OK, So Here's The Thing...

When I began writing erotica and non-fiction articles on sexuality I took a pen name for privacy. But it might surprise those of you who do not write to know that one of the biggest reasons was to separate one writing career from another.

Anyone who writes, as a profession or a hobby, knows that over-all perception of erotica authors is poor and no where is this belief held more firmly than within the writing community. "They're not real writers," other they say (or type). It's not just that we dare to write about sex (or even profit from it) but if we write about it, it must be because we "can't really write" and this is our last resort.

Anyone who writes erotica (dirty stories, erotic literature, porn -- whatever you choose to call it) will tell you that writing smut takes extra skill. For not only must you obey all the rules of writing but you must make it arousing too. Just trying to find synonyms for "cock" (without sounding cliched) and "orgasm" (virtually non-existent) is a challenge. But 'the real writers' will giggle and sneer. I've seen the cruelty in writer's groups and online forums firsthand.

Even mainstream editors and publications may reject your work on these very notions, or just from the fear of any association. Even for non-fiction works this happens. Mention you write 'about sex' in any fashion (or have them discover you do so) and you're blackballed. So in order to preserve my professional mainstream writing reputation, I created a pen name upon joining the ranks of smut writers.

You'd think that a group which has experienced such persecution and unfair devaluation would be wiser. But they are not.

Months after I started as a phone sex girl for the (icky) agency I made the mistake of suggesting to another erotica author work as a PSO. (She was in need of money, and I thought it might be a solution for her.) She not only freaked out on me, but went to a writing community and spread 'the horrifying' news there.

Once confronted with the 'bad thing' I'd done, and feeling that no good would come of admitting one job since it would put another at risk (not to mention these people live where I do and know my face, car etc.), I set about convincing them that I was merely suggesting the work to this woman and that she had drawn the wrong conclusions. (Since the old agency assigned names, I had no connection for anyone to trace and prove differently.)

However the rest of that meeting was completely consumed by a discussion about whether or not I should have ever even made such a suggestion -- and if they should draft group guidelines to specifically prohibit phone sex workers from joining the group.

:sigh:

There were two issues discussed -- or accusations thrown -- here.

First was the matter of "ethics". How could anyone profit from selling herself? How degrading! How cheap!

I asked how dirty stories spoken on the phone were any worse than written dirty stories; both have the same purpose, both are forms of adult entertainment. That question was met with a more silence and sputtering than actual answers or even argument. Still, I felt I'd made no impression. At least not a positive one. They moved onto the other issue.

The second issue was that of "writing quality". Clearly 'some girl who just talked dirty' shouldn't fancy herself a writer; letting her join was to 'add to her delusions'. I tried to argue that one skill or job did not automatically cancel-out the other; that the writing should speak for itself.

This is not to say that all PSOs are excellent writers, or writers at all. (They may have the creativity, but not the writing skills.) Nor is every erotica author able to deliver great phone sex. (Not all authors can be so creative as to think up stories on the fly, let alone tailor them for pleasing a specific individual.) But to assume that any decent author is suddenly less able to write because they talk dirty on the phone for pay makes about as much sense as it does to say an author's ability &/or talent decreases with every sex-themed work they write.

So once again I needed a new pen name in order to protect my status as an erotica author. Go figure.

And so this is why I am unable to fulfill your requests to see my other published works. And this is why you might just be surprised to discover that other PSOs have many other hidden talents they keep mum about.