Dear Friends of Melina

When I began writing sex stories, making friends was the last thing on my mind. But within a month or two of participating regularly in Wicked Wednesday, I found myself among a tremendously encouraging network of smart, caring, hardworking writers and bloggers. I found role models and pillars, people who consistently produce and foster the creation of art. Most of them don’t know my name or my face. But I consider them friends and this post is for them. 

Dear Friends of Melina,

Good god almighty, how do you do it? I’m navigating terrain you saw years ago, figuring things out you’ve long since mastered, and I am exhausted. Exhausted!

Melina Greenport was born in a vacuum eleven and a half months ago. She can’t even walk yet! The plan was that she’d write sexy stories as quickly as possible (complete with all the cringeworthy biological words I’ve never used comfortably) and find a way to sell them. I wouldn’t exist in her world, and she would be a secret in mine.

That lasted about a week.

Some boundaries remain intact, but this post doesn’t concern the compartments we all negotiate. This post is about the juggle, the hustle, the ticking clock. And I know you all know it well. I’ve got three part-time jobs: the one I do for money, the sex writing, and the main writing. My so-called “Holiday” last month was nothing close. I was working every waking hour at my other two jobs.

Truth be told, I didn’t fully want to come back to this gig. The couple stories I’ve written as Melina since then have been a struggle. Even now I’m struggling. I hate blogging about writing. I’m boring myself silly at this very moment. So why am I doing it? Why am I going to press PUBLISH in a few minutes?

Because I know you understand. You understand the perils of genre writing under a pen name, and you understand the constant thirst of living life as a writer.

Despite the fatigue, I’d like to continue to let the work I do as Melina nurture the work to which I sign my birth name. Melina’s stories are helpful practice. “Fiction moves forward by moving bodies through space and time.” Wash, rinse, repeat. My three jobs and two names are all a part of one life’s work. I’m middle aged, but in so many ways I’m still a beginner, still learning to walk.

Because of you, I’m not walking alone. Thank you for holding my hand.

Yours,

Melina

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Photo: Public Domain | Used under CC0 1.0

This post was written for the friends I’ve met through Wicked Wednesday, a site where writers share erotic stories (fiction and non) every week. The fun is hosted by the generous Marie Rebelle of Rebel’s Notes, whose endeavors you can support at Patreon.

Read this week’s fabulous Wicked Wednesday “Sports” entries here!