Forge Your Future: How I Got Started In Adult

People often ask me how I got started in the adult industry. Writing for Fleshbot, participating in award nominations, and curating collections is a unique opportunity. This is one of the coolest and most fulfilling things I've done in my life. It's a job that I didn't know existed. I had to make it for myself.

Pornography is my favorite art. More than music, movies, and games, pornos are my jam! I've talked about how diverse the adult industry is, and all the reasons why I love porn. But it's a big leap going from being a porn fan to actively working in the industry. How did I do it? I stopped dreaming, embraced porn, and created the job I wanted!

How I Got Started

Flashback to the early 20-teens; I was fresh out of college, writing about games, esports, and tech with a fresh computer science and mathematics degree in hand. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do, but I was experimenting with online revenue through blogging.

But there was one problem. I just wasn't passionate about my subject. Writing had become a chore. Blogging was a lot of work. But I still wanted to do it.

Finding My Passion

That's when I started reading a site called ProBlogger. They had all sorts of tips and advice covering everything from the business model to becoming a better and more effective writer. Then, one day I read a profound statement.

Write about what you're most passionate about.

I was shaken. All this time, I had been doing it wrong. Sure I could write about what I knew a lot about, but what was I actually passionate about? And then it hit me. Porn.

Porn had already changed my life. I was already a major fan, buying DVDs and eager for every new scene at a variety of paysites I was subscribed to. I could talk about porn all day. But could I write?

Taking the Leap: Getting Started

That night, I started a new blog, and I began writing about pornography. I loved it. The articles practically wrote themselves. The more porn I watched, the more I learned, and the more I could write. This wasn't work, it was fun!

I saw more porn each month than I would have ever watched in a year. But instead of wanking fuel, it was creative fuel! It was so cool, and I was learning so much.

As the project grew, I held myself to a strict schedule, publishing three times a week. My work ranged from listicles to curated galleries, and even op-eds.

Within a few years, I was in the big time. I was interviewing pornstars and directors, writing reviews of DVDs, and interacting with a growing base of fellow porn fans that would include editors for major porn sites like XCritic and AdultDVDTalk.

Suddenly, I was receiving offers to curate collections, write articles, reviews, and more! My passion for pornography had paid off. I realized that I had the opportunity to turn my porn hobby into something more! I ended my mainstream contracts and shifted my focus more fully to XXX.

It seemed crazy and was certainly scary at the time. Here I was with all the foundation needed for a future in gaming and tech, and I was walking away from all that to become a porn expert. It was crazy!

But it was a path that I had carved out for myself. In retrospect, shifting to the arts, specifically this art, has been my best choice. I'm happy, and I love what I do.

The Secret to Success

Consistency is key. You will not become a porn columnist overnight, nor anything else for that matter. You have to put the work in consistently over time. That means building a portfolio, networking with insiders, and learning about the industry. Your work and your experience should speak for itself.

I think that's why ProBlogger's advice rings true. You've got to be honest with yourself in finding your passion. If you're not passionate about what you're doing, it's gonna be hard to commit to the daily grind. And when you're building your own path, your drive is the only thing that's going to keep you on track.

You don't have to choose porn. But you do have the power to press forward and choose your own path. Discover what you're passionate about and forge your future.

Patrick Parker is a porn connoisseur and adult-industry columnist specializing in glamcore and high-end hardcore