Determining Category

[Bebop3]

Hi!

I have a story that I just finished that could either go in Romance or Mature. It would work fine for either.

Have you ever had a situation where your story is equally apt for two categories? How did you decide where to put it?

 

[NotWise]

Hi!

I have a story that I just finished that could either go in Romance or Mature. It would work fine for either.

Have you ever had a situation where your story is equally apt for two categories? How did you decide where to put it?

That would be an easy decision for me. I'll probably never post to Mature again.

Romance is a much larger category than Mature--more stories, more readers, more votes. If you can post to the larger category, then why wouldn't you?

 

[rae121452]

Hi!

I have a story that I just finished that could either go in Romance or Mature. It would work fine for either.

Have you ever had a situation where your story is equally apt for two categories? How did you decide where to put it?

i simply pick the one that makes the most sense to me. that doesn't mean that it will post in that section, though. i've repeatedly posted to gay male and had the story wind up in incest, even tho the incest people are all incredibly homophobic and send me shitty emails about the stories and give them crappy votes. the whole thing is a crapshoot.

 

[SamScribble]

Hi!

Have you ever had a situation where your story is equally apt for two categories? How did you decide where to put it?

I think that I always have trouble knowing where to post my stories. One of my friends says that I need a category called Surprise! But that's probably not going to happen.

And so I usually opt for the category that best fits the readership's big idea. Romance has to be romantic, and it has to have a HEA ending - or at least hint at one. Mature has to have a proper 'grown up' character, and a significantly younger one. An age gap of about 15 or 20 years seems to press a few buttons.

That said, you're on your own! (But good luck. )

 

[Sammael Bard]

Mature is better for stereotypes (teacher-student, priest-parishioner etc). If your story is exploiting or accentuating a particular young-old fantasy, put it in Mature.

Otherwise, you're better off in Romance.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Mature is better for stereotypes (teacher-student, priest-parishioner etc). If your story is exploiting or accentuating a particular young-old fantasy, put it in Mature.

I placed two straight older man/younger women stories into Mature, and both were very well received - one gathered my biggest collection of comments. They might have run equally well in Romance, who knows.

What's your key theme - a story about mature people (define 'mature'), age difference between protagonists, or something else?

 

[JasonClearwater]

i simply pick the one that makes the most sense to me. that doesn't mean that it will post in that section, though. i've repeatedly posted to gay male and had the story wind up in incest, even tho the incest people are all incredibly homophobic and send me shitty emails about the stories and give them crappy votes. the whole thing is a crapshoot.

Second that. If there's two men doing butt stuff to each other, they get asked to leave every other category. GET OUT! You can't do that in here!

God help you if you mix ever mixed incest with gay male with loving wives. I haven't tried it yet, but one day I'll go for a 'lowest possible rating' story.

 

[Voboy]

Yeah, some content trumps other content. I’m looking at YOU, gay male and incest.

Between Mature and Romance? I doubt it matters. I’ve had good luck with Mature, but then I tend to exploit some of the stereotypes Sammael mentions.

 

[Hypoxia]

Yeah, some content trumps other content. I’m looking at YOU, gay male and incest.

Group Sex is very lenient. I've had non-trivial GM and Incest incidents in GS tales but not as main themes.

Between Mature and Romance? I doubt it matters. I’ve had good luck with Mature, but then I tend to exploit some of the stereotypes Sammael mentions.

I'd also go with stereotypes and expectations. My Mature tale Left Behind could have gone to Group Sex but not Romance, even with its implied HEA. My Romance story The Botanists, about actual 19th-century minor celebs, could almost have gone Non-Erotic because minimal sex.

Mostly, just go where it feels right to you. Laurel will put it wherever she wants.