# Should I put sex in my story?



## dragon406 (Apr 1, 2013)

I'm writing my first story, it will be about a prostitute and a King and whatnot, anyways, it isn't an out and out sex story. My question is: Is it a good idea to put sex in it? If I were to put it in, it would only be 10-15% of the whole story. I can easily do the story without smut and keep it PG13 if I wanted to.

I'm also debating the gender of the prostitute. I'm gay myself and would like to make it M/M, but I'm not sure if most people would want to read it.

Forgive me if I'm too self-conscious, I just want to make a good one. I realize that I can't please everyone, just wanted to see what you all think

Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated!


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## Kalmor (Apr 1, 2013)

I'd say just put in what you feel comfortable writing. I don't know what else really.


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## Butters Shikkon (Apr 1, 2013)

If it advances the story, why not? And I wouldn't worry about the sex of the character as you should really write for yourself if you are a beginner.


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## anothersacrifice (Apr 1, 2013)

Write what you know. If you feel comfortable writing out a sex scene then don't do it. If you think it will advance the story then you can add it in, but if you are just putting it in for the sake of itself and don't really want to, then just allude to it and skip the detail. 

Also there are plenty of people around here that will most certainly read a M/M story. A good portion of the FA furry population are gay (or at least bi) males, and there are also plenty of people that like slash stories regardless of their own orientation.


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## Namba (Apr 2, 2013)

Going into extreme graphic detail, to me at least, is kind of a turn off to a good story. If it's done right, and it furthers the plot, I have no problem with it. If it's just sex for the sake of having sex in it... then really, what's the point?


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## Troj (Apr 2, 2013)

Like I've said before, a sex scene should function very much like any other kind of scene, in that it should either a) advance the plot, or b) establish or deepen your characters, and their motivations.

You'll have to lay out, in your own mind (and even, on paper, if it helps) the pros and cons of adding a sex scene to your story, as well as the pros and cons of various possible approaches to such a scene (e.g., graphic vs. vague).

You have to ask yourself if you're comfortable with writing such a scene; how you can ensure the scene is in the service of the characters and plot; how/if you can avoid having the scene come across as crass or silly; and how/if you can ensure that the scene supports, rather than undermines, the likability or believability of your characters.


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## Schwimmwagen (Apr 2, 2013)

Well if the story is about a Prostitute and a King as its selling point, it'd be wierd _not_ to put the sex in it.

But if an explicit sex scene adds nothing, then don't bother. Don't go 50 shades on us, OP.


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## Sarcastic Coffeecup (Apr 2, 2013)

It's about a prostitoot, it would be odd to have a story of some without sex :/


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## Namba (Apr 2, 2013)

Gibby said:


> Well if the story is about a Prostitute and a King as its selling point, it'd be wierd _not_ to put the sex in it.
> 
> But if an explicit sex scene adds nothing, then don't bother. *Don't go 50 shades on us, OP.*



Hahaha!


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## iconmaster (Apr 2, 2013)

I'd keep away form shoe-horning in a sex scene if you hadn't planned for one. You wouldn't want to have a gimmick like that in your story, no? If you're okay with the sex scene, and it helps the plot, then sure I guess.


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## Heliophobic (Apr 2, 2013)

Well if it's about a prostitute then it'd seem rather silly to avoid putting sex in it.


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## CaptainCool (Apr 3, 2013)

I don't know anything about the characters but I agree, a story about a prostitute without sex seems a little weird.
But it also allows you to play with that subject since she IS a prostitute! For example, how would a prostitute, who has to deal with sex in a rather professional way, deal with having an actual intimate relationship? Or did she enjoy her work so much that sex in a relationship would become weird because of that?
It's an interesting scenario that really does give you lots of options.


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## Trent (Apr 4, 2013)

I'm a bit surprised that so many people are going straight to prostitute -> sex. I mean, yes, it is what I would expect if you're going to make a point of having a character with that profession. At the same time, as a quick example of how it wouldn't be "weird", you could be writing about a prostitute, where the stories only take place during her "off time", and even mention whatever happened most recently during "work" in a sentence or two, and how it affects the rest of their life.

As far as including a sex scene, like everyone else has been saying, don't force one in. It's true that "sex sells" and you'll probably get more views if you have such a scene, but I think it's more important to develop writing skills which don't rely on *forcing* a gimmick, plus unless this is a one-off, you'll want to cultivate a readership that actually enjoys reading the rest of the story for the sake of the story. A customer who reads your work just to get their rocks off real quick may or may not care to keep up with the story elements.

So, without more information, I'd agree with previous posters and say don't go for a sex scene if you don't think it adds to the story.


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## Poetigress (Apr 4, 2013)

Trent said:


> I'm a bit surprised that so many people are going straight to prostitute -> sex.



Same here. It might be difficult to write a story about a prostitute that didn't reference or allude to sexual activity somewhere (like it'd be hard to write a story about a veterinarian that didn't reference animals somewhere), but that's doesn't necessarily mean you have to have detailed scenes of explicit sex. (I mean, _Pretty Woman_ was about a prostitute, and I don't remember it being rated NC-17.) 

Of course, the big question then becomes, how do you know if it adds to the story? I would say that if something happens during a sex scene that the reader needs to experience along with that character in order to understand something important about the character or the story, then that scene probably needs to be there. If nothing happens out of the ordinary, then it's probably a scene that could be summarized or alluded to instead of fully dramatized and shown to the reader. (Unless, of course, you want to show that the whole act _is_ very ordinary to the main character, in which case you might want something more explicit in terms of including details, so you can show the character being businesslike and nonchalant, but you still might not need to linger over every bit of description, and you probably wouldn't need to do a scene like that more than once.)

In short - if you can easily do the story without getting explicit and don't feel you've lost anything important, then that probably means it's not necessary. 

And yeah, m/m is no problem in furry. I'd be more worried about readership if it were anything else, honestly.


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## Mullerornis (Apr 4, 2013)

It should also bear to remind everyone that a sex scene doesn't have to be explicit.


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