Would you want categories for male and female POV?

[Charmolypi]

Here’s an idea to debate: Would you want new categories specifically for male and female POV stories? That is, would you be interested in writing or reading stories where the story’s POV shamelessly caters to that gender?

What’s a male vs female POV? That would be up to the author to choose and the readers to confirm. Sometimes I read stories and come away thinking, that was depressingly catered to a male or female POV. I would be game to see if separate categories could reduce the misalignment of my POV with the author’s. Authors would like the challenge of testing their stories to see if they can cross over and appeal of the other POV. It wouldn’t be perfect and it invites all kinds of views about what gender, a male vs female POV and all that. But I would still read and I would probably write.

 

[Hypoxia]

LIT will supposedly eliminate categories and shift totally to tags. Hold not thy breath. And I doubt many authors will announce the POV(s) of a tale, which can shift.

 

[SimonDoom]

Here’s an idea to debate: Would you want new categories specifically for male and female POV stories? That is, would you be interested in writing or reading stories where the story’s POV shamelessly caters to that gender?

What’s a male vs female POV? That would be up to the author to choose and the readers to confirm. Sometimes I read stories and come away thinking, that was depressingly catered to a male or female POV. I would be game to see if separate categories could reduce the misalignment of my POV with the author’s. Authors would like the challenge of testing their stories to see if they can cross over and appeal of the other POV. It wouldn’t be perfect and it invites all kinds of views about what gender, a male vs female POV and all that. But I would still read and I would probably write.

No. I wouldn't want this. The only way it would work is if stories could be published in multiple categories, and that's not the way it's done now.

I think the percentage of Lit readers who choose stories by whether the POV is male or female is probably rather small, so this would make no sense in terms of helping readers find stories they want to read.

 

[Handley_Page]

No. I wouldn't want this. The only way it would work is if stories could be published in multiple categories, and that's not the way it's done now.

I think the percentage of Lit readers who choose stories by whether the POV is male or female is probably rather small, so this would make no sense in terms of helping readers find stories they want to read.

I agree

 

[SamScribble]

Here’s an idea to debate: Would you want new categories specifically for male and female POV stories?

No.

 

[Charmolypi]

LIT will supposedly eliminate categories and shift totally to tags. Hold not thy breath. And I doubt many authors will announce the POV(s) of a tale, which can shift.

They usually announce them unintentionally.

Tags would be great.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

To each their own, I guess, but I personally don't find it all that necessary. If you do, by all means try to sell it to Laurel and Manu.

 

[Paul_Chance]

I'm all for tags and POV would be a good tag. There are readers for whom POV matters and it's all about the reader.

 

[Hypoxia]

None of my stories are 2nd person. Many of my tales use 3rd-person takes: omniscient, subjective, objective, free/indirect, alternating. My 1st-person pieces are obviously told by a male or female human, but sometimes POV changes within the story -- it's told by multiple voices. I may write pieces told by inanimate objects: a mirror, bed, mandolin, light bulb, condom, dildo, whatever. A gender reveal is unnecessary or irrelevant.

See Wikipedia: Narration for lots of stuff on narrative POVs and voices.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Here’s an idea to debate: Would you want new categories specifically for male and female POV stories? That is, would you be interested in writing or reading stories where the story’s POV shamelessly caters to that gender?

Not me. I have too many stories that shift POV.

What does "shamelessly cater to to that gender" actually mean? As an illustration, I know that GM has a huge audience amongst women, because they want to read about men being intimate with each other (intimacy perhaps not happening in their hetero relationships, or in their hetero content). Whose gender is being catered for there?

 

[KeithD]

I haven't thought in terms of categorizing by gender POV, although I have separate accounts and the gender POV does get involved in what account I submit it in. What I've found I've been doing of late with bisexual POV, having given up on literotica establishing a separate category for that, is tagging tagging them "male perspective bisexual," because I can see that perspective makes a difference with readers of bisexual works. If I expand production here on that, I'll open a new account that specializes in that perspective.

 

[KeithD]

As an illustration, I know that GM has a huge audience amongst women, because they want to read about men being intimate with each other (intimacy perhaps not happening in their hetero relationships, or in their hetero content). Whose gender is being catered for there?

I agree that women read in GM and even read mine. But my own response to your question is that I write to the active, more masculine gay male in this account but am happy if women and more effeminate men want to read the stories too. The users who just want to open up the story to zap Lit. including GM, not so much.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Here’s an idea to debate: Would you want new categories specifically for male and female POV stories? That is, would you be interested in writing or reading stories where the story’s POV shamelessly caters to that gender?

What’s a male vs female POV? That would be up to the author to choose and the readers to confirm. Sometimes I read stories and come away thinking, that was depressingly catered to a male or female POV. I would be game to see if separate categories could reduce the misalignment of my POV with the author’s. Authors would like the challenge of testing their stories to see if they can cross over and appeal of the other POV. It wouldn’t be perfect and it invites all kinds of views about what gender, a male vs female POV and all that. But I would still read and I would probably write.

No, I would not want that, but perhaps an option to note the POV would be useful in some cases.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Here’s an idea to debate: Would you want new categories specifically for male and female POV stories? That is, would you be interested in writing or reading stories where the story’s POV shamelessly caters to that gender?

I think you may be conflating "POV" with "target audience". They're not the same thing. Sometimes people do choose POV to match their intended audience, but not always - for instance, a lot of female-female porn is made primarily for male viewers, etc. etc.

(And Thomas the Tank Engine is told from the perspective of a train, but most of the readers/viewers aren't trains...)

If there was an option for avoiding stories that are playing to a specific gender, I might use it, but I don't think it'd be practical to implement. It's just too subjective to assess.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Why?

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm all for tags and POV would be a good tag. There are readers for whom POV matters and it's all about the reader.

Agreed.

More robust tag and search functionality is, I think, the big step this site can and should take to enhance the experience for readers and authors. The story archive on this site is so vast that better tools are needed to help readers and authors connect with one another. Advanced tag and search capability is needed, and customized reader hub pages would be helpful too.

 

[Hypoxia]

This has probably been debated before but here goes.

Categories, pro: convenient
Cats, con: sloppy, confusing

Tags, pro: search and be warned
Tags, con: they can be a maze

Discuss.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Now, I just submitted a story not 10 minutes ago. It is written in first person, the POV is of a woman. The story contains a bunch of different lit category stuff. I submitted it all in one fell swoop into Novels and Novellas, when I could have submitted it to...a half dozen other categories. It is however 92,000 words long.

Now would I also post it to the female POV category? Or just tag is that way? I can always add tags after it publishes.

 

[AfterDusk]

...I am surprised no one has mentioned that a female/male category is inherently noninclusive of transgender folks. I therefore submit that we use the tags 'schle,' 'schlim' and 'schler' to avoid the restraints of gender.

I once wrote a story from the point of view of a coffee pot. It was tragic.

Also, I do feel that if nothing else the categories need some refreshing; there's a huge difference between sci-fi and fantasy, imo. Sometimes I'm just looking for some good alien porn and I end up reading about elves and ogres. Not my cup of tea. Perhaps there should be an entire category dedicated to 'drows' or 'werewolves' because there are plenty of folk who seem to drone on about those two things.

 

[rutger5]

Also, I do feel that if nothing else the categories need some refreshing; there's a huge difference between sci-fi and fantasy, imo. Sometimes I'm just looking for some good alien porn and I end up reading about elves and ogres. Not my cup of tea. Perhaps there should be an entire category dedicated to 'drows' or 'werewolves' because there are plenty of folk who seem to drone on about those two things.

Even in brick/mortar bookstores (do they still exist?) it was common to group sci-fi and fantasy together in one section. I think back in the day it was because both categories were read by fringe oddball types and weren't considered actual literature.

 

[LupusDei]

Even in brick/mortar bookstores (do they still exist?) it was common to group sci-fi and fantasy together in one section. I think back in the day it was because both categories were read by fringe oddball types and weren't considered actual literature.

Last I looked there still was some brick&mortar bookstores around here, doing rather well, but that might be local specific with literature obsessed folks specifically cherishing ancient tradition and national shit. And yes, they still sort syfy and fantasy together right next to fringe spirituality stuff at one end and alternative history stuff in the other, but I think the real reason is a bit different: while hard science fiction and canonical high fantasy fanfic are indeed wolds away, they're actually the far ends of a continuous spectrum no concrete watershed can't nor should be drawn trough. When a completely made up magi-tech backed up by nothing more than senseless techno babble at best cross into the realm of pure fantasy? When a well researched ethnographic tradition of practical magic or alternative history cross the border of scientific possibility? And then there stuff that don't have even close as well defined paradigms as in my questions, or will mix those concepts freely intentionally.

 

[Tanuki]

This has probably been debated before but here goes.

Categories, pro: convenient
Cats, con: sloppy, confusing

Tags, pro: search and be warned
Tags, con: they can be a maze

Discuss.

I find if I'm in the mood for a particular kink, tags will help me find it, but if that was the only option I'd probably miss a lot of great stories.

One of the best ways I find stories I like is to look at people who favorite me or one of my stories, and see what/who else they favorited - I find great stories and authors that way.

 

[jehoram]

In my stories, the point of view is established very early on ... in the second paragraph at the latest. That way, the readers know what they're getting into right away. So there's not much use for the category.

I wouldn't mind tags, though.

 

[Hypoxia]

I find if I'm in the mood for a particular kink, tags will help me find it, but if that was the only option I'd probably miss a lot of great stories.

So maybe the current mixed cats+tags mashup is best, combined with googling and begging for help. My own kinks are pretty modest, but I'm attracted to well-written dramas, and neither cats not tags will lead me there.

One of the best ways I find stories I like is to look at people who favorite me or one of my stories, and see what/who else they favorited - I find great stories and authors that way.

That works -- also, finding a good story, then following that author, no matter the categories or votes. I use the LIT Android app a lot because I can pre-load 11 stories or chapters and my tablet is often out of WiFi range. I work my way through good authors, a chunk at a time.

 

[MrDevereaux]

No.

My thoughts precisely.