Ever put a public service announcement in your work?

[AchtungNight]

One of my earliest stories, The Rendezvous (chapter 5), has a public service announcement in it. The four lead characters are in a nightclub discussing their swinging relationship. A groper interrupts their conversation, makes an unwelcome advance on one of them. The victim quickly pulls away. The most physical of the group then proceeds to beat the groper up with taekwondo while the smartest character calls for help and three others (the diplomat who’s been getting herself and the others together as swingers, my club manager author avatar, and a witness intended as romantic partner for the physical character) observe the situation. A bouncer then steps in, ejects the groper from the club, and calms everyone down. The four lead characters, all women, then awkwardly resume their conversation, brought closer by the incident.

I was thinking back on this scene today as I added author’s notes to the story on another website that lacks social media. Seventeen years later, I’m still not entirely comfortable with why I wrote it. My muses demanded the scene at the time. I find evidence in this that they are in fact good beings and not the opposite. Maybe the fact that I had so much uncomfortable content in the story already also necessitated the release. The four lead characters are all full of various resentments- all are serial swingers of one sort or another who must hide what they are from the general public. All are bisexual women in their late teens or mid twenties. One is a member of a misunderstood controversial religion, another is a genius constantly redefining her identity, another has been denying her own bisexuality until an earlier part of the story, the fourth is a budding sexual predator (but the good kind, the real life actress I based her on has since become a major influencer in the Me Too movement). Need I mention all these characters are based on real people to some degree?

Have you ever had to do anything like this in your own stories? What are your thoughts on the experience? Please help me remember I am not alone. Thank you to anyone who answers.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

the fourth is a budding sexual predator (but the good kind

lolwat

I mean, I can imagine a few things it might mean but they all depend on a rather "wouldn't that be awesome if it never, ever actually happened to me" understanding of "the good kind" of sexual predator. Whereas this looks like a relatively serious post. So I'm confused.

 

[AchtungNight]

The same character beats down the groper, if that helps you. She’s like a king snake on venomous snakes, a predator on predators.

The same thing later happens with the actress on whom I based the victim. She plays a police detective hunting down people like the groper in a recent tv show. Does that help you?

If you think I am ashamed I wrote this story, you’re right. But I’m also glad. And I hope I’m not alone.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

Yes, that makes sense.

 

[AchtungNight]

Social commentary. Things like the groper beat up and thrown out of the nightclub. Or a paparazzo almost beat up, his camera confiscated, and his career constantly shamed in other stories. Or a controversial controlling spin doctor backing the paparazzo getting banished to a labor camp where she must learn to appreciate diversity. That sort of thing.

 

[emme8]

PSA never because my topic was potentially offensive.

But I will discuss mental illness. Because I think it is so prevalent and misunderstood if I can make a few sentences almost flow in the story, I'm including them.

In a story I have not yet published, I have my FMC discuss the sexual side effects she has from her antianxiety medicine and other ways of managing the anxiety.

 

[jsmiam]

In a way, different to your way, yes.

Most of my stories subtly, or not so subtly include “intelligent” sex lessons for the millions of people (some impressionable) who think what they see in porn is real.

Like, in real life vs porn, use lubrication for anal. Avoid cross-contaminating the vagina with the same finger, tongue, or penis that was just in or touching an ass. That (I’m a male) my penis alone no matter how studly and awesome I am probably won’t magically create the woman’s orgasm. That beds are comfortable and that kitchen counters and picnic benches aren’t. That outdoor anal sex in the woods in summer is gonna attract flies, that female squirting is pee. (I know, I know: those last two, “eww but true”). My apologies. ;-)

Just a few words at the most, eased into a sentence and (hopefully) not preachy. Mostly by presenting the concept that possessing half a brain is a positive trait.

 

[Codoc24]

I don't know if it would be called a PSA, but I had one story where the male protagonist was verbally, physically, and emotionally abused (not sexual) for years as a child. As an adult, he is dealing with mental issues due to the abuse and is considering suicide. After the end of the story, I put phone numbers people could call for suicide, child abuse, domestic abuse, and/or mental health issues.

 

[stickygirl]

Sure - there's a moral thread in most of my stories particularly regarding trans issues and latterly autism as well. Not exactly PSA, but telling the story with a foot in contact with reality.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I don't think I've ever written a story with the intention of it being a PSA, but my stories reflect my values and interests. I write about autistic characters, people trying to be good to one another, relationships between people from different backgrounds, and sometimes readers take something from that. I've had several "after reading this, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm autistic" comments on Red Scarf, and a "this got me rethinking some of my prejudices" on Copper Coin.

 

[AchtungNight]

I don't think I've ever written a story with the intention of it being a PSA, but my stories reflect my values and interests. I write about autistic characters, people trying to be good to one another, relationships between people from different backgrounds, and sometimes readers take something from that. I've had several "after reading this, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm autistic" comments on Red Scarf, and a "this got me rethinking some of my prejudices" on Copper Coin.

I have written with the same goals and ideas many times. I am glad to hear someone has shared and achieved the same goals. Thank you.

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

For the story side, I think the good and the bad are spelled out in my stories so I can't think (at the moment, anyway) of feeling the need to address them in a PSA type format. However, I have included a PSA on the symptoms of heart attacks (the very top of the last page of Christmas Past, Christmas Present--Chapter 1) and PTSD in a non-erotic story on another site. You never know when something you write in a story will set a reader to thinking of how an event in the story relates to something in their own life so a brief reference might help someone someday.

 

[AnnieLit]

Intensionally - no. Not intentionally probably yes, since on a couple of my stories I got comments that they were very "educational". They are BDSM, female domination at that, but a very realistic femdom, not the cartoonish version like most of the Lit stories on the topic. Basically, I write what I know, and since not that many people do it this way, these stories end up providing some education.

 

[NoTalentHack]

It depends how you mean it? I have content warnings on some stories. In one case, in a story that ends in the suicide of the main character, I had a big warning saying “don’t read this if you are depressed, suicidal, or are worried that you might hurt yourself,” along with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline number.

In terms of like a “message?” Not in a “very special episode” kind of way. But I have talked about psychology, addiction, etc. as parts of character background/motivation. The Voice of Experience is the latest one I’ve done that in.

 

[PhiloDaddy]

I am considering an erotic but cautionary tale about human trafficking with the goal of warning readers to watch out for scam artists, users and abusers online.