changing category mid-stream

[GrushaVashnadze]

Being relatively inexperienced in the arcana of Literotica categories, and being someone who tends to write multi-chapter novels or novellas which do not stick to a single category, I have struggled with these choices. Hitherto, I have followed the commonly-held view that it is rarely worth going back and changing category. However, Chapter 06 of my novel Alison Goes to London received dreadful scores when I first posted it (for, I think, valid reasons) under "Lesbian". Thinking I had little left to lose, I moved it to "Group Sex", where scores have been climbing steadily ever since.

Has anyone else had a similar (or, indeed, opposite) experience?

 

[ElectricBlue]

I've found Group to be a tumbleweeds category - I posted a story series there and it was like a black hole - nothing came out. I'd never post there again, so it's interesting you're getting some kind of response.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

Since the powers that be can change the category, I suppose you could ask for a change in category?

 

[rimaday]

I have experienced the same thing. I often write stories that could fit in multiple categories. Pick the wrong one and it can get obliterated. I had a story that could have fit in non-consent/reluctance, loving wives (a majority of the story involved the main character and exploring with his wife), or gay male based on the ending. I chose loving wives with a warning in the intro, and it was destroyed.

I changed to gay male with a warning, and it has climbed back ever since.

You resubmit the story as an edit and after several days it gets changed. In that case it remained live under the original category until the site managers made the change.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I've got a series where the first chapter was in Erotic Couplings - did fine but some complaints about lack of man getting his rocks off. Ch.2 was E&V and did very well, half the views but that's expected for a second chapter. Ch3-5 are in Group and fewer views but still decent ratings and a smattering of favourites, even though ch4 is mostly one couple chatting and ch5 could have been in BDSM.

About to post ch.6 which could be in Lesbian (but not romantic enough), toys & masturbation (but not really using the toys as a kink), possibly E&V again (though only the last sex scene has observers), not enough BDSM content for that - so may as well stick to Group. They don't seem to complain, at least.

 

[Duleigh]

In my case I have found that multiple chapter stories are a wasteland. In We're a Wonderful Wife the crickets are dying of loneliness, and with Naveen Knights there's not a breeze to nudge the tumbleweeds. WaWW is N&N and Naveen is SciFi a category that my readers lap up happily. I have found that if I make my chapters structured as a complete story (Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution) the readers seem to like it a lot more than numbered chapters. I give the overall story a short name (Stormwatch, The Gate, Agent AI) followed by some descriptive words, just make sure the descriptive words are in Alphabetical order so the stories will be listed in order. The only downside I've found is that you have to start with a lot more exposition at the beginning of each story, but I have yet to hear a complaint.

A good name helps too. Readers are standing in line to read "Camping in Bondage" (BDSM) and they found a cute stroker where the few brave souls who summoned their courage and have read Serendipitous Liaison (EC) found a fun sex game between a young husband and wife which I believe to be a far superior story.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Is it possible to change a live story's category while it's still active, or does it have to be deleted and then resubmitted?

Yes. Submit a new story, exactly the same title plus the word EDIT. Change the category, and add a Note to the Editor, explaining you would like a category change, and why. If Laurel agrees, the story will change category in a week or so, but the score and any comments will all remain.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

<snip>

A good name helps too. Readers are standing in line to read "Camping in Bondage" (BDSM) and they found a cute stroker where the few brave souls who summoned their courage and have read Serendipitous Liaison (EC) found a fun sex game between a young husband and wife which I believe to be a far superior story.

Luxembourg is not that foggy... and also Bitteschön instead of Wannechgelift? But nice stories both of them.

 

[Duleigh]

I don't

Luxembourg is not that foggy... and also Bitteschön instead of Wannechgelift? But nice stories both of them

I don't know, I was pegged as an American GI every time I went there and was treated to English by my servers, I actually had to look up etiquette in Luxemburg because of that and that's what I came up with. In reality they would have spotted Agent 007 5/8 as an American airman from a block away and would have greeted him with "Hi! How ya doin!" At the time of this story there were flocks of airmen from Spangdahlem and Bitburg airbases going to Luxemburg on the weekends to see the sights.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

I don't

I don't know, I was pegged as an American GI every time I went there and was treated to English by my servers, I actually had to look up etiquette in Luxemburg because of that and that's what I came up with. In reality they would have spotted Agent 007 5/8 as an American airman from a block away and would have greeted him with "Hi! How ya doin!" At the time of this story there were flocks of airmen from Spangdahlem and Bitburg airbases going to Luxemburg on the weekends to see the sights.

It's just that "wannechgelift" is such a typical Luxembourgish word.

But you're right servers will usually answer in your language, and, moreover, are rarely Luxembourgish themselves.