For the record, I would never invest my emotional energy into actually writing a Kill Bill revenge story – I just joke about doing so.

What I like about this sentence is that it is describing a story writing process as ’emotional energy’. Which I think is an excellent description of the writing process in general. I have always said, the more we feel about what’s going on in a story, usually the better it is. Regardless of what those feelings are. It’s that emotional energy that the writer has created and is sharing. That’s what writing is and I love that Molly drew attention to it. Lots of things strengthen a story, clarity, focus, good words and sentences, grammar, storytelling, good plotting, conflicts, dialog, pace, POV, etc… but the backbone behind everything is that ’emotional energy’ and that’s important to remember. Usually it’s coming from various layers of conflict, but it can come from other things as well. Usually, when I am ‘in the zone’ and doing my best writing… I’m very emotional or deep into one or more of the characters. Really feeling what they are feeling. And that’s important. Getting that emotion, to the reader, that’s the big thing and so if you have some special dialog happening or a special unexpected vibe that is going well in a story. Sometimes it’s good to loosen the reigns on that plot and see where the good stuff leads. Because it’s not easy transferring that emotional stuff. Just because we feel it writing doesn’t always translate as well to the reader. But I find that as we gradually get more experience with writing, more and more of that emotion get’s successfully passed to the story and powers it. How? Usually through dialog, but it can technically come through each and every sentence if we put effort into it.

For the record, I haven’t touched chains and ball gags yet. Jumper cables?! Hmm… that would be a shocking development for poor Emi.

You are probably right about the sauntering, but it’s also a real fantasy that some people have. It’s really not that simple. If one has experienced real dark things it will be tainted dark, otherwise it will be a harmless mostly light fantasy reading. We can’t really ‘choose’ how we perceive these things. So what that means, is… basically we are both absolutely correct. 

I don’t think we need to be so careful or whatever. I don’t feel anyone is taking anything too seriously. It’s all good.

P.S. — I should add, RM, that I do agree with what you said about the “mean girls” type of erotica.  I have enjoyed reading “Resort Ambassador,” which cleverly plays with mailgirls tropes without taking itself too seriously.  After all, we DO need antagonists in our stories and we need the dramatic tension that mean girls like Brandy are SO good at providing.

Oops, I didn’t expect this to be taken seriously. I guess I fell into the trap of forgetting that written communication sometimes misses out a lot. For the record: no, I don’t want to read gore here. Really.
Note to self: Think more carefully what you write before posting.

And to Blair personally I want to say this: I will never stop making fun of you.

I wouldn’t have it any other way!!

Well, we could always have a normal, mutually-respectful relationship. But where would the fun in that be?

Molly, glad to number you among my very best friends (certainly the one with the sharpest elbows),

Blair

 
It is true, of course, that I honestly dislike “mailgirls” stories and “slave girl” stories because their whole purpose is to degrade and humiliate women, who within the story allegedly have burning sexual fantasies of experiencing such degradation but who (I suspect) actually represent all the beautiful women who in real life saunter past the male author on the sidewalk without making eye contact.  

Oops . . . there I go again.  Would it help if I add emojis?   😉  🙂

Didn’t you once say that you want to write a mailgirl story going in this direction, something like “Revenge of a Mailgirl”?
 
I don’t remember, but that totally sounds like me.

 
I only had a vague recollection of this, but I found it now; it was your comment to the chapter “A Mailgirl App? – Part 2” of ReaderMan’s story “The Resort Ambassador”.
 

I am tempted to write a vigilante/revenge story in which an ex-mailgirl not only takes vengeance on her tormentors but then tracks down all of you devoted readers and . . . shows your girlfriends your browser history.

 
A mailgirl going full Kill Bill sounds … disturbing. And very interesting. Would love to read this.