choosing categories

[BlueNightingale]

Please forgive me since I realize that I am most likely posting this on the wrong forum. I have very nearly completed a short story that I would like to submit to Lit. This would be my first story submission and I am having trouble with the Story Categories.

What do I do with something that doesn't properly fit into any one category or, conversely might as easily fit into more than one?

Also, if I would like to ask an Editor to look at my work before I submit it, can someone please tell me the best way to choose someone with whom I will work well? Does anyone ever send their work to more than one Editor for an opinion?

Thank you.

 

[PennLady]

If you would like an editor, there are two best options. First, check out the "Available Authors" for the month, which is a sticky at the top of the this forum. See if there's anyone who fits your needs. Second, you can put up a post requesting an editor. You should specify genre(s), length, when you'd like it back, etc. This is all done on a volunteer/honor basis, so it'll be up to you to keep track of it.

For categories, there's a bit of a hierarchy but it would depend on what categories you're talking about.

 

[BlueNightingale]

For categories, there's a bit of a hierarchy but it would depend on what categories you're talking about.

Presently I'm closer to saying I'm not properly in any of them. I would group it with suspense except for the primary erotic nature of story. (I've found myself tempted to pick one and try to rework at least part of my story so that it will fit there but that seems like a dangerous path.)

Is that the sort of question with which an editor would be able to help?

Actually, that gets me to another point, I've looked at the threads on this board and there seem to be some differing opinions about what advice editors should offer. (One in particular related to the problem of plausibility within the construct of the story.) Is it up to me as the person seeking help to ask for particular kinds of insight if they are important to me or is that improper? May I ask if the person editing my work is willing to offer a critique as well?

I don't want to overstep since this is someone helping me on his own time but I would hate to miss an opportunity simply because I didn't know I should have asked.

 

[PennLady]

Presently I'm closer to saying I'm not properly in any of them. I would group it with suspense except for the primary erotic nature of story. (I've found myself tempted to pick one and try to rework at least part of my story so that it will fit there but that seems like a dangerous path.)

Suspense isn't an option at Literotica in terms of a category. If you haven't already, you should go to the index and look at the brief descriptions of the various categories. If you could give us some examples of the erotic situations in your story, perhaps people could give you some guidance.

Here's the index page: http://www.literotica.com/stories/index.php

Is that the sort of question with which an editor would be able to help?

Depends on the editor.

Actually, that gets me to another point, I've looked at the threads on this board and there seem to be some differing opinions about what advice editors should offer. (One in particular related to the problem of plausibility within the construct of the story.) Is it up to me as the person seeking help to ask for particular kinds of insight if they are important to me or is that improper? May I ask if the person editing my work is willing to offer a critique as well?

What info you get from your editor is between you and your editor. And some of the difference is that there are professional editors who work for publishers and then there are others, like me, who are not professional and who offer what help we can. And yes, it is up to you to ask your editor for certain insights -- if you don't, how will they know what to tell you? And yes, you can ask for a critique, although someone who's editing may not feel qualified to do that. But you can also get what people call "beta readers" -- someone to read your story and give you general feedback and impressions about the story. They might critique the character development, plot, pace, etc. But you must ask if you want input on these things.

When in doubt: ask.

 

[BlueNightingale]

Thank you. I appreciate the help. I've been most stressed about the issue of the categories since I seemed to be writing something that feel between the cracks. It is good to know that there is help available.

 

[palisa]

At the end of the day, it isn't worth your time to agonize too much about which category to nominate. And it certainly isn't worth while rewriting parts of your story to conform to a category.

It's been my occasional experience that the site editor will change the category to what he or she wants. In other words, it's the site's call ultimately as to where the story goes.

 

[BlueNightingale]

That actually makes me feel much better. Earlier when I said I felt I would call what I'm writing suspense, I didn't mean that I thought that was a Lit category. I only meant that would be what I label my story in a general fiction sort of way.
So if I make a list of the elements of each category and then just check off the ones that fit. I can pick whatever categories I have the most in common with and still be OK?

 

[BONNIEBREA]

Please forgive me since I realize that I am most likely posting this on the wrong forum. I have very nearly completed a short story that I would like to submit to Lit. This would be my first story submission and I am having trouble with the Story Categories.

What do I do with something that doesn't properly fit into any one category or, conversely might as easily fit into more than one?

Also, if I would like to ask an Editor to look at my work before I submit it, can someone please tell me the best way to choose someone with whom I will work well? Does anyone ever send their work to more than one Editor for an opinion?

Thank you.

I wouldn't (or, that is, I don't) worry overly much about categories. And you had mentioned possibly tweeking your story to better fit a category, and I'd definitely discourage you from doing that. Write the story you want to write, and a category to submit in is really a fairly minor concern.

Understand some categories just naturally have more readers attracted to them. And I'd encourage you to stay away from Loving Wives - there be big, fat, loud-mouthed trolls, and no matter what you write you'll awaken a bunch of them.

I don't know how long your story is. Mine tend to be longer (multi-chapter) and I write literary stories - not themed to a particular sexual practice or fetish or orientation. So I usually submit my chapters in whatever category seems appropriate for where the story is at that point.

About an editor. Like PL says - check the available editors for the month or post in this forum requesting that service. When I edit I usually like to know beforehand theme, word count, and what the author is looking for. It's best not to use an editor as you would a proofreader: just correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation. If you as a writer are at the point of wanting to share your work, you should have enough of a command of the mechanics of English that you can send an editor a pretty clean manuscript. That way the editor can do what editors are really for: commenting on things like character (and development), plot, pacing, phrasing, POV, continuity, etc.