Let's Ask Our Esteemed Editorial Board for a New Category

[SlickTony]

Thanks to the positive feedback that I've gotten since that monstrous pan I got yesterday evening, I do feel better, much better, than I did.

But it did occur to me that perhaps there is a need for a category for stories which DO have erotic content but are NOT really stroke stories. If there had been one, I'd have probably put Quid Pro Quo there.

What do you think?

 

[ronde]

I like the idea. There could be a volunteer committee who would read the story and then average out all the angles of erection to determine where each story fits. Uh-oh, what if some volunteers didn't make it all the way to the end? Their angle would be zero, and this would color the results somewhat. Maybe an extra point could be awarded if the zero angle was accompanied by a sore wrist and a wet spot. For female volunteers, they could...well, I'm sure some measurement could be determined, but I'm not sure how one would correllate the male and female results.

Actually, I'm quite happy to sit quietly amongst the stories of perpetual orgasms. If there were a separate category for "mild" erotica, many people would not read anything there. I have received many feedback emails that start out "I always come here to read the hardcore stories, but when I read this one..." If I didn't post in the standard categories, I would never attract those readers. I think readers who want the softer stories probably look for an author's name.

 

[SlickTony]

"Mild erotica" is not quite what I was getting at. What I was really thinking of was a category in which the sex scenes are just an element in the story--definitely there, but not sustained long enough, or there's a lot more stuff going on.

 

[Whispersecret]

This is an interesting idea, but I don't think it's going to fly. Someone would have to be the judge of what goes in this category and what doesn't, and I think Laurel has enough to do. Plus, I don't think that many people would go looking specifically for this type of thing. I think that many appreciate it when they DO find a well-written story that isn't all about the sex, but as far as actively seeking it? <shrugs>

 

[Chicklet]

hmm...

i like the idea, but i agree that it would be difficult to decide what would go in there. and, once we had that category, there are a bunch of other categories...for instance, most of my stories aren't purely about the sex, but they're in all sorts of different categories. I'd have to go through and grab my incest, my nonconsent, my erotic couplings, etc would have to all go into one category = (

chicklet

 

[SlickTony]

Well, I suppose y'all are right. Before I submitted my latest story here, I let Roy Kay read it, who's a cyberfriend from other BBs; and he said that it might be viewed as a tad too literary, and I suppose he was right. It was disheartening that Mr. You suck was the very first person to have sent me any feedback, that was all. The rest of the people said that while it wasn't all that erotic, it was a good story. You can't please everybody.

 

[Weird Harold]

But it did occur to me that perhaps there is a need for a category for stories which DO have erotic content but are NOT really stroke stories. If there had been one, I'd have probably put Quid Pro Quo there.

What do you think?

The sot of story you describe, that is heavy on the relationship without getting too graphic about the mechanics of the sex is about what I expect to find in the ROMANCE category.

The story I'm currently working on has one mild masturbation scene in the first 4000 words, and the main feature of the story is the construction of a ceramic dildo -- ie a TOYS story. I haven't decided yet, but I think it's going to get a bit sappy before I'm done and will wind up in the romance category by the time I'm done.

I could write this story with only one climactic sex scene at the end, or even without ANY explicit sex and I'd still be satisfied that it's a good story instead of a "stroke" story. I expect a few patient people to get off on the story, but that isn't the goal for me. The goal is telling the story and in this case, the story isn't the just the sex.

 

[SlickTony]

Actually, Harold, the sex (masturbation scenes, both times) was graphic enough--I think the problem people found with it was that there was not enough of it.

Interesting about the ceramic dildo! Do you ever watch those sex education shows on cable? The XY factor, and Real Sex, and stuff like that? There's someone who makes glass dildos and butt plugs. They probably cost the earth, like most sex toys do <rant>a symptom of the repression and unenlightened condition of our society. In a rational world, sex toys would be reasonably priced and you'd find them in Bed, Bath & Beyond</rant> but they seem of very high quality. Although glass is cold, it warms up beautifully and retains its warmth for a long time, and since it's nonporous, it's easy to clean. Also, the toys were aesthetically appealing enough to stand on their own as sculpture. They were at least as attractive as a Steubin or Lenox glass dolphin.

 

[Weird Harold]

Actually, Harold, the sex (masturbation scenes, both times) was graphic enough--I think the problem people found with it was that there was not enough of it.

There's someone who makes glass dildos and butt plugs. ... Also, the toys were aesthetically appealing enough to stand on their own as sculpture. ...

I know that there are ceramic and glass dildos available. The one that Ginny has been lusting after in the General Forum is a beautiful piece of art.

As far as (graphic) sexual content vs story lines and plots...

I think that there are people who appreciate stories with more story than sex and people who just want to go straight to the "good stuff" -- meaning graphic sex. However, both types do tend to want more than just masturbation in an erotic story.

Perhaps a Masturbation or Solo category would get better results than a "mild erotica" category? A place to put stories for the minority that don't want, or expect, every story to work it's way through the Kama Sutra.

Votes and feedback tend to be based on what the reader expected from the story. Miscategorized stories tend to rouse more negative feedback because the reader's favorite kink wasn't properly dealt with -- Anal fans don't want a story that is mostly blowjobs, and incest fans don't want long sex scenes with boyfriends instead of brothers, etc.

Right now, Romance is category that a masturbation only category might fit into without "offending" the expectations of the readers who expect something specific from their favorite category. (Erotic Couplings wouldn't fit unless it's a "mutual masturbation" situation.)

 

[SlickTony]

I know that there are ceramic and glass dildos available. The one that Ginny has been lusting after in the General Forum is a beautiful piece of art.

As far as (graphic) sexual content vs story lines and plots...

I think that there are people who appreciate stories with more story than sex and people who just want to go straight to the "good stuff" -- meaning graphic sex. However, both types do tend to want more than just masturbation in an erotic story.

Perhaps a Masturbation or Solo category would get better results than a "mild erotica" category? A place to put stories for the minority that don't want, or expect, every story to work it's way through the Kama Sutra.

Votes and feedback tend to be based on what the reader expected from the story. Miscategorized stories tend to rouse more negative feedback because the reader's favorite kink wasn't properly dealt with -- Anal fans don't want a story that is mostly blowjobs, and incest fans don't want long sex scenes with boyfriends instead of brothers, etc.

Right now, Romance is category that a masturbation only category might fit into without "offending" the expectations of the readers who expect something specific from their favorite category. (Erotic Couplings wouldn't fit unless it's a "mutual masturbation" situation.)

I think that's what the situation was with the way my story got panned. Oh, well, I'm putting it behind me now.

 

[NoJo]

Categories

There are two absent categories which have made me look elsewhere to publish a couple of my scribblings:

"Horror" - not really the same as non-human or extreme

"Flash Fiction" - fiction or cameos under 500 words, a real challenge to write, but hugely popular to read.

I think there are more than one dimension to look at stories, but that's not the same as categories.

Vey Sexy/Mildly sexy
Humorous/Serious
"Intelligent"/"Dumb"
are all dimensions, I think, not categories or genres.

A Glass dildo was used in Venice by Casanova, as well as a reuasble leather condom. Cindy Heller was also partial to one.

 

[Sixty-nine]

Re: Re: Let's Ask Our Esteemed Editorial Board for a New Category

The sot of story you describe, that is heavy on the relationship without getting too graphic about the mechanics of the sex is about what I expect to find in the ROMANCE category.

I don't think all stories that are high in the expository department, are necessarily romantic in nature. I've read several stories, including my own, baked with a lot of non-erotic additive that wasn't of a romantic theme in the least.

 

[Sixty-nine]

Re: Categories

"Flash Fiction" - fiction or cameos under 500 words, a real challenge to write, but hugely popular to read.

Now that's an idea I could really go for. I think it would be very popular with the cock-in-hands too.

On another note, perhaps the author could be asked to judge the amount of sex in his or her own story (1 to 5 scale) before submitting it. That could help long-winded writers, such as myself, get a better score, while helping readers discern which stories to read. Yeah, stories with a 1 or 2 will probably get read less than stories with a 4 or 5, but I wouldn't mind only being read by people who're ready for my kind of story.

 

[SlickTony]

Now there's an idea, 69!

 

[Sixty-nine]

Oooooh, oooooh. Here's another one.

And then...

Replace the standard feedback screen with one that allows people to highlight (checkmark, box, whatever) choices such as "Too Long," "Too short," "More sex," "Bad grammar," "Good grammar" and other such common things. It would make giving feedback SOOOO much easier and greatly increase the amount of feedback authors get. Of course, the site should keep the text box for those who WANT to get into more detail with their feedback. I know the reason I don't give feedback on EVERY story I read is that it takes so much longer than just casting a vote.

 

[SlickTony]

Hey, that was a good idea, too!

 

[Guest]

Me am thinking about taking it up with the site masters. I know this thread will die pretty soon, so I might have to stop being lazy and e-mail them...

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: Re: Let's Ask Our Esteemed Editorial Board for a New Category

I don't think all stories that are high in the expository department, are necessarily romantic in nature. I've read several stories, including my own, baked with a lot of non-erotic additive that wasn't of a romantic theme in the least.

That's very true. I didn't mean to imply that only romance stories are high in exposition, just that Romance stories I expect to be high in exposition while I'm merely pleased to find it in other categories.

 

[Sixty-nine]

Me am thinking about taking it up with the site masters. I know this thread will die pretty soon, so I might have to stop being lazy and e-mail them...

...That was me.

 

[wildsweetone]

Re: Re: Categories

Now that's an idea I could really go for. I think it would be very popular with the cock-in-hands too.

On another note, perhaps the author could be asked to judge the amount of sex in his or her own story (1 to 5 scale) before submitting it. That could help long-winded writers, such as myself, get a better score, while helping readers discern which stories to read. Yeah, stories with a 1 or 2 will probably get read less than stories with a 4 or 5, but I wouldn't mind only being read by people who're ready for my kind of story.

agreed.

perhaps the submission page could have another page tagged to it with a full (as possible) list of keywords which we as authors could simply tick.

i have come across this at another website i've looked at recently. i liked it very much, it made my submission so much easier. it would probably make laurel's job easier too, the categorisation of stories would be there in front of her in the form of the keywords chosen by the author.

 

[Sixty-nine]

If we think this out, this could turn out to be a submittable idea. Any ideas from anyone on what ticks and keywords could be provided for authors?

 

[wildsweetone]

without mentioning the name of the other site, here's a few options to play with...

you have the participants in the story:
MF MM FF Mf mF b g etc.
more, but you get the idea i think.

then the general type:
true, fantasy, novel, tv show, celebrity, no sex, slow, sci fi, historical etc.

the next section of keywords on the one page were:
consensual, non-consensual, pedo, lolita, caution, rape, reluctant, magic, snuf, vampires etc.

incest:
with every relation under the sun you can think of.

dom/sub:
male dom, female dom, spanking, rough, light bondage, S/M etc.

cheating:
slut wife, swinging, gang bang etc

interracial:
white couple, black couple, black - female, white - male etc

safe sex:
oral, anal, masturbation, petting etc.

all these options are tickable or not, depending on what you the author wants. there is also an option for the author to add in a description of the story - i think it has unlimited length. it is a simple matter to define clearly that the story you're submitting contains no sex or minimal sex or rampaging up the wall sex.

come to think of it, Lit has a 'description' box too but is limited to 60 characters.

 

[Sixty-nine]

I have long thought that authors should be able to click multiple categories from a list of keywords (for example: group and interracial, or lesbian and non-consent) but I didn't want to e-mail the site directors and come off as a newbie who was overstepping his bounds.

Am I the only one who thinks this way, or are there other people out there who would like to be able to list their stories with more than one category selection?

Personally, I think that if we mixed the multiple category selection idea with giving authors the ability to let readers know ahead of time the amount of sex in a story, from 0 meaning non-erotic, to 5 meaning flash-sex (I think that's what Sub J called it) things would be easier for authors and readers alike.

Just another newbie messin' with the system

 

[wildsweetone]

to my way of thinking, the multiple choice idea would get around having to continually add new categories.

i.e. i could submit a historical novel with any kind of sexual content (or none at all), which would simply be keyworded beside the story title and description.

 

[Sixty-nine]

Well, there could be clickable keywords to include the existing Lit categories, and perhaps, a few extra. Then a text box could be provided to allow for extra, searchable keywords (historical, transexual, etc.) that wouldn't be used very often to be added to the stories description.