What are you allowed and not allowed to write about?

[Kriyto]

Are there certain things we're not allowed to write about? I submitted a story a while back and it was rejected. It was a Dude in Distress type story and I guess I played too hard with my character. Are there some things we can't have in a story? I think the reason I got was that my character didn't consent to be in the situation he was in and wasn't having fun. It was a real kidnapping, not kidnap roleplay, so I'm not sure how I could have him enjoy it.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't think that would have caused a rejection on the story. Age, snuff, and rape with rape where the victim doesn't "enjoy" being raped are the only reason I know for rejections.

 

[GinnyPPC]

I don't think that would have caused a rejection on the story. Age, snuff, and rape with rape where the victim doesn't "enjoy" being raped are the only reason I know for rejections.

Bestiality I think will also get rejected.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Bestiality I think will also get rejected.

I forgot that one. Luck me the same restrictions did (EDIT) NOT (EDIT) apply to plant life that interacts with humans.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Hard rules:
- no beastiality
- nothing involving minors in sexual situations
- no up-aged celebrities in fanfic
- victims in non-con have to derive some enjoyment in the end

I guess your non-con scenario was deemed too non-con. Two choices: Rewrite and resubmit or publish elsewhere. From what I've read thus far, non-con has fluctuating standards.

 

[rescatooor]

And no copyrighted characters. I know we all want that Aladdin/Jafar slash fiction but we need to go elsewhere for that. Let someone else risk lawsuit.

 

[SimonDoom]

All Literotica authors should, right from the get-go, familiarize themselves with the information on this page:

https://www.literotica.com/resources/writer-resources

Including content/submission guidelines.

The content guidelines can be confusing, because they are not all located in one place. There are nuances to them that you learn only through experience. Here are the big content guidelines I can think of, off the top of my head:

1. No under 18 content, period. You cannot write about people under 18 have sexual experiences, and that includes flashbacks, fantasies, seeing your sister in the shower, etc., etc. The rule is broad, and it is fairly cut and dried. You can get away with writing about high school students if you make it clear they are 18 or over, AND you don't write their characters in a way that they seem obviously under 18.

2. No snuff. You can write stories with murder, and erotic horror. But you cannot depict murder and torture in a way that are erotic and arousing.

3. Rape/nonconsensual sex is not allowed unless the victim enjoys it.

4. No bestiality. But sex with aliens and mythical creatures is OK.

5. No copyright violation. This is tricky in the case of fanfiction. The Site allows fanfiction generally but there are certain properties it won't allow you to use. You are not allowed to continue someone else's story without the author's permission.

There are some others, but these are the most significant ones.

 

[ElectricBlue]

All Literotica authors should, right from the get-go, familiarize themselves with the information on this page:

https://www.literotica.com/resources/writer-resources

Including content/submission guidelines.

The content guidelines can be confusing, because they are not all located in one place. There are nuances to them that you learn only through experience. Here are the big content guidelines I can think of, off the top of my head:

1. No under 18 content, period. You cannot write about people under 18 have sexual experiences, and that includes flashbacks, fantasies, seeing your sister in the shower, etc., etc. The rule is broad, and it is fairly cut and dried. You can get away with writing about high school students if you make it clear they are 18 or over, AND you don't write their characters in a way that they seem obviously under 18.

2. No snuff. You can write stories with murder, and erotic horror. But you cannot depict murder and torture in a way that are erotic and arousing.

3. Rape/nonconsensual sex is not allowed unless the victim enjoys it.

4. No bestiality. But sex with aliens and mythical creatures is OK.

5. No copyright violation. This is tricky in the case of fanfiction. The Site allows fanfiction generally but there are certain properties it won't allow you to use. You are not allowed to continue someone else's story without the author's permission.

There are some others, but these are the most significant ones.

No non-con or mind control with celebrities is another subtlety.

No fan-fic where the original canon was under eighteen. That is, no Harry Potter fan-fic.

 

[Bramblethorn]

And no copyrighted characters. I know we all want that Aladdin/Jafar slash fiction but we need to go elsewhere for that. Let someone else risk lawsuit.

No, Literotica doesn't have a blanket rule against using characters from other properties - indeed, the "fanfic" half of "Celeb/Fanfic" is all about using other people's characters. (Whether that's legally safe for them is another question, but they allow it, and so far nobody seems to have sued them for it.)

The specific example of Aladdin/Jafar would be out of bounds, not because it's fanfic, but because Lit specifically forbids Disney-based stories (interpreted narrowly - this doesn't seem to affect things like Marvel films).

No non-con or mind control with celebrities is another subtlety.

I think this may extend to fanfic as well, since Celeb and Fanfic share a category.

No fan-fic where the original canon was under eighteen. That is, no Harry Potter fan-fic.

As well as the "no canonically under-age characters" rule, the entire Harry Potter, Disney, and Simpsons fandoms have been mentioned as off limits. This seems to apply even when writing about characters who are established as adults in those worlds.

 

[MelissaBaby]

No non-con or mind control with celebrities is another subtlety.

No fan-fic where the original canon was under eighteen. That is, no Harry Potter fan-fic.

Well, you could have Snape/McGonagall fan-fic. I'd read that.

 

[Lovecraft_lore2]

No non-con or mind control with celebrities is another subtlety.

No fan-fic where the original canon was under eighteen. That is, no Harry Potter fan-fic.

No images unless you own the copyright. So you cannot use a pic, even if that pic says it is okay to use as long as there is a link or something.

No incest with celebrities.

No using real names of anything in a non-con, so I don't think you can use real names of universities.

The 18 year old rule does allow your character to be high school senior.

Nothing that threatens people on the site. So your second story cannot be about how the people who 1 bombed your first story got fucked by a Minotaur.


Weirdness:
Your character cannot have sex with a dog, but can have sex with a talking dog. I don't make the rules.

Your character cannot have sex with a 9,000 year old demon that looks and acts like a 9 year old girl. Many_eyed_Hydra's stories on succubi and other sexy monster girls show what you can do on this site to put a scary demon that hides itself behind child like innocence inbounds of the rules.

 

[SimonDoom]

No, Literotica doesn't have a blanket rule against using characters from other properties - indeed, the "fanfic" half of "Celeb/Fanfic" is all about using other people's characters. (Whether that's legally safe for them is another question, but they allow it, and so far nobody seems to have sued them for it.)

.

I think authors need to just throw up their hands and recognize that there's no logical way to reconcile fanfic with copyright. It's all a matter of what the market will bear, or tolerate, or what Site owners like Laurel will accept.

The fact is, there's a ton of fanfic out there, and I think the reason is that some copyright owners understand that in an odd way fanfic adds to, rather than detracts from, the value that copyright owners have in their creations. It creates interest, and that makes their properties more valuable. Stephanie Meyer probably makes more, not less, money, from the fact that so many fanatical devotees of her silly books want to write spin-off fiction about Edward and Bella.

Some artists, like Anne Rice, apparently, don't care, and they are totally opposed to fanfic and try to stop it. Others don't care.

I wrote a story about the Hobbits Sam and Frodo having sex with an Elf while trying to reach Mount Doom, and I struggled with the ethics of it. I knew I'd get away with it -- nobody was going to sue me for it. I decided ultimately to do it, because I thought it was such an off the wall "derivative work" of LOTR that it could, theoretically, be characterized as a transformative or fair use, and even if analytically that was a stretch it just didn't matter to the value of the franchise. Some would disagree. I was satisfied after thinking about it that I was causing no harm -- that it was not much different from 2LiveCrew's use of the "Pretty Woman" lick in their own rap song, which the Supreme Court said was noninfringing fair use. I also reaped no profit from it. But it's a borderline issue.

 

[MajorRewrite]

Nothing that threatens people on the site. So your second story cannot be about how the people who 1 bombed your first story got fucked by a Minotaur.

Well, darn.

 

[rescatooor]

No, Literotica doesn't have a blanket rule against using characters from other properties - indeed, the "fanfic" half of "Celeb/Fanfic" is all about using other people's characters. (Whether that's legally safe for them is another question, but they allow it, and so far nobody seems to have sued them for it.)

Mine was a simple example, but yes, this is pretty much how it goes. Disney has been particularly tricky in playing with copyright laws in order to extend them. I think Mickey should have been public domain already but Disney will make sure he never will be.

SD is right in that it all depends on the author. Rowling even encouraged it, Rice didn't, although I have been told she mostly held those negative views on fanfiction due to some legal advice. We just need it to blow up one big time in court and then fanfiction might become history. The only reason it already hasn't is because many authors see fanfiction as a stepping stone into writing proper fiction.

 

[Bramblethorn]

SD is right in that it all depends on the author. Rowling even encouraged it, Rice didn't, although I have been told she mostly held those negative views on fanfiction due to some legal advice. We just need it to blow up one big time in court and then fanfiction might become history. The only reason it already hasn't is because many authors see fanfiction as a stepping stone into writing proper fiction.

Rice has a record of being very protective of her work in ways that go well beyond copyright; she doesn't like editors suggesting changes, and she reacted pretty badly when somebody cut up one of her books as part of an art project. I understand the character of Lestat is influenced by her late husband and I imagine that would lead to some strong feelings about fanfic.

(I don't think any of that should actually be a reason to stop people writing fanfic, but it probably has something to do with the strength of her reactions to it.)

I'd note that fanfic isn't just a stepping stone; I know of a couple of pro authors who continue to write fanfic on amateur forums, usually under pseudonyms, and one who used Ao3 to post fanfic of his own series in between novels.

 

[Brutal_One]

The non con category is arguably limited

I think in terms of category the non con is the most problematic. I think the target or victim if you like having to be written as enjoying it is where the real issue is. I can understand the why of the rule because of the ‘erotic’ sub text but a lot of storylines E.g. a burglary break in where a rape may occur or just a random abduction for non con sex purposes would be rejected. I do understand the pc nature of the ruling and there is a lot out there in reality with the me too movement and what looks like a worrying rise in spiking in nightclubs (UK) so a new era of date rape drugs.

But yes non con can be legitimate if it’s setting up for a fall. Difficult if you can’t really write a vile villain if his victims have to get some enjoyment. Of course you can find ways to write around this in a way that will allow publications but not without some form of compromise in your writing.

Brutal One

 

[PennameWombat]

<snip>
Some artists, like Anne Rice, apparently, don't care, and they are totally opposed to fanfic and try to stop it. Others don't care.

SD is right in that it all depends on the author. Rowling even encouraged it, Rice didn't, although I have been told she mostly held those negative views on fanfiction due to some legal advice. We just need it to blow up one big time in court and then fanfiction might become history. The only reason it already hasn't is because many authors see fanfiction as a stepping stone into writing proper fiction.

Mercedes Lackey and C.S. Friedman, for two, essentially say they don’t care if people write fanfic but they resolutely do not read it nor will acknowledge it exists. Their reasoning, guided by their agent to all of his clients, is that Marion Zimmer Bradley actively encouraged, read and anthologised Darkover fan fiction, until there was a clash between her and a fan over a novel in progress. It’s all kind of fuzzy, and in some articles, it’d all ended up with lawyers fighting it out. But this article seems more moderate, but the fallout was most ‘pro’ authors quit any active participation with fan fiction. But so long as it’s resolutely non-commercial, many just ignore it.

In fact, Lackey states she reads “nothing that isn’t professionally published.”

I wrote a story about the Hobbits Sam and Frodo having sex with an Elf while trying to reach Mount Doom, and I struggled with the ethics of it. I knew I'd get away with it -- nobody was going to sue me for it. I decided ultimately to do it, because I thought it was such an off the wall "derivative work" of LOTR that it could, theoretically, be characterized as a transformative or fair use, and even if analytically that was a stretch it just didn't matter to the value of the franchise. Some would disagree. I was satisfied after thinking about it that I was causing no harm -- that it was not much different from 2LiveCrew's use of the "Pretty Woman" lick in their own rap song, which the Supreme Court said was noninfringing fair use. I also reaped no profit from it. But it's a borderline issue.

Well, if you changed them to Boggies, made their names Frito and Spam, and had the former being seduced by the elf… you’d have the prologue to Bored of the Rings. Still in print, I think, after all of this time. Weirdly, there is no scene in the entire book that resembles that prologue in any way, shape or form

Then there’s the slashfic I unfortunately came across where Sauron had regained the ring, killed Aragorn and most of the Fellowship in the battle at the Black Gate, and captured Gandalf. It opened just after Gandalf had been tossed back into his cell after another of the apparently regularly scheduled anal gang-rape sessions by Orcs, and Frodo’s head was tossed into the room. That was the first couple of paragraphs. I can’t say where the, I think, hundreds of pages went after that because I went to bleach my eyeballs and brain.

 

[TadOverdon]

I think authors need to just throw up their hands and recognize that there's no logical way to reconcile fanfic with copyright. It's all a matter of what the market will bear, or tolerate, or what Site owners like Laurel will accept.

This is true.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Then there’s the slashfic I unfortunately came across where Sauron had regained the ring, killed Aragorn and most of the Fellowship in the battle at the Black Gate, and captured Gandalf. It opened just after Gandalf had been tossed back into his cell after another of the apparently regularly scheduled anal gang-rape sessions by Orcs, and Frodo’s head was tossed into the room. That was the first couple of paragraphs. I can’t say where the, I think, hundreds of pages went after that because I went to bleach my eyeballs and brain.

There was at least one library devoted to LotR slashfic. I remember one of the stories was called "Nazgul nine-way".

 

[PennameWombat]

Mine was a simple example, but yes, this is pretty much how it goes. Disney has been particularly tricky in playing with copyright laws in order to extend them. I think Mickey should have been public domain already but Disney will make sure he never will be.
<snip>

Separate point here because the “Disney did it” always gets trotted out. But I’ll point out that since the effect of the 1998 extension (the “Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act) hit its initial end in 2018, it has NOT been extended again and works have entered public domain since 2019. Thus, Steamboat Willie, the original Mickey Mouse cartoon, probably will go public domain January 1, 2024. Disney has not made any noises about challenging that. Nor has the MPAA, RIAA nor any other major lobbying bloc. In large part, the Internet was nascent in 1998 and organising around this issue was in its infancy. But, no longer.

Back to 1998. Yes, Disney was there. But, just as vitally, were estates like the Gershwin Family, Oscar Hammerstein’s family and others, all of whom had works contemporaneous to Disney’s early work that were still generating income. But, as of today, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue is public domain. Knock yourself out.

But, just because Steamboat Willie will be public domain, that doesn’t mean ‘Mickey Mouse’ is free. The actual image of the Mouse has changed over the years, and later versions will for now remain under copyright. Just like how Grimm’s Snow White is public domain, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves isn’t. So… feel free to have dwarves, but don’t name them! Or, be very careful, Doc. Don’t be Dopey about it! Same with Pride and Prejudice. If you add zombies, be careful.

In addition, and this will be the case for Disney’s and other works (e.g., Batman, Superman, etc.) their characters are also trademarked out the wazoo. Thus, in 2024 you’ll be able to use the Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse (no gloves, black and white) but not yet later versions.

It’s to be seen how or if Disney will look at how they can use their trademarks to limit your ability to produce Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse goods. Trademarks key around different factors than copyright, key is will consumers be confused that they’re ‘real’ Disney products? But so far the US courts have been picky about preventing trademarks from fully blocking use of out of copyright properties if they don’t clearly violate trademark law. But it could be murky.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I think authors need to just throw up their hands and recognize that there's no logical way to reconcile fanfic with copyright. It's all a matter of what the market will bear, or tolerate, or what Site owners like Laurel will accept.

The fact is, there's a ton of fanfic out there, and I think the reason is that some copyright owners understand that in an odd way fanfic adds to, rather than detracts from, the value that copyright owners have in their creations. It creates interest, and that makes their properties more valuable. Stephanie Meyer probably makes more, not less, money, from the fact that so many fanatical devotees of her silly books want to write spin-off fiction about Edward and Bella.

Some artists, like Anne Rice, apparently, don't care, and they are totally opposed to fanfic and try to stop it. Others don't care.

I wrote a story about the Hobbits Sam and Frodo having sex with an Elf while trying to reach Mount Doom, and I struggled with the ethics of it. I knew I'd get away with it -- nobody was going to sue me for it. I decided ultimately to do it, because I thought it was such an off the wall "derivative work" of LOTR that it could, theoretically, be characterized as a transformative or fair use, and even if analytically that was a stretch it just didn't matter to the value of the franchise. Some would disagree. I was satisfied after thinking about it that I was causing no harm -- that it was not much different from 2LiveCrew's use of the "Pretty Woman" lick in their own rap song, which the Supreme Court said was noninfringing fair use. I also reaped no profit from it. But it's a borderline issue.

Therr are better places to write fan fiction, that isn't so petty, anyway.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I have a fair bit of reluctance in my stories, but I won't write noncon here because I won't write it as an enjoyable experience.

I only have one story that would fit under the "they have to enjoy it" rule and it's not true noncon. It's a pre-arranged cat and mouse game played between two friends. To add to the hatred that story would probably get - it also involves m/m in a plotline where a second guy is brought into the experience and it's not initially clear if he's a willing participant or if he's simply a bystander who was pulled into the game against his will by the girl. He appears to be enjoying it, regardless. (It also has voyeurism and exhibitionism going on in the early part of the story. It's a mess.)

I really don't get that part of the rule. In my opinion, it just makes the rape aspect way worse and encourages people to use force to get what they want in the off chance that the person will enjoy it after (which was something an ex did to me, so maybe I'm just extra sensitive to that aspect?)

I wrote one a few years ago and submited it, just to get it declined. It was a couple kidnapped on their anniversary and takem to a sex dungeon to be used as sex toys by a "cult". The "cult" ended up being their friends, co-workers, etc setting them up orgies, and them tricking them in to fucking each other as a group gift. They fucking ENJOYED IT ALL, and WILLINGLY WENT WITH THE PROGRAM, still declined, so I said fuck trying noncon.

 

[PennameWombat]

There was at least one library devoted to LotR slashfic. I remember one of the stories was called "Nazgul nine-way".

Oh god. Why hath this popped into my fevered brain… thinking about copyrights and trademarks has turned large sections to mush…

“Galadriel’s Glory Hole.”

 

[ElectricBlue]

Oh god. Why hath this popped into my fevered brain… thinking about copyrights and trademarks has turned large sections to mush…

“Galadriel’s Glory Hole.”

Because you're a pervert?

 

[SimonDoom]

Well, if you changed them to Boggies, made their names Frito and Spam, and had the former being seduced by the elf… you’d have the prologue to Bored of the Rings. Still in print, I think, after all of this time. Weirdly, there is no scene in the entire book that resembles that prologue in any way, shape or form

.

I read Bored of the Rings, way back when, shortly after completing Lord of the Rings. It was a hoot. Plainly parody, so it would be fair use. Dildo Bugger. Legolam. Gimlet. Goddam.

The excerpt was one of the best parts. You're right -- it wasn't in the book, even though it was the sexiest passage (plainly meant to be, to titillate teen boys like me at the time looking at it in the book store).