Unashamed Writing

Authentic writing from the gut - the studio of a self-taught writer

Shame is like the pain: you only feel it once – When your true self comes out of the closet

who am II went to my first writing group meeting yesterday. I’m very glad I did. Seeing and hearing real people talk about their work is encouraging. It gives you a chance to see how much better your work is!!! Just kidding …

If you read the post I wrote before the meeting, you know that I wasn’t sure how I was going to introduce myself:

  • Ada Ireland, the PG rated, inspirational writer, or
  • Ada Ireland, the writer of wet dreams.

You know what I did? I told the truth. I told everyone that my writing varied from clean romance that stops at the bedroom door, to steamy romance that barges right into your bedroom, watches everything you do, and then tells the whole world about it.

I got a few laughs about it. And a reminder that the “Erotica” workshop was coming up. That’s it. No questions. No funny smirks. No people Google-ing me to see just what kind of fiction I write. That came later … when the meeting was over.

I also got a good feeling about it. Don’t get me wrong: I still struggle with how dirty my mind can get sometimes. I am still unsure just which work I will end up trying to get published. But, at least, I’m not feeling like a fake anymore.

See, so far people have only seen some parts of me:

  • Thanks to my parents, I have very good manners and real respect for my elders. That’s not a joke.
  • I don’t like loud noises, so I’m pretty soft spoken.
  • I care, on that most basic, human-to-human level, about most people and that shows in the way I act … I hope.
  • I like reading and writing about passionate romance. I don’t like talking about it. What happens in my bedroom is my business. What happens in your bedroom is your business. If someone starts talking about sex, I leave the room. I’m not saying it’s wrong to want to talk about it. I’m just saying that I don’t like it.

So, let’s recap: I’m well mannered, soft spoken, kind, a prude in public, and … obviously … not humble. Unfortunately, most people mistake that for me being sweet and innocent. That’s the “label” I’ve been living under until now.

Things are changing. I’m still keeping my private life just that: private. That will never change. My private thoughts and/or fantasies though … those are most publicly exposed in my writing. Some of them are sweet and innocent. That’s what makes a love story worthwhile, after all. Some of them are anything but: sinfully sexy heroines, simply irresistible heroes, mind-blowing, hot sex. That’s what makes love stories fun. Most people who will read me will think me shameless and crass.

Proper and nice to meet. Vulgar and naughty to read. That’s who I am. And that’s how I introduced myself to the writing group. It was good to finally not feel like a fake.

i was made to make mistakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. The title of this post comes from a line in the movie “Dangerous Liaisons”. Young, innocent Cecile is seduced by ruthless Vicomte de Valmont. Cecile confesses her “shame” to her friend Marquise de Merteuil. Only, Merteuil is not really her friend. She’s the one that actually plotted Cecile’s seduction and disgrace. She’s also the one that tells her: “You’ll find that shame is like the pain. You only feel it once.”

Of course, it’s not that easy in real life. Just look at all the people who are coming out of different kinds of closets. The shame is worst the first time. It doesn’t really go away though. It just gets progressively smaller.

So, if we meet, don’t expect me to want to talk about sex. I’ll tell you I’m a romance writer. I’ll probably even blush a little. But if you want the naughty details, you’ll have to get them from my books.

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