Writing can be a joyous experience until all the pressures on what to write come crashing down on you. Sometimes, trying to write what your agent wants takes away all the spark and passion you have for writing. Today's guest, Sierra Simone, is all too familiar with this feeling. What snapped her back was simple advice: WRITE FOR YOU. This led her to write a Jane Eyre fan fiction turned Gothic Victorian erotica, where she discovered taboo and erotic romance. Sierra is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling former librarian. Her notable works include Priest, American Queen, and Misadventures of a Curvy Girl. In this episode, she joins Ella Barnard to talk about her journey to making her own path in writing taboo topics. She also dives deep into writing good sex scenes, the benefits of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and how self-knowledge helps your career.