Have you, or do you, write for yourself?

[Warden-Yarn15]

Before I begin, I'd like to be unnecessarily artistic with my intro:

People say that writing is a form of telling what you want to tell in a more artistic fashion or more entertaining way, as well as a look into the soul of the author. Looking into CHYOA, Hentai Foundry, and what I imagine is a hundred more erotica sites, I've seen some truth in those as people write or draw their fetishes, fantasies, and desires and post them online for many to enjoy.

But of course, not everyone gets the luxury of writing what they want. Some of us seem to want to appeal to the masses, some wish to follow trends, others are paid to write what other people want, while some write reviews. I've personally been invited to write in stories whose concept is totally alien to my interest, and others have been given authorship to similar stories that are seriously remote to what they want.

There is also the type of author that could never really write what they have in mind, or just casually goes with the flow of wherever they find themselves in.

Of course, you can say "Well obviously, I don't give a damn what anyone gives me, I write for myself and that's the end of it," but not all people are like that. I've met men and women who took on commissions or only took commissions, and I was friends with a writer who simply took requests, researching what people sent him, and was eventually burnt out with all the research and requests that befell him, eventually also giving up on his own original works.

And so, this is why I ask this: Do you write for yourself, or do you only do that once or twice with everything being submitted purely business?

 

[Jenaus]

I think this is the wrong place to ask such a question... only very, very few of the people here make any money at all with their writing, I'd say. So my guess is, you'll get a lot of "for myself" answers in this thread.

 

[Toby Mark]

If you're writing just for yourself, the question is why publish? Everyone who publishes wants feedback and contact with readers. And automatically you meet the reader's expectations.
I myself not only write on Chyoa, but have self-published a few books. Those are written with an audience in mind. Here in Chyoa, on the one hand, I can write more freely, but on the other hand, I also try to meet the needs of a potential audience.
I've been asked repeatedly to include certain things or people in the plots, and taking those requests into account makes the writing delightful and leads down new paths. If it weren't for this feedback and exchange with readers, I would stop publishing here and limit myself to my "commercial" publications.

 

[Krevmh]

I don't think you can write if it isn't for you, but maybe that's just me.

No matter what it is, generally, all of my stories or chapters have some spark of something I want to see. Some of them might be more "gotta update this story" than others but if I don't like how a chapter is going, I start over. I can't make myself publish something that makes me cringe or that I can't read back without feeling like shit.

And this goes for commissions too, even if the client is asking for something super outside of my comfort zone, if I take the comm it's because something about the premise makes me go "I want to see where this goes."

Granted, I'm very much a bleary-eyed idealist who just enjoys the process of letting characters drag on talking about unrelated shit sometimes, so my mindset clearly has nothing to do with good business or writing practices. But even then, I don't think it's possible to write something that you see nothing appealing in just for the sake of having written something. Whether it's an idea I had at some point before or if I find a node I want to explore while deep in the process, there is always something that makes me willing to hit publish.

 

[insertnamehere]

I create stories for myself, based on ideas that I think I would enjoy writing. I would never write in a genre or build on a premise simply because it is popular. However, I do carefully craft my prose to a certain standard of quality. At least, I try. I also sometimes incorporate requested ideas in future chapters, especially if they seem obvious in hindsight or if I was already fence-sitting on including them.

I think the distinction lies in appealing to some random strangers on the Internet versus appealing to your established audience who genuinely want the best for your story.

 

[JWtts]

For the sake of my erotica and ideas for stories (erotic and non-erotic) I generally have a Venn diagram in my head. Initially I'll have an idea/concept and then I'll go see what's trending or popular. Or vice-versa and then see if an idea emerges. If I can find that middle spot that blends the two I'll try and go for it.

That being said, once I'm in the story, I try to write mostly for myself while trying to appeal to readers as best I can without compromising the characters, plot, or my enjoyment of the story. I figure if I write only for myself (and no one reads it) I might as well journal, though I don't judge anyone who is doing that and just writing for themselves.

For me... I won't say I'm a Like/Favorite/Bookmark/Comment whore who constantly needs it, BUT getting a playful 'Favorite' or 'Bookmark' spank, a rough and passionate sheet gripping 'Like', or a sexy, dirty 'Comment' on a story does go a long way in keeping the fire alive for continued writing.

 

[haileytraynor]

I write for myself and if other people like it it’s a bonus. I do occasionally do requests, but they’re usually only if I’m actually entertained by the concept. Forced work doesn’t work well with me. I always feel disconnected and awkward and even if people enjoy it, it feels like I could have done better. And it just leaves a dissatisfying feeling in my head. I think it’s better if you enjoy what you write and understand where other people might enjoy it too. Fetish work isn’t inherently bad and it can help discover people with similar interests or introduce people to a concept they never thought of.

Of course there’s always some fetishes or interests that can be a bit weird but as long as they come from a good heart, they can be interesting. Everyone has their niche, and it’s weird to write in an area where you’re clearly not comfortable with. It’s obvious to the reader in most cases and no one ends happy.

If you enjoy your own work I feel like it gives a different energy and others are more likely to find interest in it as they can see the passion and attention put into the work rather than have it feel forced and uncomfortable and awkward.

 

[Cuchuilain]

I generally write whatever's bubbling around in my head at the time and am happy that I've managed to commit it to print. However, I have been asked to contribute chapters to a few stories I normally would not have gone for, and I've been happy to do so. Even thought the topic matter, writing style or flow may be seriously unlike anything I would ordinarily do, I feel it gives me enough of a kick to write with a different viewpoint in mind and lets me engage in and consider new possibilities which can only be a good thing.

 

[YveltalWarrior]

I don't write for anyone but myself, and I am going to keep it that way. I only post my writing once in a blue moon, and I only recently began writing a story here after deciding that writing a CHYOA on a Google Doc is unnecessarily hard. I don't profit off of writing, don't wish to do it as a career or for fame, and never advertise my work. I honestly would love to keep it that way since writing is my way to see my own feelings, not to show someone else's feelings. To me, that is just an unintentional but welcome side effect, and I only write because I want to. This probably sounds very egotistical, but honestly, I feel like shit right now, so I couldn't care less.

 

[Zeebop]

I started out with the desire to get some writing practice in, so in that sense I do write for myself. I like to challenge myself a little, think outside the box a little, try and keep up with requests when I can, but I don't write chapters because I've got this burning need to get a story inside of me out in print (that'll be the next story!), but more because it's kind of fun and basically a hobby-verging-on-obsession at this point.

 

[Warden-Yarn15]

This probably sounds very egotistical, but honestly, I feel like shit right now, so I couldn't care less.

Well I did ask for answers for a question heavily relying on the author, so I wouldn't want to feel too bad if I were you.

Not like it was at all egotistical too, as I imagine that some of us also know that struggle.

 

[kinkygeek]

I write erotica primarily for myself, but I fully realize that I'm an attention whore and get off on people praising me for my dirty mind. Also, it's my preferred outlet when I'm in a particular mood. I have to be just horny enough that I'm in a constant state of arousal, but not too horny that I'm too distracted and have to masturbate in order to focus on anything. If I cum, my muse is gone, so it's a balance of low-level edging while still being able to think clearly.

 

[Zingiber]

I choose my stories and write chapters to please myself. (My "Slut World" contributions are an example where that's the main focus).

I'm especially happy when readers engage and comment and suggest.

I really like collaborating and trading off chapters - I did more of that starting out.

 

[Philanthropist]

I suspect writing erotica is a bit like writing humor; to some degree, one has to be writing for oneself. It's extremely difficult to write erotica that you don't personally find erotic, or humor that you don't find funny, for the (declared or perceived) tastes of someone else. "Difficult" is not to say "impossible"; I have encountered a commissioned erotica writer who wrote to others' fetishes and prompts, apparently to some success, but I think such writing is almost always going to lack a certain "pop".

I do accept suggestions and constructive criticism, and to the extent that I've done suggested or commissioned work, it's been where those who already like my work have suggested it, and our interests have overlap. I'd certainly prefer to publish work that others will appreciate. But I'm largely devoted to trying to do what I already do well, not chase trends or try to capture the erotic interest of someone whose erotic tastes diverge wildly from my own.

 

[Cuchuilain]

If nobody read what I wrote, I would still do it. It's fun, and I get off on my own fantasies big time. But I wrote for myself when younger before the Internet was really a thing, and that was definitely private. So that habit stuck with me.

me too. I have a back catalog of stuff that mostly wouldn't work here. I keep meaning to browse through it and see if anything is worth converting to CHYOA style but suspect its not.
But yeah - I've been writing for my own entertainment for more years than I'm prepared to admit. I even have compiled volumes of it and put it on my kindle.