Categories and Tags

[macymadison]

I’m wondering if I categorize my story as incest, then do I want to pick tags that are also incest/taboo or do I want to use tags for all of the other aspects that might not necessarily be incestuous? I never know if I’m just repeating myself with the tags.

 

[KeithD]

The key elements that are in the story, with preference to those not made obvious by the category it's been posted in.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think you can choose up to 10 tags.

The number one criterion for picking a tag is so someone finds your story via a tag search. So you should not worry about the tag duplicating the story title or category. Most of your tags should be selected to maximize the probability that someone will find your story.

The second criterion is to give more information to the person about to read your story so they know whether they're likely to enjoy it or not. For instance, if it's an incest story, and there's anal activity, then by all means use "anal" as a tag, because some incest readers really do NOT like anal activity. A lot of readers are very picky about their kinks and categories.

So my suggestion would be to use half your tags, at least, to maximize the probability of people clicking on the story, but if there's content that might be controversial use the rest of your tags to flag that.

 

[Bramblethorn]

The number one criterion for picking a tag is so someone finds your story via a tag search. So you should not worry about the tag duplicating the story title or category.

FWIW, Literotica now seems to be automatically adding tags that duplicate the category: stories posted in Lesbian Sex get "lesbian" and "lesbian sex" tags, etc. etc. even if the author didn't include them.

 

[SimonDoom]

FWIW, Literotica now seems to be automatically adding tags that duplicate the category: stories posted in Lesbian Sex get "lesbian" and "lesbian sex" tags, etc. etc. even if the author didn't include them.

I didn't know that. Interesting.

Question, though: if you choose your own tags that are more or less on point, will Literotica substitute its judgment for yours? I don't know the answer to that. I think Literotica DOES substitute its tags for yours if it thinks yours aren't accurate enough. But I don't know what it will do if you choose tags that are accurate but not quite ideal from Literotica's point of view. Seems like it makes sense to do the best you can with tag choice regardless.

 

[RetroFan]

To me it seems a bit redundant to use a tag like 'Incest' in a story that is clearly an incest story, such as 'Daddy & Daughter Join Mile High Club' posted in the Incest/Taboo section.

I'll tend to use tags that will interest specific readers, for example if a brother of normal height lusts over his six feet four inch sister especially when she is barefoot, I would use tags like 'Tall Girl' and 'Feet' for such a story.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

To me it seems a bit redundant to use a tag like 'Incest' in a story that is clearly an incest story, such as 'Daddy & Daughter Join Mile High Club' posted in the Incest/Taboo section.

I'll tend to use tags that will interest specific readers, for example if a brother of normal height lusts over his six feet four inch sister especially when she is barefoot, I would use tags like 'Tall Girl' and 'Feet' for such a story.

Point taken, but the tags - theoretically, at least - direct searches to your story. From that, in this case, 'incest' would be an appropriate tag IMHO.

 

[KeithD]

I didn't know that.

Not mine. I provide ten tags and those are the ten tags used. I don't usually duplicate the category.

 

[NotWise]

Point taken, but the tags - theoretically, at least - direct searches to your story. From that, in this case, 'incest' would be an appropriate tag IMHO.

In the case of I/T, I wouldn't tag a story with incest. I'd tag it with the pairing; Mom/Son, Brother/Sister, Daddy/daughter, etc. The new search facility lets the reader narrow their search to a category, so tagging a story with the category seems like a waste.

On my last several stories, I've chosen most of the tags from the tag cloud for the category. That way, I'm using tags that are more likely to be used. I'll reserve one to three tags for things specific to the story that may not be in the tag cloud, just in case someone is searching that specifically.

Laurel has added tags to my stories, and she may have removed a couple, too. She generally knows what she's doing, so I don't complain.

 

[macymadison]

On my last several stories, I've chosen most of the tags from the tag cloud for the category. That way, I'm using tags that are more likely to be used. I'll reserve one to three tags for things specific to the story that may not be in the tag cloud, just in case someone is searching that specifically.

Laurel has added tags to my stories, and she may have removed a couple, too. She generally knows what she's doing, so I don't complain.

Okay cool, I’ve been using the cloud too, thinking that it is reminiscent of Amazon keywords and picking the magic combination.

 

[SimonDoom]

Does anyone know the answer to this? When you go to the Tag page, and click on the category, there is a list of relevant tags. Some tags are much larger than others. I have assumed that the size of the tag reflects how often the tag is used in searches, but I suppose it could reflect how often it's used as a tag by the author. Does anyone know?

If the size indicates how often the tag is used for a search, then it makes sense to take your cue from that. For instance, if you have written a mother-son incest story, the most prominent applicable tag is "mother/son", so that would appear to be the tag to use IF that's the most searched tag.

 

[lovecraft68]

In the case of I/T, I wouldn't tag a story with incest. I'd tag it with the pairing; Mom/Son, Brother/Sister, Daddy/daughter, etc. The new search facility lets the reader narrow their search to a category, so tagging a story with the category seems like a waste.

On my last several stories, I've chosen most of the tags from the tag cloud for the category. That way, I'm using tags that are more likely to be used. I'll reserve one to three tags for things specific to the story that may not be in the tag cloud, just in case someone is searching that specifically.

Laurel has added tags to my stories, and she may have removed a couple, too. She generally knows what she's doing, so I don't complain.

I do both, I list the pairing, but also put in incest, I also use taboo.

 

[RejectReality]

Does anyone know the answer to this? When you go to the Tag page, and click on the category, there is a list of relevant tags. Some tags are much larger than others. I have assumed that the size of the tag reflects how often the tag is used in searches, but I suppose it could reflect how often it's used as a tag by the author. Does anyone know?

If the size indicates how often the tag is used for a search, then it makes sense to take your cue from that. For instance, if you have written a mother-son incest story, the most prominent applicable tag is "mother/son", so that would appear to be the tag to use IF that's the most searched tag.

No. The tags page reflects the relationship between tags entered by authors, not searched for by readers.

( Disclaimer ) That is the way it has always been done. I haven't heard any different since the page was updated, so I'm assuming it still works as it always has.

 

[NotWise]

Does anyone know the answer to this? When you go to the Tag page, and click on the category, there is a list of relevant tags. Some tags are much larger than others. I have assumed that the size of the tag reflects how often the tag is used in searches, but I suppose it could reflect how often it's used as a tag by the author. Does anyone know?

If the size indicates how often the tag is used for a search, then it makes sense to take your cue from that. For instance, if you have written a mother-son incest story, the most prominent applicable tag is "mother/son", so that would appear to be the tag to use IF that's the most searched tag.

It would be great to have a clear answer, but ultimately it might not make much difference. I think the tag cloud is there to get both the readers and the writers on the same page. It may change over time.

From the readers' perspective, if they don't use the tag cloud then they're taking a random shot in the dark. From the authors perspective, if you don't use the tag cloud then you're just setting up targets in the dark.

Use the information you're given. Come to the light.

 

[SimonDoom]

No. The tags page reflects the relationship between tags entered by authors, not searched for by readers.

( Disclaimer ) That is the way it has always been done. I haven't heard any different since the page was updated, so I'm assuming it still works as it always has.

This is good to know. So it's not really useful, because from an author's standpoint the only thing useful to know is reader behavior. If I choose a tag that's popular with other authors I'm just tossing my story into a crowded pool.

 

[macymadison]

This is good to know. So it's not really useful, because from an author's standpoint the only thing useful to know is reader behavior. If I choose a tag that's popular with other authors I'm just tossing my story into a crowded pool.

I agree, I was assuming the same thing. That bigger was better. Maybe I’ll experiment next time with my own tags and see what happens.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

In the case of I/T, I wouldn't tag a story with incest. I'd tag it with the pairing; Mom/Son, Brother/Sister, Daddy/daughter, etc. The new search facility lets the reader narrow their search to a category, so tagging a story with the category seems like a waste.

On my last several stories, I've chosen most of the tags from the tag cloud for the category. That way, I'm using tags that are more likely to be used. I'll reserve one to three tags for things specific to the story that may not be in the tag cloud, just in case someone is searching that specifically.

As always, I’m impressed with your logic, sir.

 

[RejectReality]

This is good to know. So it's not really useful, because from an author's standpoint the only thing useful to know is reader behavior. If I choose a tag that's popular with other authors I'm just tossing my story into a crowded pool.

It is, after all, on a reader resource page. It's there to service readers, not authors. Searching for popular author tags will generate the most results. Knowing what other people have been searching for doesn't tell them whether that person found anything or not. It wouldn't be of any particular use to a reader, beyond following the crowd.

 

[NotWise]

It is, after all, on a reader resource page. It's there to service readers, not authors. Searching for popular author tags will generate the most results. Knowing what other people have been searching for doesn't tell them whether that person found anything or not. It wouldn't be of any particular use to a reader, beyond following the crowd.

it would be interesting if the tag cloud could rank the logical intersection of what authors used, and what readers searched for. What readers searched for could be a pretty icky set, and fairly dynamic. What authors use is reviewed and fairly fixed.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I didn't know that. Interesting.

Question, though: if you choose your own tags that are more or less on point, will Literotica substitute its judgment for yours? I don't know the answer to that. I think Literotica DOES substitute its tags for yours if it thinks yours aren't accurate enough. But I don't know what it will do if you choose tags that are accurate but not quite ideal from Literotica's point of view. Seems like it makes sense to do the best you can with tag choice regardless.

I think Laurel may occasionally add extra tags to cover content that wasn't already tagged, but I haven't noticed it happen much.

One of the other sites I'm on puts a lot of work into tag ontology. For example, if anybody tags a story with say "consent non consent", "Consent Non-Consent", "Consentual non-con" (sic), "CNC roleplay", "consent may seem dubious but it is a roleplay and that's clear by the end", or about eighty other synonyms, the site will recognise any of those as synonyms for "Consensual Non-Consent", and search/filtering will behave accordingly.

Something like "The Hobbit" is recognised as a child tag of "Books & Literature", so searching for the latter will include the former in its results, and so on.

To make this work, they're dependent on a large number of volunteer tag wranglers. Every time something comes in with new tags, somebody has to look at that tag and figure out whether it should be a synonym/child/parent of existing tags.

 

[NotWise]

One of the other sites I'm on puts a lot of work into tag ontology. For example, if anybody tags a story with say "consent non consent", "Consent Non-Consent", "Consentual non-con" (sic), "CNC roleplay", "consent may seem dubious but it is a roleplay and that's clear by the end", or about eighty other synonyms, the site will recognise any of those as synonyms for "Consensual Non-Consent", and search/filtering will behave accordingly.

Is there a logical context where "Consensual Non-Consent" is anything but babble?

 

[RejectReality]

Is there a logical context where "Consensual Non-Consent" is anything but babble?

Role-play rape fantasies is what it refers to, I believe. The sanitized version to make it less triggering. It's role-playing non-consent at the behest of the person taking the victim role.

 

[SimonDoom]

Is there a logical context where "Consensual Non-Consent" is anything but babble?

This is erotica. Don't get too hung up on what's logical.

 

[KeithD]

Is there a logical context where "Consensual Non-Consent" is anything but babble?

In the gay male world there would be. Because of the stigma elements of society (and families) attach to gay male sex, there's a sex game that probably plays more heavily in the GM world than in the hetero world--the "want to do it but don't want to be stuck with the decision of permitting it." Thus, that term would explain a "seemingly forced but really hunky-dory" GM game. I haven't seen the term used for that, and I just treat that game as consensual.

 

[NotWise]

In my queue, I have extensive notes on a story where fighting becomes foreplay, and where force, deception, and manipulation is how sex happens. But, "Consensual Non-Consent" is utterly meaningless to me. If people are conflicted, then why not just say they're conflicted?