how and where to categorize a story

[loveofsol]

new to this publishing thing and i have a question.

how do i choose what category to put a story in?

i searched the forum and faq, but couldn't find an answer.

reason for asking is that i received a 1 star rating because reader didn't like it in that category....

another complained they thought it was in the wrong place...

any help or guidance is appreciated...

tj

and why do those negative asshats always post as anon??

 

[KeithD]

Your question is too general to respond to other than someone pointing to How To essays on the topic. Maybe someone with a lot of time will do that if you can keyword search the How To file yourself.

 

[gordo12]

This page under EROTIC STORIES then right below. Stories by Category.
https://www.literotica.com/stories/

The categories are laid out with a description. Some are trump categories like Gay Male or Incest where they have to go into those categories.

Often stories may contain multiple sex acts. That's a bit more difficult.

In that case my personal choice is to put it into a category based on the most offensive act within the story.

Keith is right there are FAQ's on the subject. Look at the top where the stickies are in AH forum. I believe they're there.

 

[NotWise]

The ultimate guide to choosing a category is Tx Tall Tales' Love Your Readers: Categories.

I looked at the complaint, and I think the comment is wrong. LW doesn't require extramarital sex. It's generally expected, but I think some of the most highly-rated stories in the category don't have it.

 

[gordo12]

The ultimate guide to choosing a category is Tx Tall Tales' Love Your Readers: Categories.

I looked at the complaint, and I think the comment is wrong. LW doesn't require extramarital sex. It's generally expected, but I think some of the most highly-rated stories in the category don't have it.

Yes, it does. I just read the story. It's a typical new author sees the Loving Wives in the drop down box and bingo; slots a story that doesn't belong. Romantic, erotic would have been great.

This is a category description of Loving Wives:

"Married extra-marital fun: swinging, sharing & more"

That's why you got the category comments.

And yes many of the great stories don't have that. But still it should be respected. That's what the readers want. Many of the great stories are written by great authors that Laurel allows some liberties.

 

[yukonnights]

new to this publishing thing and i have a question.

how do i choose what category to put a story in?

i searched the forum and faq, but couldn't find an answer.

reason for asking is that i received a 1 star rating because reader didn't like it in that category....

another complained they thought it was in the wrong place...

any help or guidance is appreciated...

tj

and why do those negative asshats always post as anon??

I read your LW story. You write just fine. The story was well edited and was a good set up for more to come. Since you plan on this to be continued, I think you have some reasonable options to edit this one.

Once you've reviewed the Category options more closely; You can edit this first one to: 1. Move it to the correct category. and 2. To reword the title into the appropriate format for a Series of multiple parts.

If this is something you want to do, you can contact me (or another of the authors here) via Private Message and the details of how to do #1 and #2 above can be shared. (Or if you're ready to do those, just say so here and the info can be shared.)

Chin up. You're not the first author to mistake what Loving Wives really implies. It should be renamed Cheating Wives, because that it what it actually means.

PS: not all anons post nasty comments and give 1 star votes

 

[yukonnights]

Yes, it does. I just read the story. It's a typical new author sees the Loving Wives in the drop down box and bingo; slots a story that doesn't belong. Romantic, erotic would have been great.

This is a category description of Loving Wives:

"Married extra-marital fun: swinging, sharing & more"

That's why you got the category comments.

And yes many of the great stories don't have that. But still it should be respected. That's what the readers want. Many of the great stories are written by great authors that Laurel allows some liberties.

In all fairness to the OP, the story is to be continued and perhaps the 'extramarital' content is yet to come? The thing that is so irksome is the tone of those commenting. Instead of explaining these things in a normal, helpful way, it's one bombs and vitriol. No excuse for that, in my opinion.

 

[Rustyoznail]

and why do those negative asshats always post as anon??

Because this is the internet and that's what they do.

But you'll find different anons. Professor Anon is a stickler for grammar, even if they're terrible themselves.

Angry Anon just rages against anything.

Pointless Anon makes totally irrelevant comments not related to the story.

Clueless Anon comments on perceived inaccuracies that makes you wonder if they've read the story.

I'm sure there's others.

Welcome

 

[gordo12]

Chin up. You're not the first author to mistake what Loving Wives really implies. It should be renamed Cheating Wives, because that it what it actually means.

"Married extra-marital fun: swinging, sharing & more" does not say cheating. When all the parties are on board how is that cheating?

But I will agree loving wives has always been a bad title for the category.

 

[gordo12]

In all fairness to the OP, the story is to be continued and perhaps the 'extramarital' content is yet to come? The thing that is so irksome is the tone of those commenting. Instead of explaining these things in a normal, helpful way, it's one bombs and vitriol. No excuse for that, in my opinion.

Maybe. but all you can judge it by is what's there. Less than one page and a romantic hubby wife encounter. We all know how vicious the anon's can be in there. Unfortunately I've seen the same mistake from new authors that don't bother to research the categories a thousand times.

You can't blame people in there from getting frustrated with it.

Edit: this is not a reflection on the writing which appeared decent. I scrolled through most.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes, it does. I just read the story. It's a typical new author sees the Loving Wives in the drop down box and bingo; slots a story that doesn't belong. Romantic, erotic would have been great.

Someone be kind and explain nicely to the poor OP that there are Categories and there is Loving Wives, and they must choose the camp they fall into.

Based on Gordo's advice - he knows his subject matter on this - OP, I'd resubmit and ask for a category change to Erotic Couplings as a safe place, until such time as you fully understand the intricacies and subtleties of LW.

Here on Lit, for better or worse, there's a great divide for all sorts of reasons, and you've wandered right into it. Check some of the historical threads here in the Hangout - you'll soon get the picture.

 

[yukonnights]

Maybe. but all you can judge it by is what's there. Less than one page and a romantic hubby wife encounter. We all know how vicious the anon's can be in there. Unfortunately I've seen the same mistake from new authors that don't bother to research the categories a thousand times.

You can't blame people in there from getting frustrated with it.

Edit: this is not a reflection on the writing which appeared decent. I scrolled through most.

I can be repulsed by the tone of the comments though. Frustration is no excuse for much of what goes on there. (It's noteworthy the story in Erotic Couplings is 4.18)

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Maybe. but all you can judge it by is what's there. Less than one page and a romantic hubby wife encounter. We all know how vicious the anon's can be in there. Unfortunately I've seen the same mistake from new authors that don't bother to research the categories a thousand times.

You can't blame people in there from getting frustrated with it.

Edit: this is not a reflection on the writing which appeared decent. I scrolled through most.

sure, you know, and the more experienced writers know. But a newb posting their first story? How would they know? It is also true that getting clear information about which category isn't as easy as it could be.

I think NWs advice is the wisest, and hopefully the OP will read that essay.

 

[gordo12]

sure, you know, and the more experienced writers know. But a newb posting their first story? How would they know? It is also true that getting clear information about which category isn't as easy as it could be.

I think NWs advice is the wisest, and hopefully the OP will read that essay.

Yes NW's advice is good. The essay is also very good guidance. Unfortunately, it's advice given after the story is already published and getting ripped. Which makes it pointless.

The problem is that when you go to post your first story there is no guidance here. All these FAQs and guides that other's have written are spread all over the site. It would be nice if someone would assemble them all and nobody gets access to posting stories UNTIL they've read it all. We'll put that in the faint hope thread wherever that is these days.

 

[NotWise]

Yes NW's advice is good. The essay is also very good guidance. Unfortunately, it's advice given after the story is already published and getting ripped. Which makes it pointless.

The problem is that when you go to post your first story there is no guidance here. All these FAQs and guides that other's have written are spread all over the site. It would be nice if someone would assemble them all and nobody gets access to posting stories UNTIL they've read it all. We'll put that in the faint hope thread wherever that is these days.

I found and read Tx Tall Tales' essay before I ever posted here. Did it stop me from making a fool of myself? No. Maybe people need a rejection before they take it seriously. I did.

The story is getting ripped, but isn't that true of most stories on LW? Someone's going to hate it and you. The story is out there and there isn't much point to pulling it back. The advice is for future stories.

 

[gordo12]

I found and read Tx Tall Tales' essay before I ever posted here. Did it stop me from making a fool of myself? No. Maybe people need a rejection before they take it seriously. I did.

The story is getting ripped, but isn't that true of most stories on LW? Someone's going to hate it and you. The story is out there and there isn't much point to pulling it back. The advice is for future stories.

You're absolutely right. But it would be nice if the writers didn't have to go through hell on their first story. I have a thick skin. Not everybody else does. There are authors here that won't brave LW because of fear or reputation. They could be better prepared up front. Nanny State for writers Don't tell Keith!

 

[TarnishedPenny]

All - all - of the above is correct. Yet I do maintain that an author can put his or her work almost anywhere if - if - they can build a proper case for it.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Ah... Loving Wives. A melting pot of hate and despair.

Generally, there are assholes on LW that just go through and 1-bomb stories that don't claim to be BTB - Burn the Bitch, stories.

Then there are those that go though and 1-bomb stories that are BTB stories.

Then there is the faction that 1-bomb all the stories that don't have a cheating wife.

So, usually, in LW you are pretty much screwed.

Your next best choice it Erotic Couplings if there is no cheating or extra marital fun.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

new to this publishing thing and i have a question.

how do i choose what category to put a story in?

A frequent question, generally based on the author wanting to get the best response for their story. An interesting A/B test case was recently posted by Britishwriter48m. He somehow posted the same story twice in two different categories, Mature and EC. One got rated 4.35, the other 4.39. I have no insight into how many views it received, obviously.

So maybe the category doesn't matter much once you are out of LW

 

[loveofsol]

thanks, i certainly won't be posting there again!

 

[loveofsol]

Thank you all!!

made a bad choice in category, will not make that mistake again...

i have 3 more i'm currently working on and will play it safe and stay in erotic coplings....

now to find someone to proof read and check my work...

again, thank you everyone for the kind and encouraging words...


tj

 

[NotWise]

Thank you all!!

made a bad choice in category, will not make that mistake again...

i have 3 more i'm currently working on and will play it safe and stay in erotic coplings....

now to find someone to proof read and check my work...

again, thank you everyone for the kind and encouraging words...


tj

If you're looking for a beta reader, then post your request in the editor's forum. Give them the category, the length of the story in words and a short synopsis. Then wait. If you don't get a response in a few days then bump your request and wait again.

If you need an editor, then go through the same process, but expect to wait longer.

 

[gordo12]

Thank you all!!

made a bad choice in category, will not make that mistake again...

i have 3 more i'm currently working on and will play it safe and stay in erotic coplings....

now to find someone to proof read and check my work...

again, thank you everyone for the kind and encouraging words...


tj

Perhaps not. Depending on what you're writing categories like Incest or LW come with huge crowds of readers. Your views will be 2-3x what they'll be in erotic or other categories. You could see 1000 views in one and 20,000 in the other.

Half a dozen shitty comments in nothing against 20,000 views. It's just that your story didn't fit. Make sure you plot that into your future writings.

Vote totals:
Last Three stories about to exit LW after 3 days:1635, 1621, 210
Last Three stories about to exit EC 3 after days: 74, 24, 5

View totals:
LW 39,669, 24,006, 16,706
EC 6,947, 4,174, 978

Comments: (AKA feedback)
LW 46, 66, 6
EC 5 (only one story got comments)

Don't get yourself pushed into a knee jerk reaction just because of a few comments.

Edit: By the way. My first story went into Sci-fi. I got ripped by a few comments that pointed out a perceived mistake. When I thought about it I realized they were right. It taught me something about writing that I now put into all my stories. Negative yes, but they taught me. You will hear about mistakes regardless of category. LW readers are a little less polite is all