Category Question: Is It Horror, Or Just Dressed That Way?

[wastelandwriter]

Question about whether something counts as horror, or SFF, or some other category: I've got a vague story idea with lots of dark trappings: monsters/demons, kidnapping, questionable consent, lots of talk about corruption and darkness and so forth. It also focuses heavily on pleasure rather than pain or fear, and it ends with a very clear "Hell yeah, I want more" attitude from the "victims." The consent issues turn out to be a kink for everyone involved all along.

So if it starts out all dark but ends with essentially happily ever after, does it still go better in horror? Or SFF? How would the different audiences change the reception?

 

[ElectricBlue]

Monsters and demons = horror, angels and elves = fantasy, so far as I've been able to figure it out. If it's dark themes, more likely horror, if there's lots of world building, more likely SFF (unless the world is hell, obviously).

Both audiences are receptive and appreciative of a good story (based on my postings in both categories) - although there are stil category police, even in horror (my first encounter, in fact - don't go dropping GM incest on them, unannounced ).

 

[yukonnights]

Question about whether something counts as horror, or SFF, or some other category: I've got a vague story idea with lots of dark trappings: monsters/demons, kidnapping, questionable consent, lots of talk about corruption and darkness and so forth. It also focuses heavily on pleasure rather than pain or fear, and it ends with a very clear "Hell yeah, I want more" attitude from the "victims." The consent issues turn out to be a kink for everyone involved all along.

So if it starts out all dark but ends with essentially happily ever after, does it still go better in horror? Or SFF? How would the different audiences change the reception?

Since the story is still in the "vague story idea" phase, the best thing to do is just finish it first...the category will probably be more clear by then.

 

[Etaski]

Based on Literotica's own category descriptions, ask yourself:

Does it take place in another world you must establish for the reader? Is it future/speculative?
If building and introducing the setting is key, it's SFF, hands-down.

Does it take place "now on Earth" but with crazy things/creatures present and happening?
Leaning "Non-Human" or "Erotic Horror"--depending on the horror element after it's written, because I agree with yukonnights--write it first, see how dark it gets.

Having said that, some people choose between those three categories simply for the relative numbers of views. Non-Human and SFF typically see more new stories and more views than Erotic Horror and have a larger audience, and plenty of demon-dark-slightly-horrifying sex ideas show up in all three categories. Few are going to complain as long as it's fantastic/vivid/creative and well-written.

So, it would also depend on your own aims in submitting the story in the first place.