Moderator Changed my Category

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

Hi all. I just had my first story published late last night. I submitted it under the category "Group Sex", but it shows up as "Incest/Taboo". I figure the moderator who approved the story must have changed it.

I do see how a moderator who did not read the story carefully could make the mistake. The story is called "My Niece and Her Roommate" (shameless plug) but there is no actual incest in the story. The characters who call each other "Uncle" and "Niece" aren't actually related. As one commenter pointed out, that's kink, not incest.

So do moderators often change the categories of stories? Is there anyway to contest the change? Does anyone have any advice on how to get the category corrected?

My thanks in advance.

 

[NotWise]

Hi all. I just had my first story published late last night. I submitted it under the category "Group Sex", but it shows up as "Incest/Taboo". I figure the moderator who approved the story must have changed it.

I do see how a moderator who did not read the story carefully could make the mistake. The story is called "My Niece and Her Roommate" (shameless plug) but there is no actual incest in the story. The characters who call each other "Uncle" and "Niece" aren't actually related. As one commenter pointed out, that's kink, not incest.

So do moderators often change the categories of stories? Is there anyway to contest the change? Does anyone have any advice on how to get the category corrected?

My thanks in advance.

PM Laurel. She's the only one who has responsibility, and PM is really the only way to reach her.

 

[loquere]

Yes you can PM Laurel or re-submit your story with a polite but clear note explaining why you prefer the group sex category.

 

[jehoram]

My friend Athalia had a situation like that. She wrote a story about a woman inflicting pain on herself for sexual pleasure. She submitted it under the "BDSM" category, but it got published as a "Fetish" story. We scratched our heads at that, but Athalia reasoned that perhaps it fit the Fetish category better, as it didn't have the usual dom/sub relationship that readers would expect.

 

[AnAngelReally]

PMing Laurel doesn't work.

It's ridiculous how the people working on posting our stories take liberties and don't respect our requests, going as far as changing your title or refusing to group stories under a series even if you ask politely. Then nothing changes, no matter how often you ask Laurel for help.

I stopped posting stories for those reasons and more like them.

 

[sr71plt]

Unless something has changed, there aren't a bunch of people working to post the stories. Just one person--Laurel.

 

[NotWise]

PMing Laurel doesn't work.

Laurel has always been more responsive to my problems than I have any reason to expect.

 

[ElectricBlue]

PMing Laurel doesn't work.

Yes, PM does work. Laurel replied promptly to a recent query of mine, also discussed related technical issues with Manu.

Perhaps it's how you ask the question, and how you present your material?

I've got quite a few series / multi part stories with zero issues getting them posted as I wanted them presented.

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

I sent my PM to Laurel asking for the category change last week. So far, no response but it sounds like Laurel is a busy person.

After an extended discussion about the category choice in the comments of my story, I've decided I'm ok with the category the moderator chose if it never gets changed back. I'd prefer my original, but not enough to make a big deal out of it.

It was the kind if thing that was worth asking about, but not something worth fighting about.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I sent my PM to Laurel asking for the category change last week. So far, no response but it sounds like Laurel is a busy person.

After an extended discussion about the category choice in the comments of my story, I've decided I'm ok with the category the moderator chose if it never gets changed back. I'd prefer my original, but not enough to make a big deal out of it.

It was the kind if thing that was worth asking about, but not something worth fighting about.

The Summer Loving competition is running - priority is always given to the comp entries.

Also, it's worth noting that Laurel will often put a story into a category where she thinks it will run best, rather than where the author thinks it might run best. She's been doing it for a long time, way longer than any new writer, and is generally pretty savvy on this.

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

I got a PM response from Laurel just after my last post. She referred me to the FAQ for editing tags and said to use the same process.

But electricblue66 has a very good point.

Also, it's worth noting that Laurel will often put a story into a category where she thinks it will run best, rather than where the author thinks it might run best. She's been doing it for a long time, way longer than any new writer, and is generally pretty savvy on this.

The response to my first story has been better than I ever expected, so maybe it is better off in the category where Laurel put it. I think I'm going to leave it there.

Thanks to everyone for your advice.