My last Sugasm

I've decided not to participate in Sugasm anymore. I think it's a cool concept, and Radical Vixen is to be lauded for keeping it going, but it doesn't work for me. I've noticed that very few of the people who are voting bother to read my submissions. No, that doesn't translate to "I'm miffed because they don't vote for me!" I mean they don't even form an opinion of my writing because they never read it in the first place. How do I know? Because StatCounter shows me which page people land on. If the participants were following the permalink to my Sugasm submission, that's the page that would be showing the traffic. So, for example, since there were 47 submissions to (and therefore 47 voters on) Sugasm #152, I would expect 46 people to land on "Marked: An Open Letter" (my submitted post) when they followed the link mailed out to all the voters. Guess how many visitors to my blog entered via that specific link between the day the Sugasm voting list was emailed out and the day the Sugasm results were posted? Eight. Yep, eight out of 46. And while there is certainly a boost in traffic to my blog once the participants post the Sugasm results, that's not what it's about for me. That's never been what it's about. I wanted to be read by and hear from other writers, not just garner a bunch of random hits from disinterested surfers who flee as soon as it becomes evident that there aren't any pictures of naked people on my site. The value for me in participating in Sugasm was the opportunity to interact with and receive feedback from other writers and readers, and, with any luck, to improve my understanding of sexuality in the context of life -- my life in particular. Maybe that was an unrealistic expectation. Meanwhile, I diligently read every submission and voted for the ones I thought were best regardless of who wrote them or how far down on the lengthy list they were. That may have been a naive approach.

I realize that there are many bloggers who hope to generate some sort of income or use their blog as a springboard to a book deal or something along those lines. It makes sense that the driving force behind their blogs would be self-marketing and that their goals would revolve around generating as much exposure as they could. I am not one of that camp, however. I believe it is ultimately restricting to write under those conditions -- to write under any condition. And that is why you will never see an ad or a "tip jar" or a vibrator review or a wish list or anything but my own naked words on this blog. Believe me, I harbor no delusions about supporting myself as a sex blogger. Nor am I looking to score free sex toys or win any popularity contests. I reveal what I reveal because part of me wants to be known -- in exchange for nothing save knowledge of myself and of others, if I'm fortunate enough to hear from them. I do this to do it.

I want honest feedback, not publicity. I can get that without the benefit of traffic I receive solely by virtue of being on a list of random links to sexual material. If I wanted to belong to some sort of community (and I'm not sure that I do), it would be the whole wide world of writers, not the narrow community of sex bloggers. In fact, as I've mentioned before, it feels somewhat forced and unnatural to me to write JUST about sex. My sexual experiences don't exist in a vacuum.

Enough navel gazing! Here is the latest Sugasm, and the last you will be seeing here. Of course I'll continue to read Sugasm, and I encourage anyone who enjoys erotic writing to do the same -- I've encountered a number of talented writers via Sugasm that I'm happy to read regularly. Some of them are good enough (in my opinion) to have earned a place on my list of links over yonder.

Sugasm 152: The best of this week’s blogs by the bloggers who blog them. Highlighting the top 3 posts as chosen by Sugasm participants. Want in Sugasm #153? Submit a link to your best post of the week by emailing me directly at radicalvixenatgmaildotcom Participants, repost the link list within a week and you’re all set.

This Week’s Picks

Sugarbutch Star: Maze - The Girl in the Red Dress
"She’s the kind of girl who brings out the worst in me."

treat or … fuck
"He looked like I had just given him a car for Christmas and he gently took my hand and led me upstairs."

A Life Exposed and Amplified
"We were breaking the rules and being dirty."

Mr. Sugasm Himself
Sugar Bank

Editor’s Choice
I told him I loved him. He gave me a pen.

More Sugasm

Join the Sugasm

See also: Fleshbot’s Sex Blog Roundup each Tuesday and Friday.