I’ve had a lot of fun with the last two assignments for the Smut Marathon. I’ve especially loved reading the entries. I love to see some of the unique takes on the prompts, and I like to compare the entries that have similar plot lines. Reading the entries with a more critical eye instead of just for pleasure has helped my own writing. I see where some stories can be improved and it helps me think differently about my own piece.
I kept the same strategy that I used in the first two rounds, choosing an idea, thinking about it for a few days, and then writing it down quickly, going back later to edit the word count, grammar and phrasing.
Round 3:
When I first saw the assignment, I thought I’d be screwed. I had to Google how to use quotation marks properly because I honestly didn’t know if I was doing it right. I rarely use dialogue in my blog posts, probably because I don’t really know how. I was definitely nervous and intimidated!
I thought of the “Fly on the Wall” concept almost immediately and tried to imagine how that could work. I also considered having my conversing characters be pets. How funny would it be to hear what your dog and cat have to say to each other about the freaky stuff you get into? In the end, I went with the flies. I don’t think my post was particularly sexy, but I hoped that it was unique enough to stand out. I was hoping that readers would think it was a little funny. I think that most people got the gist of the story, even though I never explicitly said that the characters were flies. I know one person commented that the characters were aliens, and I found that hilarious! I love seeing how other people read and understand my writing. It is also a good lesson in making sure my viewpoint is clear.
Round 3 Story: On the Wall
“Fred, they’re at it again!”
“Geez! How have they not produced thousands of offspring by now? Who is that with them? Looks like she’s enjoying herself.”
“I don’t know. They keep calling her Slut, and they keep smacking her backside. Not sure why she’d want that. Doesn’t help with procreation as far as I know.”
“You struck Sheila several times before she let you fertilize her! Maybe that’s how they get her ready?”
“Hmmm, maybe,” Buzz recalled when Sheila inserted her ovipositor into him, feeling his genitals stir. “Damn, this is hot. Look at ’em, they’re both mounting Slut at the same time! Genitals to the face! Humans really know how to have fun with fertilization.”
“Think Sheila would be into that?”
“A threesome? Naw, she’s done with me. I’ve had my eye on Janet lately anyway. Wonder if I could make her scream as loud as Slut down there?”
“Yeah, get her wings fluttering real fast, Buzz!” Fred paced frantically, large green eyes staring blankly ahead.
Buzz and Fred watched the jumble of flesh below, a strange courtship of biting, slapping, scratching, and fucking.
“That’s it. I’m gonna go find Janet!” Buzz yelled and flew off towards the kitchen.
Overall, I did pretty well. I was happy with my scores and with all of the feedback, especially since the assignment was so daunting. I scored high enough to move up in the final rankings, going from third to second place, which got me thinking. I couldn’t say it out loud, I might jinx it, but I thought it nonetheless.
Round 4:
I wanted to place high enough to move into first place in the overall rankings. I didn’t come into this competition with any goals or expectations, but I was so close, so I set it as a goal for myself to get there at some point. And I did!
When I saw the prompt for Round 4, I was really excited. I thought about this one for a few days, playing out different scenarios in my head. I wanted to have a unique setting, something that wasn’t obvious. I love dark and twisted stories and knew that I wanted to go in that direction. The story just kind of worked itself out in my head and when I wrote it out, it just spilled out. I made a few adjustments to reduce the word count, and I agonized over the last line, even asking my husband to read it. Should it be “I’d interrupted them”, “She was alive” or “She wasn’t dead”? I ended up sticking with what I originally had on the page. I thought my story turned out pretty good and was not as nervous about it as I have been in previous rounds.
My Round 4 Submission: Deliverer of the Dead
I felt for them all, the bodies. They used to be a person, a mother, a priest, or someone who ran the register at the mini mart. Whatever they used to be, they weren’t anymore.
The late Mrs. Edna Bonnet was my last delivery and I was running behind, cursing myself because our show was coming on and Linda would be pissed. No one answered when I rang the bell. Shifting impatiently, I pulled my sodden shirt. Damn humidity. I heaved open the door and walked into the hallway, my shoes silent on the sticky tile floor.
A low voice echoed off the sterile walls. I crept towards it, stopping just outside the brightly illuminated room.
“You’re my toy. I can do anything I want to you right now, and you can’t do a thing about it, can you?”
The cold disembodied voice sliced through the silence of the mortuary, and I instantly felt bile rise in my throat. What the fuck was this guy doing?
“I can open that little cunt of yours, shove my fingers right in. How many can fit in there? Think I could put my whole hand in there? Fuck you up to my elbow? I think you’d like that. You want to be my puppet, don’t you?”
I couldn’t hold it in any longer, “You fucking monst…”
The body was looking at me, eyes blazing, her gagged mouth scowling. Spread and bound, her pink lips glistened with need, and I knew.
I’d interrupted them.
I woke up Sunday morning and instantly reached for my phone, just as I have every other Sunday when results are posted and was so happy to see that I scored really well in this round, tying for second in the public vote and getting first in the judges votes. My scores were high enough to move me into first place! I won’t be setting any more goals for myself, I just want to have fun and do my best at this point and whatever happens, I’ll be happy and proud of what I accomplished.
I really enjoyed reading the stories for this round, many of them did exactly what erotica is meant to do and got me hot and bothered. One story actually made me tear up and get turned on. Exhibit A’s A Watched Pot was my absolute favorite entry for this round and possibly in the whole competition so far. It was a realistic depiction of normal everyday life, and he found a way to make it sexy. It just goes to show that erotica doesn’t have to have much to it in order to serve its intended purpose. Sometimes ordinary life is most arousing.
Great to read your thoughts on the Smut Marathon and how you go about writing your stories. I enjoyed Deliverer of the Dead and gave it my vote along with Too Much Information by Marsha Adams. Good luck for the rest of the competition.
Thank you for your vote! ?
I am so happy to read the Smut Marathon is a positive experience for you, and how you approach every round! Also how you learn from the stories of others. Looking forward to your round 5 story.
Rebel xox
Thank you! I’m so glad I decided to join in. It’s been such a great experience.