choosing a category for lesbian reluctance

[caleb35]

I have a lesbian reluctance that I'm struggling a little bit to decide what category to post it in. I'd like to post it in Reluctance/NonConsent but there's a couple complications. There's no non-consent in the story. Reluctance, definitely, but no non-consent and no control. The category description is "fantasies of control," which I don't know applies to my story (maybe "soft" control at most but even that just barely). Also, I get the impression that a lot of readers in the Reluctance/NonConsent category want to see actual non-consent, and preferably hardcore at that (with a happy ending, of course, of course).

My story is likelier a better fit in the Lesbian Sex category -- except I can expect, on average, about 1/10 the amount of views on the story than if I posted in Reluctance/NonConsent (based on the readership data to-date on my previous posts across both categories). Rating on average should be about the same but with far fewer favorites (again, on average based on previous posts). Also, I sense that a lot of readers in Lesbian Sex aren't as happy with stories that either lack a romantic element or that include reluctance -- and both states would apply to my story.

As I said, I'm struggling a bit. It's likely a better fit for Lesbian Sex, though I'd prefer posting it in Reluctance/NonConsent. Either way, I'm likely to get upset readers who think I picked the wrong category. What are folks thoughts/opinions on this? Also, who else out there struggles with category selection from time to time?

 

[YmaOHyd]

In your situation I'd put it in R/NC. I agree that the lesbian sex crowd generally prefers romance, and I think you'll ick readers there more with reluctance than you will R/NC readers by not having a hard non-con edge.

 

[cw5523729]

I have a lesbian reluctance that I'm struggling a little bit to decide what category to post it in. I'd like to post it in Reluctance/NonConsent but there's a couple complications. There's no non-consent in the story. Reluctance, definitely, but no non-consent and no control. The category description is "fantasies of control," which I don't know applies to my story (maybe "soft" control at most but even that just barely). Also, I get the impression that a lot of readers in the Reluctance/NonConsent category want to see actual non-consent, and preferably hardcore at that (with a happy ending, of course, of course).

My story is likelier a better fit in the Lesbian Sex category -- except I can expect, on average, about 1/10 the amount of views on the story than if I posted in Reluctance/NonConsent (based on the readership data to-date on my previous posts across both categories). Rating on average should be about the same but with far fewer favorites (again, on average based on previous posts). Also, I sense that a lot of readers in Lesbian Sex aren't as happy with stories that either lack a romantic element or that include reluctance -- and both states would apply to my story.

As I said, I'm struggling a bit. It's likely a better fit for Lesbian Sex, though I'd prefer posting it in Reluctance/NonConsent. Either way, I'm likely to get upset readers who think I picked the wrong category. What are folks thoughts/opinions on this? Also, who else out there struggles with category selection from time to time?

Personally I'd say R/NC mostly because of your concern about views. Yes, R/NC is going to get a lot more eyes on it and since it contains reluctance, it's not a lie.

If your concern WASN'T maximizing views, I suspect that you could get away fine in Lesbian unless the "reluctance" in your story basically amounts to blackmail or similar where the participant has no real choice at all.

 

[caleb35]

Personally I'd say R/NC mostly because of your concern about views. Yes, R/NC is going to get a lot more eyes on it and since it contains reluctance, it's not a lie.

If your concern WASN'T maximizing views, I suspect that you could get away fine in Lesbian unless the "reluctance" in your story basically amounts to blackmail or similar where the participant has no real choice at all.

I have only just now noticed your profile pic

 

[cw5523729]

I have only just now noticed your profile pic

I recycled it from a one-off joke somewhere but I think it shows up too small to be appreciated unless you are really ambitious to see what it says

 

[lovecraft68]

Reluctance trumps anything else.

The three trump categories are
Incest
Non con
Gay male.

Any of those elements in a story, that's where they go. If it contains more than one of those, it's a crap shoot and you'll lose regardless of what you choose.

 

[TheLobster]

Also, I sense that a lot of readers in Lesbian Sex aren't as happy with stories that either lack a romantic element or that include reluctance -- and both states would apply to my story.

I was under the impression that reluctance is actually a staple of the Lesbian Sex category. Some of the prominent authors there who frequent AH have previously alluded that stories which involve turning the frogs straight women gay are a recurring theme, and that definitely falls under the R part of R/NC at the very least.

 

[cw5523729]

I was under the impression that reluctance is actually a staple of the Lesbian Sex category. Some of the prominent authors there who frequent AH have previously alluded that stories which involve turning the frogs straight women gay are a recurring theme, and that definitely falls under the R part of R/NC at the very least.

No, you misunderstand. PornHub has taught me that all straight women are already Lesbians from birth, it's just that some of them haven't met the right lady yet to bring that out in them.

Similarly, all women are willing to barter sex in exchange for their monthly rent.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

EC?

 

[caleb35]

I was under the impression that reluctance is actually a staple of the Lesbian Sex category. Some of the prominent authors there who frequent AH have previously alluded that stories which involve turning the frogs straight women gay are a recurring theme, and that definitely falls under the R part of R/NC at the very least.

Ehhh, it's tricky. That's definitely one of the stronger story types in the Lesbian Sex category. BUT... I want to say that it used to be stronger and has been on the wane (at least in my observation from what it was 10 or 20 years ago). Second, they still tend to have a strong romantic element, which is just not my strong point (and I don't want to try to copy someone else's writing style). Lastly, maybe those stories are more acceptable from female authors but I'm male. Not disagreeing with you, and I may be overstating the obstacles, but that's my take on things. Thanks for the input, though.

EDIT: do let me know if you were being sarcastic and I didn't pick up on it

 

[ColtonWrites]

Reluctance trumps anything else.

The three trump categories are
Incest
Non con
Gay male.

Any of those elements in a story, that's where they go. If it contains more than one of those, it's a crap shoot and you'll lose regardless of what you choose.

And transgender. Transgender trumps everything, unfortunately.

 

[cw5523729]

And transgender. Transgender trumps everything, unfortunately.

I don't understand why it has to be "unfortunately"

Wouldn't people rather tag and categorize their stories appropriately so they appeal to the people that want to read them vs trying to ram a story down the throat of someone that doesn't want to read it?

 

[ColtonWrites]

I don't understand why it has to be "unfortunately"

Wouldn't people rather tag and categorize their stories appropriately so they appeal to the people that want to read them vs trying to ram a story down the throat of someone that doesn't want to read it?

Because a story that is 98% BDSM/masochism or R/NC content with a single reference to the character being transgender ought to go in the BDSM or R/NC category.

Because by doing it that way, we're prioritizing the feelings of people who cant possibly touch transgender content without getting upset, over the feelings of people trying to read transgender content and getting BDSM or R/NC (which is arguably a lot more upsetting).

 

[YmaOHyd]

Because a story that is 98% BDSM/masochism or R/NC content with a single reference to the character being transgender ought to go in the BDSM or R/NC category.

Because by doing it that way, we're prioritizing the feelings of people who cant possibly touch transgender content without getting upset, over the feelings of people trying to read transgender content and getting BDSM or R/NC (which is arguably a lot more upsetting).

Personally I'd do R/NC > transgender > BDSM, especially if it's pretty light sex-specific BDSM. If it's full-lifestyle BDSM that extends outside sexual play it'd be a harder call, but nothing trumps non-consent to me.

 

[caleb35]

Because a story that is 98% BDSM/masochism or R/NC content with a single reference to the character being transgender ought to go in the BDSM or R/NC category.

Because by doing it that way, we're prioritizing the feelings of people who cant possibly touch transgender content without getting upset, over the feelings of people trying to read transgender content and getting BDSM or R/NC (which is arguably a lot more upsetting).

I don't know if I completely agree with this take. Fact is, people potentially can get upset with any story in any category, there's not much to be done about that. I know a couple of others in this thread have discussed categories that "trump" other categories but I'm not sure how much I agree with that, either. Some categories are more popular than others but what can you do. Every author is free to select the category that he or she deems most fitting. If there is a BDSM story that has a single mention of transgender, then that author is free to submit it to the BDSM category.

The bigger underlying issue around all this (and around my initial post) is that the existing categories kind of suck. They were more reflective of erotic tastes and categories (or at least perceived tastes and categories) in existence when Literotica started up nearly three decades ago. Things and categories that were deemed the "Other" back then are less so today and many writers have bent and pushed the boundaries of the original categories that very few of them are any longer a good fit. A thorough re-vamp would seem the best solution but that's likely outside the bounds of the current administrators/owners, so we post here and elsewhere bitching and moaning about it before picking the best fit that we can select and going on with our posting. Thanks for attending my TED talk.

 

[redgarters]

I was under the impression that reluctance is actually a staple of the Lesbian Sex category. Some of the prominent authors there who frequent AH have previously alluded that stories which involve turning the frogs straight women gay are a recurring theme, and that definitely falls under the R part of R/NC at the very least.

Yes, there are a lot of stories in Lesbian sex that fall under that plot line, but in reality a lot of the "turning the straight girl gay" stories could just as well (or should rather) be classified as "bisexual awakening", and therefore are not reluctance themed at all.
Bi erasure comes in many forms, you see.

 

[dirk2024]

And transgender. Transgender trumps everything, unfortunately.

I don't understand why it has to be "unfortunately"

Wouldn't people rather tag and categorize their stories appropriately so they appeal to the people that want to read them vs trying to ram a story down the throat of someone that doesn't want to read it?

I agree. I'm working on a romance between a trans woman and a cis man. I'm going to have to put it into 'transgender' to satisfy the sensitive readers, but frankly, it should be placed into Romance.