Story Categories

[O2]

I know some categories are obvious, but what defines an "Erotic Coupling" or "Loving Wives"? Is there a list of definitions here at Lit for them?

Thanks,

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I'm not aware of anyplace on Lit that defines the categories, but I can tell you this much:

An "Erotic Coupling" is pretty much a sexual encounter between two people. It's kind of the default category for when there's nothing more extreme going on like anal or BDSM or incest or anything like that. Two people making love on the beach, a hot date, a quickie at work, all those are Erotic Couplings.

"Loving Wives" is special and kind of an ironic title, because what they really mean are cheating wives or wives who have affairs at their husbands' urging. This is a category that attracts a weird readership and there's more strange feedback in this category than any other, because the readers include a high number of men who read these stories and then get furious at the author for writing about cheating wives. I don't know if there are a lot of readers whose wives have actually cheated on them who read these stories looking for some moral payback or what, but it's a category I stay away from.

Lit has a policy of "Classification By Most Extreme". That is, if you submit a story that has Erotic Coupling and Incest in it but you list it only as Erotic Coupling, they'll re-categorize it as Incest, figuring Incest is a more extreme and more offensive sexual act and they want to warn readers about that. So you might find your classification changed when you submit a story.

 

[O2]

Thanks

I think I'll make a list of the ones I have questions about, then read some of those stories to better help me decide where to place mine.

 

[BossySon21a]

"Loving Wives" is special and kind of an ironic title, because what they really mean are cheating wives or wives who have affairs at their husbands' urging. This is a category that attracts a weird readership and there's more strange feedback in this category than any other, because the readers include a high number of men who read these stories and then get furious at the author for writing about cheating wives. I don't know if there are a lot of readers whose wives have actually cheated on them who read these stories looking for some moral payback or what, but it's a category I stay away from.

There's more to it than that.

There are two or three flavors of story in LW, some are straightforward sex fantasies about cuckolding or group sex doings, some are heavy on humiliation or the cheating aspect per se, and then there's a number of stories that aren't erotic at all, but are more 'realistic' and focus on the adultery, the breakup and aftermath and/or the reconciliation, and the emotions of all involved.

There are actually some very good, thoughtful stories in LW (though there's a lot of noise along with the signal), including some of the ones that aren't 'sexy' at all, but have protagonists one can sympathize with in 'realistic' situations.

And yes, the feedback in that group is bonkers nuts.

 

[AchtungNight]

I agree the categories are a bit limited. That's why I list the celebrities directly involved in sexual situations and story codes at the top of each tale I write. People know right off what they're gonna get, most of the time. I do like to throw in surprises here and there.

I haven't yet published anything I would consider "Loving Wives" but I am working on a couple things. "Rekindled" comes close and I am writing a sequel featuring both Scarlett & Ryan right now. I also have a story in mind for Tom-Kat. I look forward to the feedback I get.

 

[wildehafer]

I have a series that is now getting to the stage as the characters are developing (and new ones introduced) of being exposed to more than just "erotic couplings".

I'm not defining my chapters by category, but rather by interlinked scenes of which the sex acts can and will vary, thus mixing up the category they might end up in.

So my question is: for a series is it better to lump them all in something like "Novels and Novellas" and be done or desperately try to figure out that if the chapter happens to contain a mix of cheating wife, incest and BDSM of WTF it is supposed to go?

 

[Darkniciad]

I have a series that is now getting to the stage as the characters are developing (and new ones introduced) of being exposed to more than just "erotic couplings".

I'm not defining my chapters by category, but rather by interlinked scenes of which the sex acts can and will vary, thus mixing up the category they might end up in.

So my question is: for a series is it better to lump them all in something like "Novels and Novellas" and be done or desperately try to figure out that if the chapter happens to contain a mix of cheating wife, incest and BDSM of WTF it is supposed to go?

Unless your story can also fall into a broader category such as Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Non-Human, etc., you have a bit of a sticking point.

Novels and Novellas is the best way to capture many themes in a "real world" story, but it also has about the lowest readership on the site. If you're just looking to tell a story and not concerned about big numbers/lots of feedback, that's the way to go when several categories may come up in one story. Readers aren't all that prone to follow a story across multiple categories here from what I've observed.

Of course, with the low readership of the novels cat, the number of readers who will follow the story across multiple categories might just be the same or higher. Two of the three examples you offered of sexual situations are the highest read categories on the site.

With the three examples you provided, I would certainly recommend using novels/novellas for a story with a chapter containing all three. The readers in those three categories aren't likely to give high marks for the mixture. Incest might be possible, but only if that theme dominates the chapter ( and the rest of the story )