[AlexG]

This is mainly directly at the writers on the forum rather then the readers, but their input would be interesting to hear from as well.  8)

Whereas I limited my previous thread of vice to the arena of smoking, this one, as a continuation of it will involve characters that are decidedly users of alcohol and/or drugs.

Philosophical elements of legality, vs. illegality and/or the morality vs. immorality of such usage might be an issue in a story.  Usage could be one of abusive, even misusage or just as easily an aspect of responsible usage for occasional relaxation.

In addition, I’m not limiting it to recreational drugs (Marijuana, et al) – it could also be a character using plausible real world gear (steroids, et al) to jack up their physique, rather then those involving some kind of fantasy-magical growth serum.  Such has been repeated discussed elsewhere and isn’t germane to this thread.

As a writer have you ever included such a character as a part of a story or if you haven't up until now, would you considered including one?

If so, as the principal hero / heroine of the story – or as the villain / villainette of the story – or simply as one of the supporting characters, major or minor of the story?

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[Hunter S Creek]

Cool topic, Alex!

Although I try to add some depth and a sense of development to my characters, they do live in a decidedly wholesome universe.  Other than some relatively mild sexual situations, they tend not to partake in much that would be considered illegal or immoral.  If I did include a character who ran counter to this, she/he'd be a villain and would undoubtedly have his/her comeuppance
And, I should mention, it is precisely this lack of spice and sex, that usually accounts for most of the criticisms that I receive.  Fortunately there have been some readers over the years who point to the relative wholesomeness as a positive respite from the usual.

Tschuss!
Hunter

[ScottG]

I guess my response to your question would be, since most of the girls in the stories acheive their size by other than natural means, then it really doesn't matter.

[Vollar-Tile]

I guess my response to your question would be, since most of the girls in the stories acheive their size by other than natural means, then it really doesn't matter.

*rimshot!*

But that aside, I probably wouldn't. Smoking is okay, but stuff like real world addictive drugs (besides smoking) can break the fantasy, depending on how your world is based in your writing. If anything I'd make up a fake drug of similar effect if I wanted to write a story about that.

[Cowprobe]

I believe it depends on the story being told. People are vulnerable to all sorts of temptations both lawmakers and violators alike. Depends on how I'd exploit the issue to serve the entertainment of myself and folks that might read it. Anything morosely cautionary might be too much of a downer to explore on paper. That being said if I was to look at plateau to install a moral judgment on it would be a soap box made from delicate glass.

I like my fictional Substance-users blissfully ignorant of the less than equal footing they'll face both from society and their rebalanced hierarchy of needs. More 'Cheech and Chong' than 'Trainspotting' and the 'Basketball Diaries'.

Seeing folks trapped within themselves with or without a 'substantial' assist is frightening. Exploring the line between addiction and love might be nice in story format.

I've written one fan-fiction where the characters were surrounded by and users of illicit substances. However it took place in Rockstar's "Grand Theft Auto;Vice City" which was the better of the two games based on the movie "Scarface". The plot device that saved the day was actually uncut 'Spank' being illicitly refined cocoa within Rockstar's crime games. The 'evil' plot device was Soviet breast implants hopefully an absurd enough balance.

Since it was in a video game setting based on a movie about the drug wars in the early 80's it seemed a matter of being accurate and capitalizing on the allure of ill-dressed psychopaths blasting each other to smithereens.

[10-4]

Writing a story, I'd be willing to go just about anywhere. Characters using drugs is just one option of many.

No law of writing says that a character, even a fem muscle character, needs to be pure, or even good. They could be outright evil, pure as angles or anything in between. You may end up sacrificing elements of fantasy for drama, but that's part of the art of writing fiction.

[demented20]

I'd be all for it if it adds something to the character or to the story.  It all depends on how real or how fanciful you want your world to be.  If a story starts out and the world is light, airy and obviously a fantasy realm, then all of the sudden the heroine starts snorting a line of cocaine, you might have a problem there.

I have a character named Moria Kelly who started out as a villain.  Lisa Sanchez was my first super strong character, and I realized early on that she had to have an enemy to fight, so I came up with Moira.  She was a chemistry professor and strength athlete who used to do well in powerlifting shows until she found that some of the other competitors were using an illegal synthetic steroid.  She fell into using it, and after a while she used her knowledge of chemistry to make the drug even better.  She spent 12 years of her life working on the drug and on her body.  She of course became immensely strong, but it had consequences.

This type of story is not for everybody, but its worked pretty well for me.  A character with a little dirt under their nails gives you all sorts of things to write about to keep the stories fresh and new.  I also have a character who is a borderline alcoholic.  To me, in the world that my characters live in, it makes sense.

I would love to read a story where a main character is a good person who uses her strength and skills for the greater good, but she has a dirty secret.  She uses 'roids or whatever to get the strength to do the things she does.  There are all sorts of possible angles there.

[AlexG]

I guess my response to your question would be, since most of the girls in the stories achieve their size by other than natural means, then it really doesn't matter.

I believe you may have misunderstood me, I only included enhancement drugs to be all-inclusive, rather then restricting the parameters of the thread to only recreational-type drugs.  The use of gear, in my opinion qualities as a vice, even if don't get a direct chemical high off if it.

(Though some would point to the increased sexual drive and power-strength while using gear as form of chemically induced high, too, so I'm not going to argue against that part.)

The central question is about vice in the form of alcohol and/or drugs as an element to a story, as pertaining to certain characters.  Again, I stressed the fact (see my original posting) that it could be anyone, the hero, the heroine, the villain, the villainette or one of the supporting characters, major or minor of the story.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[AlexG]

Cool topic, Alex!

Thank you, I figured that you find this subject intellectual intriguing.  😉  8)

Although I try to add some depth and a sense of development to my characters, they do live in a decidedly wholesome universe.  Other than some relatively mild sexual situations, they tend not to partake in much that would be considered illegal or immoral.  If I did include a character who ran counter to this, she/he'd be a villain and would undoubtedly have his/her comeuppance

The illegal or immoral, part came up in the back of my mind, as something of a libertarian example for discussion.  I can recall many yrs back some stories that I came across where it seemed just about every female character was using gear to boost their physiques, but was not without its long term consequences to them, physically, as a result of their usage.

And, I should mention, it is precisely this lack of spice and sex, that usually accounts for most of the criticisms that I receive.  Fortunately there have been some readers over the years who point to the relative wholesomeness as a positive respite from the usual.

Then you're in good company, Hi-Standard was much the same.  ;D

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[10-4]

I should mention, it is precisely this lack of spice and sex, that usually accounts for most of the criticisms that I receive.

That's pretty much par for the course.

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