Fetish or BDSM?

[SimonDoom]

This might be a first for me: asking for input on the right category for a story. I think I have a pretty good grip on this issue most of the time, but not in this case.

I don't want to reveal too much about the story, but it involves a Dom/sub relationship over a 10-week period during the summer that is based on fetishy role play. So I think it could be either Fetish or BDSM. Older man-Dom/young woman-sub. The BDSM is not hard-core: there's a clear master/pet relationship, but little bondage or sadomasochism. The fetishy elements will be very strong. There's also a growing romantic angle to the story as it goes along.

I know exactly how I want to write the story, so I'm not going to write for a category; I just want to pick the best category for the story as I write it. My typical goal is to try to find the largest appreciative audience, as opposed to seeking the highest score. I don't have enough experience with either category to be sure of which one is right. Both BDSM and Fetish tend to have relatively few views, although I note that a Fetish story ranks very high on the most-viewed stories of the last 12 months. I'm leaning toward Fetish, but am not sure. Thoughts?

 

[Winter_Fare]

I have found fetish is more about the kink than the relationship and BDSM is more about the relationship than the kink. I think there is a huge overlap. What kink specifically are you writing?

 

[BelleCanzuto]

In my personal experience, the BDSM readership here strongly prefers the dominance/submission aspect much more than the sado-masochism aspect. So, the lack of, or the relative lack of bondage wouldn't be offputting. Dressing up and role playing (i.e. dressing as a pet of some kind) are kinda par for the course. And, they don't seem to mind a little romance, or at least a respectful relationship.

I think it would depend on which fetishes you were including to push it more towards that category (piss play and lactation spring immediately to mind).

Just my $0.02

 

[John_Vandermeer]

Fetish, probably. They have hugely overlapping readerships (to the point I’ve alternated series between them with no detriment at all) so choice may not be consequential, but if the fetish elements have the edge then Fetish category might have the edge too. Viceversa if Dom/sub aspect has the edge.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I don't want to reveal too much about the story, but it involves a Dom/sub relationship over a 10-week period during the summer that is based on fetishy role play. So I think it could be either Fetish or BDSM. Older man-Dom/young woman-sub. The BDSM is not hard-core: there's a clear master/pet relationship, but little bondage or sadomasochism. The fetishy elements will be very strong. There's also a growing romantic angle to the story as it goes along.

Trust your first instinct, and apply the SimonDoom rule.

But wait, this must be #54 or #55, Simon's unfinished stories .

 

[lanceGibs]

I have found fetish is more about the kink than the relationship and BDSM is more about the relationship than the kink. I think there is a huge overlap. What kink specifically are you writing?

You put it accurate and in few words
Thank You

 

[Djmac1031]

I can only offer, based on my experience with both categories, that Fetish got me more Views.

Obviously that's not entirely helpful as the two stories were VERY different and there of course can be multiple other factors involved.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

I have found fetish is more about the kink than the relationship and BDSM is more about the relationship than the kink. I think there is a huge overlap. What kink specifically are you writing?

This is exactly my experience. relationship is very much welcome in fetish but the entree is the kink. Whereas in bdsm the relationship is the entree and the risk is your kink may or may not be well received.

My instincts says to put it in fetish.

 

[Bamagan]

I think you'd be fine putting it in BDSM if the sub is clearly enjoying the situation and the pet stuff stays more or less private and is clearly a d/s thing. I think the readers there would draw a distinct line between, say, a master/pet having a punishment scene for being a bad dog (or whatever), and the master punishing the sub by making her act like dog, which they might feel crosses the line into the fetish category.

 

[SimonDoom]

Thanks for the input. I'm leaning toward fetish, because there will be an emphasis on the fetishy aspects of it, and so I don't have to deal with the expectations of those who demand BDSM stories abide by strict rules. But I'll write the story first and decide later.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I suspect if in doubt, go for Fetish. They seem to understand the concept of ignoring stories which aren't their cup of tea. BDSM includes readers who only want Dom male, sub female, some gentle bondage and spanking and perhaps a bit of hitting with an implement, but no anal sex, piss, humiliation, detailed masochism... I overgeneralise, but it's a trend.

 

[SimonDoom]

I suspect if in doubt, go for Fetish. They seem to understand the concept of ignoring stories which aren't their cup of tea. BDSM includes readers who only want Dom male, sub female, some gentle bondage and spanking and perhaps a bit of hitting with an implement, but no anal sex, piss, humiliation, detailed masochism... I overgeneralise, but it's a trend.

This is my sense, too. My story has the BDSM elements you refer to but it will also have some kinkier elements that some BDSM aficionados may not care for.

 

[AG31]

but it will also have some kinkier elements that some BDSM aficionados may not care for.

Have you written your story yet? When you do, would you tell us what it is so I can find out what elements of BDSM might be offputting for the readers of that category?

When I started out getting back into the world of erotica, it took me a long time to figure out that "BDSM" had become "owned" by people with certain expectations. I think I'm still learning. How many here think that the BDSM category readership is seriously dominated by people who expect stories to follow "scene" rules? Negotiations, trust, aftercare. That stuff.

 

[SimonDoom]

Have you written your story yet? When you do, would you tell us what it is so I can find out what elements of BDSM might be offputting for the readers of that category?

When I started out getting back into the world of erotica, it took me a long time to figure out that "BDSM" had become "owned" by people with certain expectations. I think I'm still learning. How many here think that the BDSM category readership is seriously dominated by people who expect stories to follow "scene" rules? Negotiations, trust, aftercare. That stuff.

Thanks for the reminder about this thread. I've written part of it. I probably will finish it and submit it as a summer story.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Thanks for the reminder about this thread. I've written part of it. I probably will finish it and submit it as a summer story.

Good man. I was worried I needed to add another #.

Also, no commitment to a year, that's wise (like me, with my anthology follow-ons).

Carry on .

 

[MyBareTorso]

For what it's worth...I placed a BDSM story with very weird/fetish type elements in the BDSM category, and it is currently one of my lowest scored entries. In hindsight, I would have put it in Fetish.

 

[madelinemasoch]

Here's my input: I think Fetish gets less views overall than BDSM. The only chapter of Cuckold Camp that's in Fetish is the one with the least views (chapter 14). Laurel just kinda put it there, even though I'm pretty much exclusively a BDSM category writer so far. The only significant content difference in ch14 is the inclusion of sexual harassment. I'm not sure why that counts as "Fetish" material, but that's the category she moved it to after I said I was okay with it not going into the Trans category in the notes to admin. All of the others are in BDSM aside from chapter 8, which is in Group Sex (not that that's relevant).

From a cursory glance at both categories' new sections, it looks like BDSM does only slightly better.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Fetish or BDSM?​

Clearly Fetish for my money.

Em

 

[Norway_1705]

i just follow to learn