Writing How would readers take it if one of the MC's harem members is a non-virgin?

[ForestDweller]

And not only that, but she used to whore her body around for her own purposes?

Of course, that all stops once the she's part of the MC's harem.

Would the masses accept it? Or would it cause controversy and/or rage?

 

[FriendlyDragon]

Based on what's published on this website, I don't think anyone would really care.

 

[NotaNuffian]

And not only that, but she used to whore her body around for her own purposes?

Of course, that all stops once the she's part of the MC's harem.

Would the masses accept it? Or would it cause controversy and/or rage?

So basically if the whole virgin thing is taken seriously.

If you happen to write in JP or perhaps CN, you will definitely face some outrage because of their conservative mentality that still lingers till these days. That being stated, some in the western side might also feel apprehensive about a non-virgin harem member, worse if she used to sell herself, so the backlash is expected. Just prepare for some sad af backstory and pray that the readers have some heart I guess.

If you are writing for western audiences, they would most likely to wave it off, but might be disgusted about the whole prostitution thing unless they like the backstory you provided.

Let's be honest, put yourself in your MC's shoes, would he like the notion, if he is fine about it, put yourself in your audience's shoes, if you think you might not like the notion, maybe it might be good for you to not force yourself to write this through, unless as usual it is a plot point.

 

[OliviaMyriad]

Big brain: Virginity is a dumb concept, and prostitution should be legalized and the stigma ended.
Small brain: Love interest must be a virgin and prostitution is bad.

 

[DragonMage18]

I doubt that most people would care about it.
Tho the writer should be extra carefull while writing her, so the readers don't get the wrong idea about her character.
Well the author should always think about how they write important characters.

 

[ForestDweller]

So basically if the whole virgin thing is taken seriously.

If you happen to write in JP or perhaps CN, you will definitely face some outrage because of their conservative mentality that still lingers till these days. That being stated, some in the western side might also feel apprehensive about a non-virgin harem member, worse if she used to sell herself, so the backlash is expected. Just prepare for some sad af backstory and pray that the readers have some heart I guess.

If you are writing for western audiences, they would most likely to wave it off, but might be disgusted about the whole prostitution thing unless they like the backstory you provided.

Let's be honest, put yourself in your MC's shoes, would he like the notion, if he is fine about it, put yourself in your audience's shoes, if you think you might not like the notion, maybe it might be good for you to not force yourself to write this through, unless as usual it is a plot point.

I am actually pretty excited to write her. I'm a sucker for sad and broken characters and it would be so much fun writing her turn from a villain to a love interest.

I would be forcing myself NOT to write her instead.

 

[Jemini]

Well, for an answer to this question, look no further than a series called "The Death Mage Who Doesn't Want a Fourth Time."

The Death Mage Who Doesn’t Want a Fourth Time - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Literally every single female character period who appears in the first 3 books of the series (aside from the prologue) is a non-virgin and several make up the initial members of the MC's harem. The result? Well, it was originally put out in Japan. It did very poorly in Japan despite how phenomenal the writing was overall. Due to just how good quality it was though, when it got translated and came to the west where we don't care about that s*it all that much, it performed AMAZINGLY well.

So, yeah, people in the west don't care about that stuff. In fact, when I was reading Death Mage, I hardly even noticed. All I was doing was wondering why this amazing series hadn't gotten an anime adaptation yet, and then the first time I was ever even made aware of the problem with all the female characters early on being non-virgins was when I heard that was the reason why it didn't do well in the Japanese market. My jaw dropped, and I just asked "why? WTF Japan!?"

 

[gaylolis]

i don't really care, but it'd be interesting if their mother was a virgin.

 

[BenJepheneT]

i don't really care, but it'd be interesting if their mother was a virgin.

Heyyyyyy, they call you Mary, innit?

 

[Amarathia]

As for the masses, yes for some reason this 'purity' and 'viginity' is like the holy grail at times, but there are still many people who don't agree with that at all. A harem in itself usually means that the MC could have sexual interest in more than one female, so I don't see why females in the harem couldn't have had previous relationships or slept with others before, prostitute or not. Unless they are all fourteen and the MC happens to be their first crush

 

[CupcakeNinja]

And not only that, but she used to whore her body around for her own purposes?

Of course, that all stops once the she's part of the MC's harem.

Would the masses accept it? Or would it cause controversy and/or rage?

Long as she dont have diseases i wouldnt care.

The incels might bitch about it tho. "Heroines have to be virgins REEEEEEE! No sloppy seconds REEEEEEE!"

But they dont matter anyway. Dunno why people like virgins anyway. I dont. Got no fuckin' technique. Get me someone with some damn experience, you know? When she be gobbling my cock i wanna see god, you feel me? Virgins, pfft. Gotta teach em everything smh

 

[LamenThief]

I write a story where FMC is Lust herself... An asshole has already complained that she couldn't be FMC because she wasn't a virgin ... There will always be idiots (who will be virgins forever) with stupid thoughts like that... Virginity is overrated... I never had sex with a virgin, and I have a very good sex life. Sorry my bad eng.

 

[ForestDweller]

I write a story where FMC is Lust herself... An asshole has already complained that she couldn't be FMC because she wasn't a virgin ... There will always be idiots (who will be virgins forever) with stupid thoughts like that... Virginity is overrated... I never had sex with a virgin, and I have a very good sex life. Sorry my bad eng.

Oh, Lust Knight, isn't it?

 

[LamenThief]

Oh, Lust Knight, isn't it?

yep.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Well, for an answer to this question, look no further than a series called "The Death Mage Who Doesn't Want a Fourth Time."

The Death Mage Who Doesn’t Want a Fourth Time - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Literally every single female character period who appears in the first 3 books of the series (aside from the prologue) is a non-virgin and several make up the initial members of the MC's harem. The result? Well, it was originally put out in Japan. It did very poorly in Japan despite how phenomenal the writing was overall. Due to just how good quality it was though, when it got translated and came to the west where we don't care about that s*it all that much, it performed AMAZINGLY well.

So, yeah, people in the west don't care about that stuff. In fact, when I was reading Death Mage, I hardly even noticed. All I was doing was wondering why this amazing series hadn't gotten an anime adaptation yet, and then the first time I was ever even made aware of the problem with all the female characters early on being non-virgins was when I heard that was the reason why it didn't do well in the Japanese market. My jaw dropped, and I just asked "why? WTF Japan!?"

Frankly, I did not know or care about it until someone pointed it out and thought the whole MILF and GILF premise to be hot and was very puzzled why Japan being the country that brings us tentacles and weird sex to be so conservative about it.

 

[AliceShiki]

Most readers are fine with it~

Depending on the culture, the readers might have a hard time dealing with non-virgin characters being openly depicted, but the majority of the western audience are from more liberal cultures, so this is not a problem here.

Write away and have fun~

 

[Ace_Arriande]

A lot of people saying that as long as it's for a Western audience, people won't care, but there is a good portion of them who absolutely do. Even if you're writing a wholesome, fluffy story where it's just casually implied that one of the girls used to have a boyfriend, and thus imply that she's not a 100% virgin, there are going to be some people who complain, particularly in the form of calling both the protagonist and the author a cuck or, to be more modern with stale memes, a simp. These people are still in the minority, of course, but you shouldn't be surprised if and when it happens. Unfortunately, that's just one of the problems of writing anything weeb-y. There's a pretty significant overlap between anime, incels, and... other groups of people commonly associated with incels. Same reason why even having gay side characters gets called pushing an anti-conservative agenda and receives hate mail.

But in the end, write exactly what you want to write and don't worry about the backlash. Staying true to yourself is the most important thing that you can do. Unless you're like, Hitler or you want to kick puppies or something. Please don't stay true to yourself in those cases. You should expect some backlash, but people are going to complain and be upset no matter what you do.

Also, if you're not actually writing anything weeb-y, the amount of people who actually care is going to go way down.

 

[ForestDweller]

A lot of people saying that as long as it's for a Western audience, people won't care, but there is a good portion of them who absolutely do. Even if you're writing a wholesome, fluffy story where it's just casually implied that one of the girls used to have a boyfriend, and thus imply that she's not a 100% virgin, there are going to be some people who complain, particularly in the form of calling both the protagonist and the author a cuck or, to be more modern with stale memes, a simp. These people are still in the minority, of course, but you shouldn't be surprised if and when it happens. Unfortunately, that's just one of the problems of writing anything weeb-y. There's a pretty significant overlap between anime, incels, and... other groups of people commonly associated with incels. Same reason why even having gay side characters gets called pushing an anti-conservative agenda and receives hate mail.

But in the end, write exactly what you want to write and don't worry about the backlash. Staying true to yourself is the most important thing that you can do. Unless you're like, Hitler or you want to kick puppies or something. Please don't stay true to yourself in those cases. You should expect some backlash, but people are going to complain and be upset no matter what you do.

Also, if you're not actually writing anything weeb-y, the amount of people who actually care is going to go way down.

I feel rather than implying it, it would be better if you state it outright. Be honest with the readers, you know.

 

[PrincessFelicie]

So on the one hand I don't think anybody would have a problem with this? Virginity is a made up nonsense concept, sex work is work, go read The Ethical Slut by Easton & Hardy;

On the other hand the way you've asked this question and the language you used tell me you're the last person that should write this. The mere fact you're inherently framing the lady's past as a sex worker as "sad, broken, makes her a villain" (your words, not mine) is blaring like, all of the alarms that you've never even talked to a single sex worker in your entire life, which makes you severely underequipped to write about one.

So: reach out to a sex worker and ask them for some of their time as a sensitivity reader. And, if my feeling is right, prepare to have your mind be blown that sex does not, in fact, "damage" women. They're not goods you know, they're people.

EDIT: that's, of course, assuming you meant "whore her body around" as in was a sex worker. If you meant whore as in was a promiscuous lady, like... slut shaming in 2020, really?

 

[Ace_Arriande]

I feel rather than implying it, it would be better if you state it outright. Be honest with the readers, you know.

By casually imply, I mean more "mention it but don't put up a giant bulletin board of expositional info stating what should be extremely obvious if you know how to read and understand context." You know, like a girl casually complaining about something that one of her ex's did and not bring any more attention to it than that. That one thing alone tells readers that the girl used to be in a relationship. At that point, it's safe to assume that she's potentially done things with her ex. Now, you could have the protagonist be the type of guy who then asks his girlfriend about a bunch of details, wanting to know what she's done with him, and all that... but I'd rather not write a MC who I dislike for being one of those creepy guys obsessed with virginity who needs to know every detail of his girlfriend's prior relationships = P. The casual implication is much healthier for the relationship, less exposition-y than giving the reader every detail, and realistic for most relationships.