to your work with a certain sense of ‘balance’ that will hold it together and (hopefully) have it all make some kind of sense in the long run. It’s not a cake walk, not by any means...but that doesn’t mean that it has to be something that you as an author have to dread and continuously struggle with either. Experience takes a lot of the pain and agony out of it. And it will happen. Hehehe, I promise. One of the two major rules that I always stress when giving out any kind of writing advice is to practice, practice, practice! Practice every moment that you can get, and then take a break, come back, and practice some more. It’s the only way to hone your craft. You can never practice enough. Build up your experience and enjoy every opportunity that you’re given along the way. The second major rule is a direct extension of the first. And that is to enjoy yourself and feel comfortable with your writing. Comfort isn’t something that can be taught, it simply has to be found. It has to be earned. It’s there within you, but you’re going to have to dig for it. So dig! Relax and try to let your talent flow as naturally and as spontaneously as you possibly can, until that comfort can be felt by your audience in ways that I can’t ever hope to explain...but I can tell the difference. And so can they. The thing is...these two major rules are important principles that build off of one another, and it all boils down to writer experience. Nothing else can replace experience when it comes to bringing life to your work. It is the magic cocktail that will combine all of the best parts of everything that I mentioned above and it grows bigger and becomes more fine tuned every time you write a new story or try out a new approach in your work. So the more often you do that, the stronger your skills will automatically become. Now, the thing about writing is that it can keep on ticking for as long as you do. A boxer might lose a few steps over time, a basketball player may have a younger guy on the court who can run circles around him, a singer’s voice may fade after years of intense performances...but writing never has to stop or grow tired unless you want it to. You, literally, have your entire life to build up all of the experience points that you could ever need to be the very best there is. Be proud of that. It will escalate your writing to levels that might surprise you. Why? I thought you might ask that. Hehehe! Let me explain... When I started writing, I was young, and hungry, and passionate...I was doing things back then that I probably couldn’t even conceive of doing now. There’s definitely something to be said for jumping into something like this when you’re all headstrong and ready to take on the entire world with the limitless potential you’ve got laid out ahead of you. But...could I outperform a younger version of myself today if I really had to? Oh God, yes! Hehehe! I think so. Easily. I’ve gathered so much information and technique and nuance over the years where I know that my younger self wouldn’t stand a chance trying to go against me. (Hehehe, that’s my ego talking. Mostly kidding, but not entirely.) The thing about experience is that it brings you a comfort and a sense of self confidence that allows a lot of the rules, the mistakes, the constant push to be the best, and the paranoia that comes from knowing that you’re not the best, to simply fall to the side. They cease to exist for you in any real state of importance. If that makes sense. I think that a certain spontaneity comes with experience that simply isn’t there when you’re still learning, or growing, or trying to evolve. You can still stretch out and do new things, but you’ve already been working hard to maintain a comfort zone that you can draw from any time that you want to. And that’s extra energy. The eager need to prove yourself is still there, but it isn’t always in turbo mode. It’s….ugh...let me see if I can explain it this way... This is a clip from the movie, “Tap”. Now, it has some of the most talented tap dancers to ever do it. And Gregory Hines was one of the best at that time, but this scene involves him matching up with some of the greatest of all time, including Sammy Davis Jr, who has never spent a day in school! He was a performer from the age of three, and was a legend among entertainers the entire time. He’s done routines that were once thought impossible, and then surpassed them. Here, he was in his 60’s, and unfortunately passed the following year from cancer...but all of these incredible artists were able to take Gregory Hines to task, despite being almost twice his age! It’s actually kind of crazy when you think about it. Because there’s no WAY he could have taken Sammy on when he was in his prime! Hehehe! I’d like to think that if I could still keep doing the ‘Comicality’ thing for another ten years or so...I could reach the point where that would be me. LOL! “Comsie doesn’t have any typing fingers anymore!” “WHAT?!?! No typing fingers??? Bring your ass to this keyboard and let me teach you something, youngster!” ::Giggles:: The point is...there comes a point where all of the skill and technique that you’ve learned and worked so hard at in the beginning becomes an almost automatic response to what you’re doing. It’s second nature. You don’t have to think about it anymore, it’s simply a part of what you do. You know how it works and how to use it to your advantage without even breaking a sweat...and that gives you all the room in the world to improvise and take risks where other authors wouldn’t. This is why practice is so very important. Because the less energy you have to use adhering to writing formulas and mechanics, the more energy you have to put towards your natural instincts and spontaneous blocks of fiction that you never thought you’d be able to write before. Basically, that entire uphill battle that you struggled through in order to learn your art...is now a flat line. It’s just something that you do. You don’t have to ‘think’ about breathing. You don’t have to ‘retrain’ yourself on how to ride a bike. You don’t ‘forget’ how to swim. These are skills that are always at your disposal when you need them...and they don’t take any thought or effort at all. So all of that extra energy can go towards to achieving new elevated levels of expertise that you didn’t even know were there before. And that’s the beauty of experience. Hehehe, there have been many times in the chatroom where I playfully come up with a scenario or a new idea and write it out spontaneously right there in real time...just to show them that I can. Now, of course, an actual story takes a lot more time and planning and editing to make it complete...but at the same time, I’ve had enough experience over the years where creating a short passage on the fly has become so easy that it barely takes any thought or effort at all. I can do that part for fun. I know how to put words together. I know how to use descriptive words to paint a vivid picture. I know how to invoke certain motions and set up scenarios that will ‘show, not tell’ to express the thoughts of my main character. Structure, vocabulary, plot twists, story planning, dialogue...I’ve done it enough to have these things step in for me without even needing to think about them. It’s just something that I do. So all of my energy is free to do other things with every story that I write. Every part of the writing process that you conquer...becomes a natural ‘reflex’ action. One that you can trust and depend on. This is a martial artist, Donnie Yen, who I’ve been a huge fan of for many years now. And he’s playing Ip Man, one of the greatest fighters and revolutionaries of his time. But look at this scene! This is what I’m talking about! He doesn’t have to think or concentrate or put extra focus and energy into what he’s doing. He’s simply got so much experience that every block, dodge, and parry, comes naturally to him. He knows what’s coming next. He knows how punches and kicks work. He can see the entire ‘chess game’ of fighting twelve steps down the road. Why? An insane amount of practice. The only time he really has to expel any extra energy is when he has to deal with something unpredictable or out of the ordinary. Writing can work the same way once you’re comfortable enough with it. Now, I’m not saying that you have to put in an entire lifetime’s worth of hardcore daily writing in order to be as good as you want to be. Not at all. I’m saying that you work to take the writing challenges presented to you...find your own way to master them...and then allow them to become second nature to you so you’re not focused on them anymore. Like I said...every part of the writing process that you conquer, becomes a reflex action. The less you have to ‘think’...the more you’re allowed to ‘feel’. And the feeling is what people are going to remember most about your story. So try out a few new ideas, and keep at it until you get it right and feel comfortable with it. It might take a couple of weeks...it might take a couple of years. It depends on the writer and what they’re hoping to achieve with their work. But experience to the point of total comfort is key to really creating an amazing story in my opinion. There are still times when I’ll look back at something, or someone will quote something from a chapter, and I’m like, “Wait...I wrote that???” It’s because a lot of what I do now has become an involuntary expression of whatever it is that I was feeling while writing or adding to that particular story. So when you’re putting your thoughts out there, and wearing your heart on your sleeve...be a dancer! Be a martial artist! Know what works, what to look for, what’s coming next...and make it a part of who you are. And when you find that comfort zone...go searching for the next level. It can be the path towards being one of the greats! I hope this helps you guys out! A little something to think about when working on your next project! Take care, and thanks for listening to me babble for a while! More to come! I’ll seezya then!

Hehehe! I KNOW right? Maybe it comes from that damn Warrant 'Cherry Pie' video that I saw during a sleepover with my best friend Chris! It made a man out of me! LOL! And it was on Nyte Flight! Omigod...remember Nye Flite???

Ohhhh....the other Ms Marvel bracelet! I get it! That makes sense now!

Just want to enjoy feeling good for a week! Hehehe! When I fel good, I try to make everybody else around me feel good too! So let's party for a while! ::Giggles::

Hehehe! Theere's a littl 80's kid in me that is so hot and bothered right now! Yummy! LOL!

Welcome back, Troye! You BEAUTIFUL gay icon you! Hehehe! Love the new video! MWAH! Awwww...remember? It's Troye and Wolverine's very first psychotic beserker rage! Ahhh, memories!

It has been HARD! Hehehe! Trying to criss cross my notes and keep everything fresh in my mind for the whole "Gone From Daylight" saga and it's many spinoff stories! But I keep trying to balance things out to the best of my ability, and the challenge has been SO much fun! Anyway, a brand new chapter of the story, "GFD: Ashes Lie" has just been posted! So check it out, and let me know what you think! The Vampire Dawn affects everybody in one way or another! https://gayauthors.org/story/comicality/gfd-ashes-lie/

"GFD: Ashes Lie 3" Once the daylight hit...it hit hard. My body was completely wiped out, and I knew that it had an awful lot of work to do before I was even partially back in working order again. I could only hope that this old church would be able to provide us with a decent amount of cover for the next day or two. Until then...it looked like I was going to be stuck here for a while. But the sooner I got out of this place and back into hiding, the better. The last thing that I want

https://imagine-magazine.org/releases/ A brand new issue of Imagine Magazine is up for the month of July! And huge thanks goes out to everybody who participated in getting it all done and put together! You guys are the life's blood of the place, and I highly appreciate you for going the extra mile! Thank you!!! Check it out when you get a chance!

Against The Grain You know...as you get a bit older...you begin to see a bunch of ‘re-runs’ in the world. Or, at least in the world that the mysterious ‘they’ want to present to you. Hehehe, I’ve never understood the fascination, to be honest...trying to control public perception when reality is just….ummm...reality. It just seems so utterly exhausting to me. It’s like going through all of the trouble of kidnapping somebody, chaining them up in a basement with no windows, and soundproofing the whole room...just to tell them that it’s not raining outside when it’s obviously raining outside! I’ve heard it a million times before at this point, and it simply doesn’t affect me anymore. Rap music is going to cause the downfall of society. Pornography will destroy the kids. Comic books will rot the minds of the youth. Violent video games, and horror movies, and Dungeons & Dragons, and witchcraft, and marijuana, and...and...and... Ugh! There’s always SOMETHING to be absolutely terrified of at all times. With the very convenient exceptions of the dangers that make people insanely rich. I’ve seen it all...and it gets more tiresome every single time. But I digress….as a writer, there are going to be times when your heart rally wants to express itself and possibly talk about something that you really love and care about...but feel as though you can’t. You may want to tell your own personal story of your battle with drugs, or suicide, or physical or sexual abuse...and there goes that pesky peer pressure, looking over your shoulder every single step of the way and trying to scare you out of your sharing your voice. Not only that, but it’s constantly working on building an army of other people to view your art the same way...and I’m not going to lie...sometimes its going to suck. It really is. Believe me...I’ve been hurt, ridiculed, and banned, more times than I can count online for that very reason. Even though the stories I write are about first love and are meant to be seen as a nostalgic return to what young love was like. Not just for me, but for what I expected it was like for all of us. And no matter how many positive comments, emails, and ratings, I’ve gotten over the years...that pressure is always there. Desperately exhausting itself, searching for ways to tear it all down and punish me for it all over again. Hehehe, it’s kind of funny when I think about it now...but nobody can say that ‘Comicality’ hasn’t taken his fair share of lumps for these stories over the years. Especially in the very beginning. Oh God, did some of those attack hurt! I’ve lost a lot of hard work, been insulted, publicly humiliated...like I said...it sucked. And I had to deal with that venomous shit for a long long time. In fact, if it wasn’t for GayAuthors finding me, offering me they’re support, and believing in me and what I was trying to do...I wouldn’t still be writing today. I wouldn’t even have a website right now after being blindsided by quite a few shutdowns and pointless witch hunts. But that’s just how hard this random backlash of strangers was working to see me fall. And I’m still here. I sort of look back on those times fondly now. In fact, if I had to go back and do it all over again, I doubt that I would change a thing. That’s one of the downfalls of occasionally going against the grain when it comes to your personal expression. Especially when dealing with emotional issues that are very close to your heart. As I’ve mentioned before to many of you...while “My Only Escape” was a very difficult story for me to tackle and finally finish, seeing as it hit so very close to home...it wasn’t my first attempt at trying to write about my own experience with childhood abuse. I tried to approach it at some point in “New Kid In School”, and also in “Gone From Daylight”...but the pressure for me to stop intimidated me into shying away from the reality of it all. It was hard to hear those comments, but I had to buckle up and really tell my story the way the way that I felt it needed to be told. And that’s when “My Only Escape” was born into existence. I understand the backlash from a bunch of readers concerning this series, and if you read some of the comments...it was pretty severe in some cases. They didn’t want to hear it, read it, see it, acknowledge it...many people told me that they refused to keep reading, I got some emails that were borderline threats concerning that story. But you know what? It needed to be told. And I was going to tell it. Period. The rest of the world, be damned. Sometimes...going against the grain is needed. And that series has helped more people deal with their own trauma than you could ever imagine. I can take pride in that. Because I could have caved in and cut it short, never to write it again. It would have saved me a lot of anguish and been soooo much easier. But when has anything truly worthwhile ever been easy, right? Please understand, a few years ago I wrote an article about ‘Writer Responsibility’...so I don’t want any of you to think that I’m not fully aware of my position on this chess board of writing stories just like the rest of you. I’m very cautious about crossing any lines that I think might do more harm than good. Especially when it comes to stories with my kind of erotic content and often being seen by a younger audience than some of the other authors out there have doing the same. So I don’t just write whatever I want to write without keeping that in mind. I would never want to inspire anyone to commit any crimes or acts of violence. I don’t want to lead anyone astray, or glorify self destructive behavior, if I can help it. That’s not my goal at all...and it’s definitely a part of my thought process when I’m even planning a story out in my head, much less writing it and making it available to people who may find themselves vulnerable to the subject matter. Even my darkest stories have lines that I try not to cross if I think they’ll be taken too seriously. I don’t glorify gun violence or promote promiscuity with strangers or encourage suicidal tendencies of any kind. Even if those concepts make their way into one of my stories, I treat them very carefully. That’s a part of expressing yourself as well. You don’t want to put any bad vibes out into the world if you don’t have to. And yet...silence isn’t the answer either. It never has been. There’s a rapper named Vic Mensa who once said that it was an artist’s duty to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. And I believe the same thing. You can’t keep the world from seeing the rain forever. I don’t care HOW much pressure you put on us...seeking truth is human. Instead of playing pretend, how about you hand me an umbrella and teach me how to be careful out there? You know? It’s a lot less impossible. I think that...if you really have a part of yourself that you want to share, a story to tell, a perspective that you think might open the eyes of some of the people in your audience...then tell that story. Do it. There will be times when it feels a little scary, and there may be comments that will try to intimidate you out of speaking your mind...but these are the times when you have to ask yourself the question... ...Am I going to try something safe and go with the flow...or am I ready to deal with possibly going up against the grain? And I mean what I say when I mention ‘being ready’. Because sometimes it takes a bit of practice with some less controversial subjects to sort of get your head in the game and tackle the big fish. (Hehehe, what kind of metaphoric jumble was that??? Maybe I need some more practice myself!) That would be my advice, but...if you just have a deep story burning you up inside and you want to shout it out while the fire is still in you...then go for it. At the end of the day, its all up to you. The key is to thoroughly examine the thoughts and emotions in your head, and deliver them in a way that creates that emotional gut punch that you want it to have...while still being able write with a sense of tact and grace. This is much easier said than done, depending on how close you are, personally, to the subject matter. But that’s where being ‘ready’ comes into play here. I can remember (during one of my life long re-runs) when the AIDS virus was running wild all over the place, and by the time I had gotten to high school...there were people all over, in the media, and the church, and politics, and the papers...who were just SCREAMING for everybody to be abstinent! No sex! Ever! Sex is bad! Gaaaahhhhhh!!! And anybody who disagrees is a full blown criminal! Hahaha...an abstinent 14 year old ‘Comsie’...that’s hilarious! But I remember music and movies pretty much fighting back against that idea. They went against the grain. Because...’fuck off’. You want to teach sexual safety, then cool. But don’t tell me that sex is bad...you’re not going to win that argument. Rap music was rally getting popular around this time and more mainstream...and there were a bunch of songs encouraging safety and condoms and intimacy...but they didn’t demonize sex in general. And this was seen as a huge insult to the powers that be who were trying to control the narrative. ::Shrugs:: Sorry. You failed. Again. Just like you did with everything else. One of these songs was “Let’s Talk About Sex” by Salt N’ Pepa, and it was catchy and fun and delivered a good message without devaluing or dismissing the beauty of sex as a whole. It was going against the grain, but like I said...it was doing it with tact and grace. And that’s how you can get a controversial or even a socially unacceptable message across with minimal threat, and thus...minimal backlash. This would be an example of using a little sugar to help the medicine go down, as they say. Again...if you’re going to do something that may cause backlash or trouble with people absorbing your story...you have to have enough self awareness to do so within reason. You can’t just spout off whatever you want and expect your readers to stand for it. I’m talking about extremes here, and dancing on those lines that you’re not supposed to cross when writing your narrative. It’s not about self censorship. It’s about being able to effectively get your point across to your audience. Period. When your subject matter is deliberately creating discomfort or anger in your readers...you begin to lose your ability to communicate. People’s defenses go up almost immediately, and what you end up with is an audience that is more focused on fighting back against what you have to say than they are trying to find some meaning within it. And that was the whole point, wasn’t it? Having your readers understand? Pushing too hard or trying to be too edgy or controversial can only end up working against you at some point. Let me repeat it again...tact and grace. Say what you have to say, but don’t forget your manners, lest you lose your fanbase to something that they might get more enjoyment out of. Readers and writers have a symbiotic relationship, remember? So always remember to play your part in that. If you want to maybe challenge your audience to accept certain ideas or concepts that they probably wouldn’t normally...it may take a few extra pokes and prods...but don’t lose your footing in the process. I remember listening to Madonna’s “Human Nature” over and over again early in my writing days when I just wanted to find my confidence and keep writing some of the stories that I knew I was going to have to hear some bullshit about at some time or another. Specifically, “Untouchable”...which was a constant grief for me at the time. Then again...any sex scene that I wrote either got rejected or completely ignored by people who didn’t want anyone to know that they liked it. Ugh! But I kept writing anyway. And I refused to stop doing it my way. I used tact and grace, so what was I so worried about? They’re love stories...with sex in them. Deal with it. Hehehe! These lyrics helped me through a lot... You punish me for telling you my fantasies I’m breaking all the rules I didn’t make you took my words and made a track for silly fools you held me down and tried to make me break Did I say something TRUE? OOPS! I didn’t know we couldn’t talk about sex! Did I have a point of view? OOPS! I didn’t know we couldn’t talk about YOU! And I’m not sorry! It’s human nature! And I’m not sorry! I’m not your bitch, don’t hang your shit on me! Now, will this keep you safe from all manner of backlash and criticism? Hahaha! Hell no! You wish! You can tell people that they have some lint on their shirt, and they’ll throw a full blown tantrum over the horrendous offense! All I’m saying is that I realize that some of you, maybe even most of you, have a very personal story to tell. One that is full of struggle and strife, heartache and pain, and any number of any other harsh experiences that you might want to write some day. You might even want to start today. And it might be uncomfortable for some people to hear it. But as long as you’re able to write that story without judgement, anger, some overpowering agenda, and without losing your audience or sense of responsibility for what you’re doing...then you can not only craft one hell of a powerful story, but you can end up making a real difference in the lives of your readers. And that’s something that lasts forever. Take care, my beloved peers! I hope this helps! And I’ll seezya soon with more! ((Hugz))

more coming though

https://gayauthors.org/story/comicality/gfdfanboys/ Imagine a world where the "Gone From Daylight" vampire saga was actually made into a movie franchise, and marketed with toys and T-shirts and comic books? And then imagine that your fanboy love for it connected you to the cutest teen dream boy ever! Well, here ya go! A story made just for you! Enjoy! And let me know what you think once you're done! More to come! And...no matter what you're a fan of...BE A FAN!!! There's no shame in it! Enjoy life! Shout it from the rooftops! And share it with as many people as you can! It's ok to be a geek sometimes! Hehehe! DO IT! I do it all the time! And I LOVE it! Be a die hard fan and be proud! Other people are having fun with it...why not you?

"GFD Fanboys 15" I’d be lying if I said that it was an easy task to fall asleep and actually stay asleep last night. I mean, a part of it came from the idea of going to this big “GFD” event where a couple of my new favorite actors and Hollywood’s newest teen heartthrobs would be in attendance and signing autographs...but I think that most of my anticipation and anxiety came from just getting to spend some more time with Parker again. I just...ugh…! There’s such an unfathomable level

My fave is still the biscuits and gravy one! And what is it with British kids DEMANDING the people call biscuits scones? Hehehe! They're like...hooked on the terminology.

Hiiiiiii, Mason! Sighhh... Well aren't YOU growing up to be a heartbreaker! Hehehe! He got super dreamy in a heartbeat! MWAH!

Thanks for the replies, you guys. Although, I probably should have added a bit of a warning or a disclaimer for this one. So my apologies for that. The text included was only meant to be used as contrast to explain a point. So no offense intended, k? It's cool to hear your thoughts on these things! Love you lots! And I'll b a bit more careful in the future!

Sexual Intimidation I do realize that there are those of you who simply love to write great stories, and whether they be with gay characters or not, they may not be overly erotic in nature. Even if it’s a romance. And that’s awesome! Keep going, and build your story up to be whatever you want it to be. I admire that and definitely enjoy a good romance myself from time to time without a bunch of naughty bits thrown in when they’re clearly not necessary for the story to work. I grew up on sweet romantic stories too, just like everybody else. The sexy stuff came later, hehehe! However, there have been authors that I’ve talked to over the years, and some of them recently who are working on stories of their own...and I’ve noticed that there can sometimes be a bit of a ‘hang up’ for them in the writing process that I’d kind of like to talk about today. And that is the idea of sexual intimidation when it comes to gay fiction. I understand that it can feel a bit awkward for some, and downright dirty for others. Trust me, I get it. But it’s not as difficult to work around as you might think it is. There are levels that determine what fits and what doesn’t. Words that can give a sex scene a lewd and ‘hardcore’ feel, or a more intimate and tender feel. There are fans out there who go searching for both, so it really depends on how you want to work it out and match it to your own fantasies and fetishes...whatever they may be. Timing, pacing, descriptions...all of this goes into creating the sexual experience that you’re looking for your characters to have, and what kind of audience you’re looking to entertain. What I’m adding here are some techniques that you can learn and master rather quickly if you decide that you want to try it out...but don’t get all skittish about adding sex to your project if you really feel that it’s something that you want to be there. If you’re going to do it...you have to develop a feeling of confidence and engagement. Otherwise, the sex falls flat, and the scene is wasted. If anything, it will end up taking some of the life and realism out of your project more than anything else, and that’s not what you want. I’m not kidding when I tell you that readers can detect these things through your words alone. A writer needs to be as invisible as possible for the fiction to work, otherwise, they’re concentrating more on you and your input than the story itself and what the characters are going through during these tender moments. So let’s discuss how we can work through this, and talk about the downfalls that come with holding back on a sex scene or writing a scene out that comes off as timid and out of sync with the rest of the story. Cool? Your very first order of business, however, is figuring out whether or not your narrative actually needs any kind of graphic sexual descriptions at all. While I started out writing my own stories thinking that this was some kind of unspoken rule...it really isn’t. It is totally possible and respectable to write an entire story or a series without any heavy sexual descriptions at all. Or, if you want to, you can simply allude to a sexual encounter and fade the virtual screen to black. Then come back the next day where the reactions of the main characters and a few vague mentions of sexual activity is more than enough to get the point across. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it would be a bad thing to try to force sex into a story that you’re really not vibing with. Sometimes, it’s simply better left unsaid. You know? Eroticism is a lot more than swapping fluids, ya know? Hehehe! So figure that part out first and if it’s what you want, we can move on from there. Seeing as this particular article is focused on sexual intimidation in your writing, I’m going to assume that those of you who are still reading actually DO want to add effective sex scenes into your story with some graphic details added, but you might just feel a bit weird about it. Understandable. It happens. So let’s get into the methods that you might be able to use to make that happen. And that begins with figuring out what it is that makes you shy away from sexual content in the first place. Don’t take that as an insult or anything. It might end up being a real part of the block you may be dealing when it comes to this stuff. It could be a lack of experience, it could be a fear of not being good at describing a sexual act, it could be because of a bad sexual experience that you had in your past...and all of these things matter. The question is, can you overcome them in order to put sex in your story? Or are they better left along until you feel more comfortable slipping them into your narrative? If you’re worried about writing sex...you have to find out why. It’s a process. Not an excuse or a simple answer for somebody else’s benefit...no. What is it within YOU that is making you hesitate? You want to add sex...but you can’t. Nobody can break down that barrier but you. So take some time and think about it, k? There’s no wrong answer here. Just the wall between you want and what you’re willing to do to make it happen. Now...you’ve been reading other stories with graphic sexual content, right? You’ve watched porn online before? You might have seen some explicit pics of models completely naked and hard? Ok...so the interest in carnal pleasures is there and ready to go. Am I wrong in assuming that? Please let me know if I am. So...where is the disconnect? At what point do you stop and get nervous to go any further? Ask yourself...what happens if you go further? How do you imagine this scene taking place? Have you sort of planned it out in your head? Some oral? Some anal? Some kissing and rolling around? Who’s on top? Who’s on the bottom? Which one represents your protagonist or your main point of view? You’ve thought about it before, right? C’mon...be honest. Shhhh, I won’t tell. ::Giggles:: You claim to want sex in your story. You’ve seen sexually explicit material elsewhere. You know how to set up a scene of intimacy between your characters and have sort of thought about how the whole scene will take place. Cool. So...why not write it? Where does the wall pop up to stop you from going any further? That’s the magic question here. Talking to many other authors with issue, the anxiety surrounding it often comes from having other people know and possibly judge the writer for describing these acts in great detail, and that can be an extremely vulnerable feeling, especially in front of complete strangers. It’s a very intimate part of our lives, after all. So how can you not at least feel a touch of embarrassment if this is your first time putting those thoughts in a story where other people have unlimited access to them? I’ve been there myself. And there are times when I still question how far I should go with certain scenes and certain characters depending on the story. But when I hold back, those stories don’t always get as high ratings as the ones when I go all out. So I’ve learned to toss that whole concept out of the window first before I even get started. I mean, why not, right? Sorry! I LIKE! I don’t force it into stories where it doesn’t belong...but it belongs in a lot of my stories. So why not pour my heart into it and make it as hot as I possibly can? Who’s going to complain? I mean...seriously. In Chicago some years back, there was this liquor store that used to open up at 9 AM. And I was working super late hours, plus I was an insomniac on top of it...so sometimes I would stop in and grab something to enjoy myself, get some Comsie work done, and then get worn out enough to go to sleep. And we used to tease each other after a while. Where he’d be like, “Why are you buying alcohol this early in the morning?” And I’d be like, “Why are you SELLING alcohol this early in the morning!” Hahaha, don’t judge me, bitch! Well...adding sex into your story? Same deal. The people who came across your sex story were looking for a sex story, and chances are that they’ve seen stuff a lot more crass and dirty than anything that you’re writing. So what is there to feel weird or vulnerable about? I mean, I get it...but come on. Do you guys have any thoughts on this personally, because I’d love to know. Nobody is going to be like, “How dare you have this sex scene in the sex story that I was looking for on this sex site.” That’s just ridiculous. So...if that’s what has been holding you back, take a moment to think about the hypocrisy involved in that situation and just write what you want to write. As little or as much sex as you want to toss out there. Chances are that nobody who finds your story is going to mind. And anybody who might mind, isn’t going to find your story. So take some time and try to break yourself out of that mode of thinking. You’re holding back for nothing. So lose the paranoia and get to business. Let’s get them naked already! Hehehe! Also...you can be more creative and downright poetic with your language and vocabulary when describing a sex scene if you think that will help it to feel less ‘naughty’ about it. I’ve found that it helps some authors get past the stigma of writing about sex while still writing about sex. You know what I mean? There are a lot of words that I simply don’t use in my stories anymore, because they have more of a lustful impact on the act of the sex itself. And I’ve noticed that my older stories with that lewd language sound a lot more ‘selfish’ to me now. Here, let me give you an example. One of my earlier stories might have been written like this... “I tried my best to be as patient as possible, but his sexy hole was so fucking tight! I was shivering from the feel of it wrapped around my boner, and pushed forward again to see if he was ready to take more of me. He gasped out loud, but it felt so hot as I slid more of my cock into him that having him wiggle only turned me on even more. He was face down, breathing hard...that tight, round, ass of his presented to me in a way that kept urging me to give him more. I needed to fuck him so bad...” While, even when in an incredibly horny mood, I would write that same scene as a mutually pleasurable moment for both partners, and with a softer tongue. Like this... “And I let him adjust for a few minutes before I was compelled to push in just a little bit further. I could feel the erotic stretch of him as he did his best to accept as much of my length into his warmth as he could, his breath heavy against my sheets as he struggled a bit to find some added comfort. Welcoming my intrusion with caution, but with a reckless level of lust still yearning for more.” Which is the same scene, but the way it’s worded lessens the overall sexual frenzy of it all. It seems a bit more romantic and less self gratifying in its presentation to me. To someone who is worried about sounding too vulgar or obscene in their descriptions, there are many ways to deliver the same message without diving into the gutter. Then again...even if you did...would that be a bad thing? Again, it depends on your audience. The point is...you can’t write a sex scene as though you’re getting ready to read it out loud in front of your local pastor at the church picnic. If you’re going to go in this direction...then do it. I know that we all have defenses against being so open and brazen about this sort of thing, but that doesn’t mean that those walls can’t come crumbling down if we really want to break through and express our desires in a way that will satisfy us, as well as our readers. Right? You need to find out what it is that you really want to do with your ‘erotic’ story (Yes...EROTIC story), and whether or not that really speaks to who you are as a naturally sexual being. There’s no other way to attack this situation. You want sex? Dream about sex? Fantasize about sex? Then write it out. If you like a lot of kissing...go for it. Have a fetish for sexy feet? Throw that in there. Like leaving a hickey on someone’s neck? Why not? Do it! Hehehe, this is your playground. And chances are...somebody out there shares your particular attraction or kink to a degree where they’ll write and tell you how incredibly HOT that scene was! So try to open up a little bit...write it out...and if you feel weird about it later, then you can edit it down or take it out of your story completely. But don’t be intimidated by expressing sex in your story in a totally healthy and normal way. There’s an audience out there for that. You’re not the first person to find sucking on someone’s fingers erotic. You’re not going to be the only person turned on by dirty talk, or a little hair pulling, or anything else that you might come up with. So let your art be a part of you, and don’t b ashamed of it. In the original version of Stephen King’s “IT”...all of the teenage kids have a full blown ORGY! Hehehe! No...I’m not making that up. So, no matter what you think of, I’m willing to bet that you’ll be ok. That’s it for now! I hope this helps. And I know that it’s a process, trying to overcome certain hurdles or get past a few insecurities. We writers work from a very vulnerable source, and to be able to do that isn’t just a matter of writing and practice...but you have to put a significant portion of your mental health on the line. It’s a lot to ask. But the more you pierce through that veil...the better a writer you will become. I’m still finding out new stuff about myself all the time, so the same goes for me too. Just give a shot. Get comfortable with it. And then see if it’s something you want to continue, enhance, or get rid of altogether. K? Happy writing! And stay beautiful!

Hehehe, definitely been there, done that! I miss Chicago so much, you have no idea! I keep in touch with my friends, but it's not the same as getting into trouble with them two or three times a week!

I'm so glad that this article made sense! Hehehe, sometimes it's hard to put my thoughts and writing process into words! Thanks for the feedback! MWAH!

No worries. But you should really check it out. I've made HUGE fans out of many skeptics! LOL! Action, drama, romance, sex, some philosophy thrown in...you'd like it. You'll have to tell me what you think if you give it a chance. Just know...it's the MOST popular story that I've ever written! So there's that. And the main character's history is similar to that of Zack's from "My Only Escape" as well. Try it out! And the ebooks have even more material in them than the ones online!

I'm re-writing this one for an ebook! I think you'll like it even better! ::Fingers crossed::