For the second time, I’m participating in the annual “Smut Marathon” challenge organized by erotica author Marie Rebelle.

The rules are simple: In each round, the contestants get an assignment and a deadline to write a short piece of text. When all entries are in, they are judged anonymously by both a jury and public votes. During the course of the marathon the lowest scoring authors will have to leave – and eventually the winners will be announced.

I don’t participate in order to win, but because I find the idea of “assignments” interesting. In my everyday writing, I get to choose subject and style for myself. Coping with the restrictions of an assignment is a challenge. Frustrating at times – but the result never fails to be something I would not otherwise have written.

2020’s Smut Marathon is now closed for new participants. But if you’re an author of erotica, you might want to sign up for next year. You’re bound to learn something new about your own writing.