Drug Use Question

[TruthwithaTwist]

This is a simple one. I'm wrapping up my nude day story (a bit late, I know) and I'm debating keeping one scene in. It basically involves two people using a bit of cocaine. I've looked around and I'm assuming its not in violation of any rules on Lit (yes, I know we violated REAL laws using cocaine). Can anyone confirm?

 

[NotWise]

As far as I know, drug use does not violate Lit policies. Drugs are used in a lot of stories.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Not a problem on Lit.

 

[Voboy]

My characters have done all sorts of drugs. No issues.

Just say yes.

 

[TxRad]

Never write stoned unless you like it that way.

 

[TxRad]

The first time I've ever double posted under the new system

 

[PennameWombat]

This is a simple one. I'm wrapping up my nude day story (a bit late, I know) and I'm debating keeping one scene in. It basically involves two people using a bit of cocaine. I've looked around and I'm assuming its not in violation of any rules on Lit (yes, I know we violated REAL laws using cocaine). Can anyone confirm?

I have a story (A Tale of Two Parties) with a rather long scene involving hard core sex involving cocaine use. It was my Halloween 2019 contest entry. So it’s been around a while.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I wrote a whole series based on my experiences as a drug addict, including explicit descriptions of cocaine and various other illegal substances. No problem.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There's no prohibition on drug use.

Just don't do what one heroin user did in a story on the Feedback Forum, a few years back. He wrote up the downside of his addiction, and ended up with the bleakest, least erotic story I've ever read on Lit.

Reminded me of an extremely forgettable novel I, for some stupid reason, actually paid money for years ago. Every page, just about, had a description of the addicted main character vomiting. I think I was so disgusted I threw it into the paper recycling bin. Why it ever got published, I don't know.

 

[TheRedChamber]

I'll necro this thread rather than create my own because the answers above make it clear that I can. My question is more about if I should.

There's a mantra on this board that you should be willing to allow your characters to surprise you. My story thus far goes as follows.

Shy librarian, after weeks of being particularly grumpy, is told by friends that she needs to 'Go out and get laid'.
She takes this to heart and makes arrangements - booking a hotel room in a nearby city and researching appropriately high-class clubs to go to.
She meets a suave older guy in a business suit and quickly invites him back to her room.
As they start to make out, she has second thoughts and becomes nervous. He says "Are you sure you want to do this."
She basically says "Yes, I want to do something exciting and out of character."

At which point the characters take over...

He says "Well in that case, how about this..." and pulls out a bag of white powder.
She is shocked.
He says "Nevermind"
Twenty seconds later she says..."Actually."

Me as the author is looking on and saying "Are you sure this is wise?"

On the one hand it doesn't fundamentally change the story - instead of having wild orgasmic sex they have wild orgasmic drug-fueled sex. On the other hand, it kind of does change the story because her waking up in the morning and going "That was great. I need to do it again next weekend." is going to hit differently.

What do you all think? Do I need to veto my characters?

 

[TheLobster]

She might say, inside the story, that it is “out of character” for her. But you, the author who is outside the story, still have the final say as to what “in character” actually means for this fictional woman.

So, use your own judgment. If it doesn’t suit the vision you have for the character, don’t “let her” do it.

 

[StillStunned]

Split the story in two. Write one with the drugs and see where it takes you. If you don't like where that is, you can always go back to the other version.

In my experience this works better than just deleting and rewriting. If you have two versions, it doesn't feel as much like cheating, or abandoning your story, with that niggling memory in the back of your mind telling you, "But that was what actually happened..."

 

[lovecraft68]

I'll necro this thread rather than create my own because the answers above make it clear that I can. My question is more about if I should.

There's a mantra on this board that you should be willing to allow your characters to surprise you. My story thus far goes as follows.

Shy librarian, after weeks of being particularly grumpy, is told by friends that she needs to 'Go out and get laid'.
She takes this to heart and makes arrangements - booking a hotel room in a nearby city and researching appropriately high-class clubs to go to.
She meets a suave older guy in a business suit and quickly invites him back to her room.
As they start to make out, she has second thoughts and becomes nervous. He says "Are you sure you want to do this."
She basically says "Yes, I want to do something exciting and out of character."

At which point the characters take over...

He says "Well in that case, how about this..." and pulls out a bag of white powder.
She is shocked.
He says "Nevermind"
Twenty seconds later she says..."Actually."

Me as the author is looking on and saying "Are you sure this is wise?"

On the one hand it doesn't fundamentally change the story - instead of having wild orgasmic sex they have wild orgasmic drug-fueled sex. On the other hand, it kind of does change the story because her waking up in the morning and going "That was great. I need to do it again next weekend." is going to hit differently.

What do you all think? Do I need to veto my characters?

I'm fine with the sex being fueled by drugs. Being she's shy the drugs do two things, one it shows her giving in to tempation, that desperate urge to be 'fun' or for once do something reckless, and it can also explain how she can go from shy to porn star because she'd amped up and all inhibitions are gone.

The latter is the best part for me because I hate those stories where a shy woman can suddenly fuck, suck, and talk dirty like the second coming of Faye Reagan,

And I think the different 'hit' works well too, was she talking about the drugs and the sex, just one or the other?

In the end it gives a different twist to "yeah, two random people fuck." using coke as an aphrodisiac and adding an element of sleaze can really bring it to life. I wrote a lesbian scene where their licking coke from each other's nipples and doing lines from south of the border.

But because its coke, which is a party drug, it works. I used Heroine in a story because I was portraying the characters downfall through addiction. Heroine leaves you feeling as if you're the living dead. There are no happy horny horse addicts. (Alliteration in tribute to Stan Lee)

 

[ElectricBlue]

Follow your characters. It's not your job as author to lay your morality over the story. Write, don't judge!

 

[Bazzle]

I'll necro this thread rather than create my own because the answers above make it clear that I can. My question is more about if I should.

There's a mantra on this board that you should be willing to allow your characters to surprise you. My story thus far goes as follows.

Shy librarian, after weeks of being particularly grumpy, is told by friends that she needs to 'Go out and get laid'.
She takes this to heart and makes arrangements - booking a hotel room in a nearby city and researching appropriately high-class clubs to go to.
She meets a suave older guy in a business suit and quickly invites him back to her room.
As they start to make out, she has second thoughts and becomes nervous. He says "Are you sure you want to do this."
She basically says "Yes, I want to do something exciting and out of character."

At which point the characters take over...

He says "Well in that case, how about this..." and pulls out a bag of white powder.
She is shocked.
He says "Nevermind"
Twenty seconds later she says..."Actually."

Me as the author is looking on and saying "Are you sure this is wise?"

On the one hand it doesn't fundamentally change the story - instead of having wild orgasmic sex they have wild orgasmic drug-fueled sex. On the other hand, it kind of does change the story because her waking up in the morning and going "That was great. I need to do it again next weekend." is going to hit differently.

What do you all think? Do I need to veto my characters?

Give her a reason?

Does she go and grab her sandwiches and they fall on the floor, giving her a "fuck it" moment or as a librarian a snotty customer that thinks they are right about a book author and are wrong.
Or a annoying text from her mum about something trivial.

As its "out of character" give her the pivot reason and the ability to go sod it. A pressure release to do something wild.

Something more exciting than the Ex UK prime minister running through a field of wheat as the most reckless thing to have done.

 

[Bamagan]

It doesn't seem especially likely that most people reading the story will find it any hotter or more interesting because the characters are high when they have sex. So, unless you plan to turn it into a significant plot point, it seems like it could be left out without affecting either the eroticism of the scene or the narrative integrity of the work as a whole.

 

[KeithD]

I'll necro this thread rather than create my own because the answers above make it clear that I can. My question is more about if I should.

There's a mantra on this board that you should be willing to allow your characters to surprise you. My story thus far goes as follows.

Shy librarian, after weeks of being particularly grumpy, is told by friends that she needs to 'Go out and get laid'.
She takes this to heart and makes arrangements - booking a hotel room in a nearby city and researching appropriately high-class clubs to go to.
She meets a suave older guy in a business suit and quickly invites him back to her room.
As they start to make out, she has second thoughts and becomes nervous. He says "Are you sure you want to do this."
She basically says "Yes, I want to do something exciting and out of character."

At which point the characters take over...

He says "Well in that case, how about this..." and pulls out a bag of white powder.
She is shocked.
He says "Nevermind"
Twenty seconds later she says..."Actually."

Me as the author is looking on and saying "Are you sure this is wise?"

On the one hand it doesn't fundamentally change the story - instead of having wild orgasmic sex they have wild orgasmic drug-fueled sex. On the other hand, it kind of does change the story because her waking up in the morning and going "That was great. I need to do it again next weekend." is going to hit differently.

What do you all think? Do I need to veto my characters?

I think that's just fine as a story plot and character treatment.

 

[Britva415]

Do I need to veto my characters?

Clearly you need to have them arrested!

 

[Britva415]

It doesn't seem especially likely that most people reading the story will find it any hotter or more interesting because the characters are high when they have sex. So, unless you plan to turn it into a significant plot point, it seems like it could be left out without affecting either the eroticism of the scene or the narrative integrity of the work as a whole.

Chekov's Bump

 

[Bramblethorn]

On the one hand it doesn't fundamentally change the story - instead of having wild orgasmic sex they have wild orgasmic drug-fueled sex. On the other hand, it kind of does change the story because her waking up in the morning and going "That was great. I need to do it again next weekend." is going to hit differently.

What do you all think? Do I need to veto my characters?

Nah, give them their head. You might get yelled at by some readers, but it seems like the less-trodden path, something that lets you develop the characters more, and the direction your muse wants to go, which is more than enough reason for me.

 

[ColinPiper]

It doesn't seem especially likely that most people reading the story will find it any hotter or more interesting because the characters are high when they have sex. So, unless you plan to turn it into a significant plot point, it seems like it could be left out without affecting either the eroticism of the scene or the narrative integrity of the work as a whole.

This is a good point. However, I have a story about a MILF and her partner and her 18- and 19-yo daughters (his stepdaughters) escaping to a beach house before COVID lockdown comes into effect. After some conflict when everyone is in the hot tub, the MILF takes out a bag of coke and says everyone needs to calm down. She snorts some, and encourages everyone else to do the same. So it is a contributor to everyone losing their inhibitions afterwards. Despite being complete for a long time, I haven't posted the story yet because a reviewer on here pointed out how sleazy the whole setup is, and on reading it again, I agreed. There again, being sleazy (as long as everyone is 18+) kinda goes with the territory, doesn't it?

 

[intim8]

instead of having wild orgasmic sex they have wild orgasmic drug-fueled sex.

Does it reveal something about who she really is (or put that question to her in a concrete way), something that will affect the rest of the story? Or does it have consequences or become a point of conflict that will affect the rest of the story? If not, it's gratuitous.

To me, gratuitious is kind of a writing sin. Even for sex. Even here. Not that I've never done it.

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

This is a simple one. I'm wrapping up my nude day story (a bit late, I know) and I'm debating keeping one scene in. It basically involves two people using a bit of cocaine. I've looked around and I'm assuming its not in violation of any rules on Lit (yes, I know we violated REAL laws using cocaine). Can anyone confirm?

Thank you for asking this, because I wanted to ask the same question and you've saved me a job

 

[TheRedChamber]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. Most people have leant towards including it (or following the 'characters wishes'). A few have cautioned against, but no ones gone 'Oh my God, that's monstrous'.

I wrote a thousand words of cocaine fuel sex last night and came to the conclusion that 'yes, it does add to the story', so odds are I'm keeping it, but I need to see how that ending lands.

 

[Bazzle]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. Most people have leant towards including it (or following the 'characters wishes'). A few have cautioned against, but no ones gone 'Oh my God, that's monstrous'.

I wrote a thousand words of cocaine fuel sex last night and came to the conclusion that 'yes, it does add to the story', so odds are I'm keeping it, but I need to see how that ending lands.

Looking forward to reading what you have written!