In regards to Categories...

[Cinderbloom]

So! I have been sitting on a mighty two burning questions in regards to submitting in categories.

1, when trying to chose a category for a story which incorporates multiple different aspects, which should take preference first and foremost?
Say a non-con, non-human lesbian story. In that case, does it go in NonConsent, NonHuman or in Lesbian Sex? Is it based off of what is the least general of the three, or based off of which is the most prevalent in the story?

And 2, when writing within an established universe (ie games, film, etc), should it always automatically go into Celebrities & Fan Fiction? If it is about established characters from that universe, it makes sense, but if it only uses the media for established world building and uses its own original characters, should it go into Sci-Fi and Fantasy?

I would love to hear others' takes on it, as I haven't been able to find any real clarification on it, and it is something which have come to mind when submitting my own stories.

 

[AlinaX]

NonCon & Lesbian tropes should be fine in NonHuman. Depends really what the main emphasis is. If the NonHuman is a gorgeous female Vulcan who can't control her mating instincts and ends up ravishing a pretty Star Fleet naïf... then actually I have no idea.

 

[PennameWombat]

So! I have been sitting on a mighty two burning questions in regards to submitting in categories.

1, when trying to chose a category for a story which incorporates multiple different aspects, which should take preference first and foremost?
Say a non-con, non-human lesbian story. In that case, does it go in NonConsent, NonHuman or in Lesbian Sex? Is it based off of what is the least general of the three, or based off of which is the most prevalent in the story?

And 2, when writing within an established universe (ie games, film, etc), should it always automatically go into Celebrities & Fan Fiction? If it is about established characters from that universe, it makes sense, but if it only uses the media for established world building and uses its own original characters, should it go into Sci-Fi and Fantasy?

I would love to hear others' takes on it, as I haven't been able to find any real clarification on it, and it is something which have come to mind when submitting my own stories.

For category I tend to generally follow what’s covered here: Love Your Readers: Categories. It’s not necessarily authoritative but I’ve done reasonably well following it.

For 1), the linked article talks about ‘trump’ categories, such as NonCon and Incest contents. But if there is no incest (that’s an absolute trump) and NonCon isn’t the dominant theme, you can use the other categories. It mentions NonHuman is ‘exempt’ and generally would be the one chosen if your characters aren’t human. I have a number of stories in NonHuman and almost all of them have fair amounts of ‘lesbian’ sex in addition to hetero sex. Some of mine in NonHuman and in Erotic Horror also contain some ambiguous NonCon (e.g., hypnosis causes people to have sex, maybe). Never had a problem. A proviso for NonHuman is where it’s clearly aliens involved in the sex, I’ve had no issue with those stories being in SF&F. In these I decide on the key ‘theme’.

For 2), since you say no actual celebrities appear, then it’s questionable for Celebrity (according to the article.) I’ve never thought about it since I don’t use existing universes and don’t read that Category. The article says if a Celebrity makes a cameo but has no sex, it doesn’t require Celebrity. One way would be to look through the existing stories and see if you can find stories that do what you propose and how they were received. Or hope a regular contributor wanders by here.

 

[ChasPHX]

Regarding point #2

I find the blend of "celebrities" with "fan fiction" in a single category to be kind of painful, but there it is.

The celebrity stories tend to lean toward lightness and humour, whereas fanfic can be all sorts of serious and world building and so forth.

I think the main consideration for the site is the potential for litigation.

I wrote a story set in the Halloween movie universe that should have been in the Erotic Horror category from a pure content perspective, but because it contained someone else's intellectual property it had to go in fanfic.

I think to be fair to the site, and to keep them out of trouble, if you are using someone else's IP or naming a real person, it should go in C&FF so admins are aware and keeping the right kind of oversight on the content.

 

[sirhugs]

If you have a significant non-consent element or theme in a story put in another category, a trigger warning at the start might be worth considering.

 

[LupusDei]

If you have a significant non-consent element or theme in a story put in another category, a trigger warning at the start might be worth considering.

The same if your "incest content" is limited with seeing sister at a nudist beach, once, without any sexual thoughts. Without disclaimer even that may sometimes force Incest/taboo category even if rest of the story has nothing at all to do with it.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

So! I have been sitting on a mighty two burning questions in regards to submitting in categories.

1, when trying to chose a category for a story which incorporates multiple different aspects, which should take preference first and foremost?
Say a non-con, non-human lesbian story. In that case, does it go in NonConsent, NonHuman or in Lesbian Sex? Is it based off of what is the least general of the three, or based off of which is the most prevalent in the story?

And 2, when writing within an established universe (ie games, film, etc), should it always automatically go into Celebrities & Fan Fiction? If it is about established characters from that universe, it makes sense, but if it only uses the media for established world building and uses its own original characters, should it go into Sci-Fi and Fantasy?

I would love to hear others' takes on it, as I haven't been able to find any real clarification on it, and it is something which have come to mind when submitting my own stories.

Some people consider non-con and incest to be trump categories. For example I write in a near future alt history universe. The aspect of penal slavery pretty much made me think that it had to go into non con. That said, I have successfully crossed one the series stories into incest. I do write intros to warn the reader.

As for the second, I am writing a story which is based on the college admissions scandal in my Penal Slavery universe. I am rubbing the serial numbers off to avoid the Celebrities & Fan Fiction category. What you describe seems to be be writing in a established and copyrighted universe, even if you are not using characters form teh universe. laurel might just assign it to Celebrities & Fan Fiction because of that.

 

[sirhugs]

And it might not be accepted if they are for example from one of the many Disney properties- Disney does not give a sh*t about the law re fair use n parody...they will sue your ass and squash you like a bug just because they can.

Other copyright owners may try as well.

 

[JJA122]

love-your-readers-categories

 

[SimonDoom]

Absolutely, absolutely, read the article cited above, written by Tx Tall Tales. I think it's the bible on the subject and gives great advice.

The first rule of understanding categories is not to try to make any logical sense of them. Think of them only in terms of reader preferences. Reader preferences at Literotica are highly picky and quirky.

Many people absolutely love incest stories. But many hate them and never read them. So if your story has incest, it probably goes in incest, even if it has other elements like exhibitionism or BDSM in it. Noncon is similar. The presence of noncon will probably dictate that it go into noncon. If it has noncon AND incest, it probably goes in incest, although you're likely to squick some readers with that combo (not that squicking is a reason not to write and publish a story. Squick away).

The TX Tall Tales article explains all this, and how you pick from among different categories. Highly recommended.

Some categories have far more readers than others, as well, and that's something to consider.

 

[Voboy]

And 2, when writing within an established universe (ie games, film, etc), should it always automatically go into Celebrities & Fan Fiction? If it is about established characters from that universe, it makes sense, but if it only uses the media for established world building and uses its own original characters, should it go into Sci-Fi and Fantasy?

I'm curious about this myself; I THINK, as a reader, that if I was looking to find any sort of fanfic, whether it involved established characters or just an existing universe established in another medium, then Celebrities is where I'd expect to find it.

Good question. I bet you could go either way, there or SF. Judicious use of story tags should attract the right readers.

 

[ChasPHX]

It's a question of IP

I think it's fairly cut and dry. One of the only category selection parameters on this site that is ; )!

If you are piggybacking on someone else's intellectual property it goes in fanfic, end of. Shouldn't matter whether it's just the world you're borrowing or existing characters in that world. If the site could get sued for publishing it, it belongs in fanfic.

But there's a nuance to that, which is characters/worlds that are in the public domain. If I wrote a story about Dracula or Frankenstein or Robert E. Lee I would not put it in fanfic. In fact, that gives me an idea...

 

[ElectricBlue]

So if your story has incest, it probably goes in incest, even if it has other elements like exhibitionism or BDSM in it. Noncon is similar. The presence of noncon will probably dictate that it go into noncon.

Or it goes into a non-incest category with a notice. My last story had a transgender theme as well as an incest sub-theme and an over-arching mature theme. I asked Laurel not to default it to incest, because I felt that the bulk of that category would baulk at the transgender theme. She agreed, and put it in T&C with a notice.

 

[JJA122]

Many people absolutely love incest stories. But many hate them and never read them.

It might be a bit more than that. I remember looking up incest stories because I was slightly disgusted by the idea, but also intrigued. That's how I found this site.

 

[SimonDoom]

If you are piggybacking on someone else's intellectual property it goes in fanfic, end of. Shouldn't matter whether it's just the world you're borrowing or existing characters in that world. If the site could get sued for publishing it, it belongs in fanfic.

.

I think from the Site's point of view you could take care of this issue by sending a note to the Admin when you submit the story, noting that it's fan fiction but that you want it in another category. They can then give the story the oversight and review they feel is necessary. They can decide whether to accept your request or put it in fan fiction, or not to accept it because of copyright infringement concerns.

From your (author's) point of view, what matters in category choice is the optimal connection with readers, based on their preferences, and also based on which categories have the biggest reader bases. For instance, let's say you have a story set loosely in the Star Wars universe, just to give it some background and color, but all new characters, and the story is heavy on Non Con. Non Con has one of the bigger reader bases here, while Celebrity & Fan Fiction does not. Non Con also is a "trump" category. So you might submit to Laurel with a request to put it in Non Con and see what happens.

 

[ChasPHX]

I think from the Site's point of view you could take care of this issue by sending a note to the Admin when you submit the story, noting that it's fan fiction but that you want it in another category. They can then give the story the oversight and review they feel is necessary. They can decide whether to accept your request or put it in fan fiction, or not to accept it because of copyright infringement concerns.

From your (author's) point of view, what matters in category choice is the optimal connection with readers, based on their preferences, and also based on which categories have the biggest reader bases. For instance, let's say you have a story set loosely in the Star Wars universe, just to give it some background and color, but all new characters, and the story is heavy on Non Con. Non Con has one of the bigger reader bases here, while Celebrity & Fan Fiction does not. Non Con also is a "trump" category. So you might submit to Laurel with a request to put it in Non Con and see what happens.

You've cooked up a heady brew with this scenario. I'd like to hear how the site would handle it, as I understand NC (and Mind Control) are the two primary story elements expressly forbidden when writing in C&FF.

So a) can you write NC and lightsabers together period, and b) can you put it somewhere outside C&FF?

 

[SimonDoom]

You've cooked up a heady brew with this scenario. I'd like to hear how the site would handle it, as I understand NC (and Mind Control) are the two primary story elements expressly forbidden when writing in C&FF.

So a) can you write NC and lightsabers together period, and b) can you put it somewhere outside C&FF?

I don't think this is quite the rule. They won't let you write about a celebrity-real person involved in mind control or non con. But if you come up with a new character in a preexisting universe, I don't know why it would be forbidden in that case.

 

[ChasPHX]

I don't think this is quite the rule. They won't let you write about a celebrity-real person involved in mind control or non con. But if you come up with a new character in a preexisting universe, I don't know why it would be forbidden in that case.

I don't know. Personally I think the prohibitions should apply the same even if it's just a preexisting universe. I put my Disney hat on and imagine if I read a bunch of rape-y stuff going down on Tatooine. Regardless of character, that would seem to me to be unacceptable, and if I was responsible for keeping this site from getting sued, I wouldn't allow it.

 

[sirhugs]

I don't know. Personally I think the prohibitions should apply the same even if it's just a preexisting universe. I put my Disney hat on and imagine if I read a bunch of rape-y stuff going down on Tatooine. Regardless of character, that would seem to me to be unacceptable, and if I was responsible for keeping this site from getting sued, I wouldn't allow it.

Disney is VERY protective of their IP.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Tag it!

As others have stated, categories relate more to reader preferences, and while the best category for a story needs to be considered, authors need to also pay attention to selecting the appropriate tags when they are posting their stories.

There is nothing wrong with selecting the Loving Wives category for a story involving a wife or husband stepping out of their marriage. If the action involves the spouse forcing themselves onto their in-laws, then the tags for the story should include "incest" and "non-consensual" at the very least so that readers are forewarned.

 

[gordo12]

There is nothing wrong with selecting the Loving Wives category for a story involving a wife or husband stepping out of their marriage. If the action involves the spouse forcing themselves onto their in-laws, then the tags for the story should include "incest" and "non-consensual" at the very least so that readers are forewarned.

Incest is blood-related. Banging your inlaws is not incest but considered taboo for most. LW is filled with stories about husbands/wives banging inlaws! Non-con would be the only tag needed for the scenario you mention. That's why the category is Incest/TABOO

"incest (noun)
Sexual relations between people classed as being too closely related to marry each other.
The crime of having sexual intercourse with a parent, child, sibling, or grandchild.

 

[JJA122]

how-to-break-the-literotica-toplist

Found another good How-to. Unfortunately with a clickbait title.
Very interesting.

 

[RejectReality]

how-to-break-the-literotica-toplist

Found another good How-to. Unfortunately with a clickbait title.
Very interesting.

Well, I got mentions for Danica in Sci-Fi&Fantasy and indirectly in Chain for Laresa. Never saw this one before.

Don't quite agree with everything in this, but it hits quite a few good points on where the majority of the readerships trend.