My highlights from Eroticon 2023

Last weekend was Eroticon 2023. After COVID threw a wrench in the planning of Eroticon for the past four years, it was SO good to see this event back in business. The last (and only) Eroticon I attended was in 2018, and I had all but given up on blogging in the past few years, but with my decision to revive the blog, it made sense for me to attend this lovely event again. I am SO happy that I did, because I had an absolute blast and it was so good to see people again.

There were so many amazing session scheduled that I had a hard time choosing which ones I wanted to attend. Some were obviously less relevant to me (I’m not trying to monetise my blog or my sex writing, so session tailored to that were out), but that still left me with many other great sessions to choose from. And not only were the sessions great, but meeting other sex writers was so much fun as well.

So here’s a quick round up of what made Eroticon 2023 so amazing for me, as well as some musings about what I’d do better at the next convention.

The sessions

As I mentioned, we were spoilt for choice when it came to the sessions. The ones I chose were very varied, which was great. I attended Blake‘s session on why we like certain sexual things, which helped me put my own (sometimes weird) fantasies into perspective. I could have listened to Blake talk for another hour or two, but I’ve been told that they are writing a book about all this, so keep your eye out for that.

Topher Taylor‘s talk on banishing shame was excellent. I struggle with shame and guilt a LOT, which is part of the reason I put my blog on hiatus for so long. But Topher made some really good points about not pretending to have all the answers and to allow yourself to be vulnerable (as well as allowing your ego some free rein). His words really resonated with me and gave me some food for thought as to the direction I want to take my blog into.

The fabulous Girl on the Net had a really fun talk about recording your own work. I recently tried this out myself, and recorded myself reading a short piece of fiction using nothing more than my iPhone and the Voice Notes app, but it actually turned out all right and reading it was SO much fun. With Girl on the Net’s tips I’m excited to publish more erotica on my blog and add some audio porn to it as well. So watch this space!

Neil Brown did a very informative (and surprisingly funny) session about the new Online Safety Bill. Although the bill is terrible, I did come away from his talk feeling a bit more optimistic about my blog. I had been trying to decide whether it was even worth it to keep my blog and website alive, but luckily I don’t need to do anything yet. The bill is still horrible and reflective of the prudish and authoritarian direction this country is going into, but on a personal level I can breathe a bit easier.

On Sunday I attended Violet Grey‘s session about writing erotica and finding the balance between fantasy and reality. I’m primarily and erotica writer and my blog is currently secondary, so this session was of great interest to me. I liked how interactive it was and despite it being the first session of the Sunday, people were really engaged and Violet had some great tips.

The people

I was really planning to make Eroticon 2023 the event in which I would meet a lot of new people. And although I did meet new people, I found that the combination of attending many great sessions and talking to people on the Saturday itself meant that at the end of the day I was so exhausted, I didn’t have the social energy to go to the evening social. Which I was gutted about, as I had specifically booked a hotel room in London so I could go to the social.

However, I still really loved meeting old friends and new people alike. It was fabulous to put some faces to names, to say hi to people I’ve been following on social media but have never spoken to in real life, and to geek out about certain topics with like-minded people. I always really enjoy checking out the sponsors at events like this, and I had a lovely conversation with the founders of Whipple Tickle about their business. I also learned more about rope, which made me determined to buy some and have my husband tie me up.

Musings

Overall Eroticon 2023 was exactly what I needed at this time. I’ve been floundering a bit with my sex writing (both my erotica and my blog) and, as I mentioned to Girl on the Net, this event was the boost my slutty soul needed. I don’t have a lot of people in my real life who support, or even understand, sex writing, so to be in a room with lots of like minded people was just so amazing. I feel refreshed and energised to do a lot more with my website.

I would do things differently, though, if I go again next year. I’m usually just fine going to things by myself, but I think it would be better if I had a buddy next time. Not necessarily someone who I’d do everything with, but it would be helpful to have someone I could check in with and who could encourage me to take breaks during the day so I still have energy for the social at night. And who I could meet up with before the social, so the barrier to going to it would be lower as I wouldn’t walk into it all alone.

All in all, I am so happy I went. I wished I’d had the energy to stay till the end on Sunday, but I also had to get back home early enough to make my son a cake for his birthday, which was Monday, so the timing was perhaps not the greatest for me. Still, I am happy that I decided to go the whole weekend rather than just one day, and to stay overnight in London. I may not have gone to the social, but it was lovely to have a night by myself without husband, kids or dog.

If you’re wondering if Eroticon is worth it, I am here to tell you that it absolutely is! Especially as society becomes more prudish and hostile towards the kinds of things we write about, it’s SUCH an inspiration to be with people who get you.

Can’t wait till next year!