How do I categorize my story?

[warmAmber]

Help, please! I'm writing a story in which humans are pushed together by non-humans. The sex they have is "human" but I think those who go for the "non-human" category would like the story. When I submit it to have it hopefully posted, how do I categorized it?

And as a thought, shouldn't the category be changed to just "Supernatural" or "Paranormal"? Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. - Amber

 

[Jack_Windmere]

I can't help you categorize it, but I am looking forward to reading it!

 

[warmAmber]

*Laughing*.. wondering if you are into just the sex, my name, have read my previous story, or are into the paranormal! - Amber

 

[Lalah]

It's hard to tell without more info.

So, basically, non-humans (let's say vampires as you mentionet supernatural paranormal) are pushing some humans to have sex?

Depending on how it's written it could possibly go into Non-con/Reluctance, SF/Fantasy, maybe non-human. There's erotic horror too, depending on the story.

 

[warmAmber]

It's about humans destined to save the faerie/elfen world by loving each other... no violence... *shrugs* just a romantic at heart! Hate to think of it as Sci-Fi... but you have a good point, thank you. - Amber

 

[Jack_Windmere]

*Laughing*.. wondering if you are into just the sex, my name, have read my previous story, or are into the paranormal! - Amber

.
Yes.

 

[warmAmber]

Jack of all trades!

 

[starrkers]

It's about humans destined to save the faerie/elfen world by loving each other... no violence... *shrugs* just a romantic at heart! Hate to think of it as Sci-Fi... but you have a good point, thank you. - Amber

Sounds like fantasy to me, so Sci-Fi and Fantasy would be the right category.

 

[Jack_Windmere]

I actually enjoy the supernatural bit. I wouldn't rank it in my Top 10 necessarily, but since my list goes to a 1,000, there's so much room for what I enjoy.

Is it your natural story disposition? Your favorite?

 

[warmAmber]

starkkers - Thanks. Always have trouble with the category because of the human element. *laughs* and isn't most of Lit fantasy?

 

[warmAmber]

Jack - beyond mysteries which I can't seem to plot out well, fantasy stories top my list of reading and writing, so it seems a natural fit. And the darker side of me isn't ready to write those stories - I just started here!

 

[Jack_Windmere]

WA, I sent you a message because wasn't sure about taking up so much time here on your thread -- but why do you feel you're not ready to write those darker stories yet?

 

[Stella_Omega]

It's about humans destined to save the faerie/elfen world by loving each other... no violence... *shrugs* just a romantic at heart! Hate to think of it as Sci-Fi... but you have a good point, thank you. - Amber

Perfect for the sci-fi/fantasy category, IMO

Sci-Fi and fantasy ought to be separated, but it won't happen here. There are just too many stories that would have to be sorted through, and the owners aren't going to invest the time...

 

[3113]

Help, please! I'm writing a story in which humans are pushed together by non-humans. The sex they have is "human" but I think those who go for the "non-human" category would like the story. When I submit it to have it hopefully posted, how do I categorized it?

What kind of non-humans and what kind of story? If it's scary and creepy, and the non-humans are of the "horror" type genre, like ghost or demon, then go for erotic horror. The important thing in that category, however, is that it be primarily a dark, scary story, or, sometimes, a sad story of some lost, ghostly lover trying to say good-bye to his grieving fiance.

If it's anything else, like the non-humans are aliens, or if the tone is not so dark and scary, then go for Sci-Fi/Fantasy. That's for anything from romps in fairyland to tentacled aliens to otherworldly spirits trying to experience human sex.

You want one of those two because readers of "non-con" and such often want "real" stuff--that is real non-con between real people. Readers of that cat may not like "non-humans." In the Horror and Fantasy cats the readers want to read about the supernatural or the fantasy or the aliens. They often don't care (or mind) whatever else it is (non-con, group sex, etc.), so long as there is that "other" element to it.

 

[Guest]

Non-human is a great way to kill your story and have nobody read it. It is a graveyard really.

Even for Sci-fi, make sure you invest in choosing the title there too. The title brings in the readers, and some of my stories did very badly on Sci-Fi too. A good, intriguing title is imperative.

Maharat

 

[warmAmber]

Thanks for the pointer. I am struggling for a title so I will do my hardest to make it draw readers in. And hate the Sci-Fi "handle". I've read mainstream books where the first one in the series was labeled "Romance" by the library and the 2nd one was labeled "Sci-Fi" because it dealt with Atlantis. And I guess all of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books and the others of the para-normal romance genre are just Sci-Fi too! LOL - Amber

 

[MrsDeathlynx]

I would have to agree and say the Sci-fi and Fantasy category. Like Stella I think those two categories should be seperated. I love fantasy with elves and fairies and such but not a huge fan of sci-fi at all, usually why I don't read stories in those categories.

As far as elves and fairies being non-human, I wouldn't really categorize them as that way. It's kind of like categorizing dwarves in that category when they are human just with a different appearance. But that's just my thought on that, then again it may be the Dungeons and Dragons geek in me talking, lol.

 

[3113]

As far as elves and fairies being non-human, I wouldn't really categorize them as that way. It's kind of like categorizing dwarves in that category when they are human just with a different appearance. But that's just my thought on that, then again it may be the Dungeons and Dragons geek in me talking, lol.

Oh, lord, this is too geeky to discuss...must resist...yet I feel the draw of geekiness pulling me in...weakening....Aghhhh! Okay, look. From a writer's standpoint, yes, all those things are "human" with different faces. We know this. Most sci-fi is like that, too. Because anything that is truly alien/non-human is awful hard to talk to and, therefore, have a story with. Just try talking to a cuddlefish. Cool creature, but not human and it's really hard to communicate with it.

So, yes. We will agree, as writers, that all these "non-humans" are humans in disguise used so that we can explore elements of ourselves, be it other cultures or other aspects of our psychology.

However, from a technical standpoint, they are non-human, because they aren't born to human beings, and they can do things that human beings cannot. Dwarfs included as the Dwarfs in D&D, like the Dwarfs in most fantasy novels are not "little people," but a unique race of beings who were created by fantasy gods to live longer than humans, be much stronger than humans, and have instincts toward doing things that humans do not--like mining for precious metals.

Almost all Fantasy of this sort can be distilled back to Lord of the Rings and Tolkien made it clear that Elves, Dwarfs and humans were all different races. Longevity of life, as well as supernatural talents (Logolas walks on top of the snow rather than sinking into it!) and inborn personalities bears this out. This being fantasy, the rules are "fantastic" not real. Fantasy god brought it all into being by way of magic an will, and magically, as much as these being look and act like humans, they are not humans. Non-humans.

Which brings us to the other end--Readers. From a reader's pov, elves, dwarfs and the like are not human. And this is why fantasy readers read fantasy (and play D&D), to read about creatures they can identify with, and yet feel special and unique, a part of a "non-human" culture, with non-human abilities and powers, and the chance to go and do things that humans cannot. Hence, yes, they are "non-human."

I am now going to spend the rest of the afternoon trying to stuff my geekiness back in it's dark little box.

 

[3113]

Why the hate?

It's about humans destined to save the faerie/elfen world by loving each other... no violence... *shrugs* just a romantic at heart! Hate to think of it as Sci-Fi...

Here it's sci-fi/fantasy, and you need to remember that a good deal of the readers of that category are romance readers. Now if you were writing for print, romance books have recently wised up and branched off into fantasy. They have books with "Romance" style cover that can be found in both fantasy and Romance sections of bookstores. These books are are exactly as you describe--a romance with fairies/elves, magic or whatever. But most definitely ROMANCE rather than fantasy with the focus on guy and girl falling in love rather than guy saving the world from some great evil.

A great deal of fantasy written today and found in the fantasy section is romance. When you say you "hate to think of it as sci-fi"--um, no. The category here on lit is "sci-fi/FANTASY" and the majority of stories in that category are fantasy, and the majority of fantasies are romances and the majority of fantasy readers are women who like romances. So, you're in luck in that category as what your'e writing is perfect for those readers--romantic/fantasy readers.

How would they find it if you put it in Romance Category with all the other romances about normal humans falling in love? Most readers of that category expect stories to be about real men and women in real settings--a woman falling for a guy in her office or at the grocery story. They will skip over a story described as "in the land of elfland..." Readers of the fantasy/sci-fi category, however, will get a thrill to see a description like: "could she find love in elfland?" It's just what most of them want.

 

[warmAmber]

Oh, lord, this is too geeky to discuss...must resist...yet I feel the draw of geekiness pulling me in...weakening....Aghhhh! Okay, look. From a writer's standpoint, yes, all those things are "human" with different faces. We know this. Most sci-fi is like that, too. Because anything that is truly alien/non-human is awful hard to talk to and, therefore, have a story with. Just try talking to a cuddlefish. Cool creature, but not human and it's really hard to communicate with it.

So, yes. We will agree, as writers, that all these "non-humans" are humans in disguise used so that we can explore elements of ourselves, be it other cultures or other aspects of our psychology.

However, from a technical standpoint, they are non-human, because they aren't born to human beings, and they can do things that human beings cannot. Dwarfs included as the Dwarfs in D&D, like the Dwarfs in most fantasy novels are not "little people," but a unique race of beings who were created by fantasy gods to live longer than humans, be much stronger than humans, and have instincts toward doing things that humans do not--like mining for precious metals.

Almost all Fantasy of this sort can be distilled back to Lord of the Rings and Tolkien made it clear that Elves, Dwarfs and humans were all different races. Longevity of life, as well as supernatural talents (Logolas walks on top of the snow rather than sinking into it!) and inborn personalities bears this out. This being fantasy, the rules are "fantastic" not real. Fantasy god brought it all into being by way of magic an will, and magically, as much as these being look and act like humans, they are not humans. Non-humans.

Which brings us to the other end--Readers. From a reader's pov, elves, dwarfs and the like are not human. And this is why fantasy readers read fantasy (and play D&D), to read about creatures they can identify with, and yet feel special and unique, a part of a "non-human" culture, with non-human abilities and powers, and the chance to go and do things that humans cannot. Hence, yes, they are "non-human."

I am now going to spend the rest of the afternoon trying to stuff my geekiness back in it's dark little box.

I like the discussion. As genres emerge as "mainstream", simply pushing them into previous categories is, IMHO, just wrong! I appreciate your geekiness and hope not ALL of it got stuffed back into the box! - Amber