Do Moderators change story categories ?

[RetroFan]

It does happen if a story is submitted in a category that contains sex scenes that belong in a 'trump' category.

For example, Incest/Taboo trumps nearly every other category, so if an author tried to sneak in a story into Loving Wives about a wife who is having an affair with her first cousin or her stepbrother, it would be quickly moved to IT when it gets published.

 

[ElectricBlue]

They only places that readers specifically look to less is how to, letters/transcripts and non-erotic.

Here you go again. How do you know this? Where's the data set that shows reader search patterns? I'd like to see that, but I don't think it exists.

It's a little at odds with your theory that there are 73400 stories in EC, making it the largest category on the site, larger than I&T, nearly twice as many as in LW. Someone is reading all those stories.

Its current No.1 story has a score of 4.94 off 96.8k views and 74 faves and 78 comments. That's not too shabby.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Here you go again. How do you know this? Where's the data set that shows reader search patterns? I'd like to see that, but I don't think it exists.

It's a little at odds with your theory that there are 73400 stories in EC, making it the largest category on the site, larger than I&T, nearly twice as many as in LW. Someone is reading all those stories.

Its current No.1 story has a score of 4.94 off 96.8k views and 74 faves and 78 comments. That's not too shabby.

Why is it that my observations are always dismissed as baseless anecdotes, yet your anecdotes are perfectly fine to debunk anything that I say? I actually do have an answer for your question comparing EC and IT, but before we can continue this discussion we have to decide if anecdotal evidence counts or not. What's your input on that?

 

[StillStunned]

Laurel recategorised "Lily and Rose". I thought it should go in EC, to follow my two previous "Loving Lily" stories, but she put it in Lesbian. I'm not sure it made much difference.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Why is it that my observations are always dismissed as baseless anecdotes, yet your anecdotes are perfectly fine to debunk anything that I say? I actually do have an answer for your question comparing EC and IT, but before we can continue this discussion we have to decide if anecdotal evidence counts or not. What's your input on that?

You're not making observations or anecdotes, you're making definitive statements, but you don't provide evidence to back them. This is what you wrote:

The only places that readers specifically look to less is how to, letters/transcripts and non-erotic.

That's a fairly precise statement, is it not?

Sure, Incest stories will beat EC hands down for View counts, we all know that, so don't bother with any sort of comparison there. But if you reckon EC is a backwater, drop some maths on the table to show that. That's all I'm asking.

 

[NaturalHammer]

The answer is 100% yes. I've had a series moved to a different category, months after it was published. I guess they had plenty of people reporting / moaning about it. Bugged me when I first noticed it but now 'whatever'.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Sure, Incest stories will beat EC hands down for View counts, we all know that, so don't bother with any sort of comparison there. But if you reckon EC is a backwater, drop some maths on the table to show that. That's all I'm asking.

You just compared it. And your conclusion on that comparison shoots down your own original argument. So I guess it doesn't matter that I'm not allowed to make it because you just did it anyways. Your rules, not mine, but thanks.

It's a forum discussion. One does not need to submit a scientific paper make an assertion here. I don't understand why you've been getting so pissed with me. And when you start your response to me with an eyeroll like ...

Here you go again.

Don't try tell me that I'm misreading your tone. What gives?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Don't try tell me that I'm misreading your tone. What gives?

Because you repeatedly make assertions and statements without basis, without any evidence, yet you project them as facts. You present them as truths, not mere observation or anecdotes.

When people come to the AH seeking advice, which is what any sensible newcomer would do, I feel that your "statements" - which you'll agree are often quite forcefully made - are misleading to a newbie, and misrepresent things about the site.

That's why I ask, "What's the basis of that statement?" If it was couched as an observation, with caveats that do that, I wouldn't bother.

Perhaps I've been in business too long. When someone asserts something in my world, I expect them to back it up.

Simply put, in this particular instance, there's no way you can know what goes on in a reader's mind when they choose a category to read. But you've very confidently stated that Erotic Couplings is the fourth last category they specifically go to.

But we're both a bit tired of this, and everyone else will be too, so I'll stop challenging silly statements if you stop making them. That's my way of calling a truce .

 

[BBlaketbv]

Yes, happened to me with my very first story.
It is part 1 of a series. It's about a guy going on vacation with two friends and his two sisters. In the first part I specifically did not include any brother-sister action. I was thinking it might make readers more interested in part 2, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to write incest stories. (Part 2 did have it, and it was fun. Still working on part 3)

I put it in exhib/voyeur, as that would fit the best. But when it released the category was changed to the incest/taboo.

It doesn't bother me at all, and I understand that decision.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Simply put, in this particular instance, there's no way you can know what goes on in a reader's mind when they choose a category to read. But you've very confidently stated that Erotic Couplings is the fourth last category they specifically go to.

Yes. It most likely is. Fine. I didn't specifically use the terms probably or highly likely or almost certainly. It's a hobby forum, not a PhD. How long of a disclaimer do you want me to attach to every post I make? Nobody else does. And plenty of people state things with no official data nor evidence here every day (and you don't attack them).

My assertion is that EC is the worst category for exposure. Why? Because it's probably the only category where the hits don't keep up with the postings. Even micro categories like How To have people specifically searching for How Tos in it and get you traffic. Ask yourself honestly, how many people specifically sit down to search EC for something vanilla. If you think that it's proportional to those looking for a minor category like say ... Toys, you're kidding yourself.

If 2% of the submissions are anal, and 2% of the readers are hitting anal, then that's even exposure.
If 15% of the submissions are LW, and and 20% of the readers are hitting LW, that's good exposure.
If 20% of the submissions are vanilla EC and only 10% of the readers are hitting vanilla EC, that's bad exposure.

This makes even the small category of anal a much better place to be seen than EC where your story gets lost in a murky unspecific swamp.

You can jig the numbers about but I don't need a statistical analysis to tell me that that's what's happening. I can see it obviously.

If you want to be seen, the best situation is a category with low submissions and high viewings. IT is high postings and high traffic, so even though the menu is several pages, your dish will be seen. Anal or Toys are much lower traffic but also lower postings to match, so even though there are fewer customers, your dish stands out on the menu. EC has very high postings and relatively low traffic. It is the best place for your dish to get lost - hence the worst place for visibility.

You even agreed with this.

Sure, Incest stories will beat EC hands down for View counts, we all know that, so don't bother with any sort of comparison there. But if you reckon EC is a backwater, drop some maths on the table to show that. That's all I'm asking.

Yes, that makes it a 'backwater', your word, not mine. Two categories almost the same size in submissions yet staggeringly different amounts of views. That is the very definition of the back 40 sticks.

Then there is the category page with the last 25 submissions on it. EC has like 15 new stories per day. That means that your EC story will be lucky to stay on that first 25 page for 2 days. In EV there are maybe 6 new stories per day. Your piece will probably get five days of exposure, to people specifically looking for EV. An unknown writer will probably get twice the hits in that first week than in EC.

But we're both a bit tired of this, and everyone else will be too, so I'll stop challenging silly statements if you stop making them. That's my way of calling a truce .

Truce? I've never been on the offensive with you nor anyone else. You're the one firing the bullets and you want a truce? I make an assertion, an observation, a statement, which is the essence of discussion. You attack me for it, which is fine, but then you blame me for the conflict?

What do you mean by truce? If I stop talking then you'll stop attacking them? That's not a truce. That's you getting everything that you want and me getting nothing. If you want to bargain with someone, first you have to bring something to the table.

Truce? If that's what you really want just stop shooting at me. Or don't. Up to you.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes. It most likely is. Fine. I didn't specifically use the terms probably or highly likely or almost certainly. It's a hobby forum, not a PhD. How long of a disclaimer do you want me to attach to every post I make? Nobody else does. And plenty of people state things with no official data nor evidence here every day (and you don't attack them).

You backed your case, finally. I think that's the first time you've done that, which is all I was ever asking. Thank you.

 

[TheDok]

I have spent far too much time today thinking about this and looking at each category trying to find a home for my light-on-sex style in this particular story. That category doesn't exist. The last thing I want to do is throw R-rated chapters - or soft porn - into a category where readers are seeking full-on, graphic sex scenes. So far, in erotic couplings, my reassigned chapter has been met with indifference.

I'm beginning to think my style and content have no home in Literotica.

Fortunately style and content do have a place on the site Look up authors such as SouthernCrossfire, ElorraButler, TarnishedPenny. MaydayPilot, RiverMaya, Paul4play, KachinaDoll, BlissMara, elizaloo and 29wordsforsnow to mention but a few

 

[dadadadiox]

Fortunately style and content do have a place on the site Look up authors such as SouthernCrossfire, ElorraButler, TarnishedPenny. MaydayPilot, RiverMaya, Paul4play, KachinaDoll, BlissMara, elizaloo and 29wordsforsnow to mention but a few.

I was in a pissy mood when I wrote that, obsessing over my reassignment to EC. I accidentally found the prude-porn boundary in the non-erotic genre and will learn from that misstep. When I submit next I will request that Laurel simply reject any chapters that cross the line so I can rewrite and comply.

 

[TruthwithaTwist]

Yes. I had one of mine moved - I think from Erotic Coupling to Mature? Don't remember details, but Laurel was probably right!

 

[StillStunned]

Fortunately style and content do have a place on the site Look up authors such as SouthernCrossfire, ElorraButler, TarnishedPenny. MaydayPilot, RiverMaya, Paul4play, KachinaDoll, BlissMara, elizaloo and 29wordsforsnow to mention but a few

You say this as if (based on the post you quoted) full-on erotica generally lacks style and content.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

You say this as if (based on the post you quoted) full-on erotica generally lacks style and content.

Well, one can't deny that the readership here can be very very forgiving in this regard.

 

[TheDok]

You say this as if (based on the post you quoted) full-on erotica generally lacks style and content.

That’s not what I’m saying at all. Apologies if you misunderstood. Many of the authors I have mentioned write explicit and full on erotic stories and write beautifully as well. It is also undeniable that there are a large number of not so well written stories on this site. What each of us finds erotic will be different. For some the style of the writing appears to be more important in the enjoyment of a story than it is for others. I think most importantly there is room on this site for everyone regardless of writing style or content.