Stories and categories

[le_kitty]

Hello everyone,

I've recently returned to writing erotic fiction, posting to Lit. and was wondering if I could get a little help.

I've been posting this story under the category of non-consent however it also features non-human characters and perhaps a little BDSM. Its progressed up to ch. 3 but its views and ratings have dropped off quite radically. I don't want to think that it's in the wrong category as I feel that if it's good, readers on Lit will find it. So, what I'm unsure about, is if it's an issue of category... or just simply a story that hasn't quite hit off? Thoughts on either would be helpful. Cheers!

Here's a link to chapter three: http://www.literotica.com/s/reluctant-consort-ch-03

Kitlyn

 

[sr71plt]

It's natural for readership and voting to drop off as the series progresses (it did with your first series). Probably too early to look for trends in your current series.

It's a toss up on how to categorize parts of a series that jump category. There are disadvantages going either way--sticking to one category or letting the parts go to different categories--but they are inherent in the context chooses to jump categories.

I have at least one series where each chapter is a radically different category (on purpose), and it has worked out to my satisfaction. You have to sort of look at what's going to satisfy you. I was satisfied that I'd had radically different categories working in one storyline.

 

[RejectReality]

As SR said, all stats tend to drop off as a series progresses, while the score tends to rise ( because anyone who isn't totally into it and ready to vote 5 eventually stops checking )

That said, supernatural and non-human characters tend to be a turn-off to most of the sexual kink categories. They don't want weirdness creeping into their specific fantasy.

The reverse isn't really true. The Non-Human and Sci-Fi readership accepts a lot of kinks without batting an eye. Even things they balk at such as Incest or M/M sex doesn't cause anywhere the type of backlash it will in other categories.

If you're going to mix kinks, and you already have non-human characters or a fantasy world, then Non-Human or Sci-Fi & Fantasy is the place where that mixture is the least likely to blow up in your face.

Keep in mind that they're lower readership categories, though.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I've been posting this story under the category of non-consent however it also features non-human characters and perhaps a little BDSM. Its progressed up to ch. 3 but its views and ratings have dropped off quite radically.

By "ratings" I presume you mean "number of votes" - looks like the average score has increased with each chapter.

I had the exact same pattern with the serial I posted here. Chapter 1 has 51k views; chapter 2 has 31k; after that it levels out at about 20k views on each chapter, though it varies a bit depending on whether the chapter made a toplist and whether it has a non-sexy description like "Phoebe's grandmother goes into hospital for surgery". SR and RR have already covered why that happens.

For me, categorisation for a multi-part story depends on how tightly those parts connect. If I'm writing "The Sexy Adventures of Jane" parts 1-100, and each chapter is a different sexy adventure, I'd probably categorise each chapter according to what happens in that chapter. But if I'm writing a less-episodic story where each chapter is part of a bigger arc, I'd categorise all of them by the whole arc - for example, I have one chapter categorised as "Lesbian Sex" even though there's no sex in that chapter at all, because it's part of a bigger story about a same-sex relationship.

It might be an idea to give readers warning of "squick" content - e.g. if there are NC elements within a story posted in Romance - but if you're already posting it in NC that's not likely to be an issue.

 

[le_kitty]

That said, supernatural and non-human characters tend to be a turn-off to most of the sexual kink categories. They don't want weirdness creeping into their specific fantasy.

Ah, I see. I wondered if it was that. Thanks for clarifying.

I was aware that the viewing would drop off, but I hadn't expected it to drop as much as it did. So I understand now, there probably aren't that many readers with the specific interests of non-consent mixed in with vampires, the supernatural and a touch of bdsm. Ah well, it appeals to me.

Thanks for the insight into categories guys, it's given me something to mull over and though it's tempting to pull the story out of NC/R, I think I'll try stick with it.

Thanks again!