new-ish author seeking category advice.

[iwatchus]

I am a new-ish author, about to publish my first story not in my original series. This one will be for the Geek Pride contest.

I envisioned it as a SciFi&Fantasy story, but it always felt marginal for the category -- the plot ends up resolving around a magical item. It is pure contemporary fiction until then, with no dryads or spaceships or robots.

After reading the forum here, it probably belongs in LW. It is basically a twist on a straight BTB cheating wife story.

I am a little concerned about the category in general. But more, I expect that people read the same story differently, based on the category. I wrote this thinking about it as SFF, but always worried it would not be well received there. The story didn't really change, but as I step back, it really is a PTB story. (I will leave the P as a teaser until the story comes out.)

Suggestions?

If anyone is willing to read and can explain how I can make it available, I would be glad for any feedback. I still need to change the voice of one section, butI am pretty otherwise happy with it. I wrote it over a month ago and it has continued to sit reasonably.

 

[lovecraft68]

Just putting this out there, is the magical item some type of device that controls people, like makes people cheat or otherwise control them?

If so Mind Control is another option.

Otherwise if the story relies heavily on the BTB aspect go with LW, not the ideal audience, but I don't see it playing great in SFF

 

[iwatchus]

Just putting this out there, is the magical item some type of device that controls people, like makes people cheat or otherwise control them?

If so Mind Control is another option.

Otherwise if the story relies heavily on the BTB aspect go with LW, not the ideal audience, but I don't see it playing great in SFF

Thanks for the advice. It is definitely not mind control. One vote for LW. I was definitely concerned about SFF.

 

[TheLobster]

Add some butt stuff and put it in Anal.

…alright, more seriously. Is the ‘P’ in any way sexualized or can be sexualized? If so, Fetish might be an option.

Otherwise I’d definitely advise against SF&F. You’d need the fantastic stuff earlier than just in the ending for the story to do well there.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There's a great divide across Literotica, with LW on one side of the chasm and every other category on the other. If you don't want to cross the bridge, then there's Erotic Couplings if you're not sure where a story should go. There are some who think EC is a dead zone, but stories can run well there. It's always down to the story itself - there's no "category cohort" as such.

 

[iwatchus]

There's a great divide across Literotica, with LW on one side of the chasm and every other category on the other. If you don't want to cross the bridge, then there's Erotic Couplings if you're not sure where a story should go. There are some who think EC is a dead zone, but stories can run well there. It's always down to the story itself - there's no "category cohort" as such.

My series has bounced around between E&V, EC and GS, so I am used to that category. It seems like the consensus is that I venture into the morass of LW. My spouse, who has read the story, agrees with that, given what I have relayed from the forums.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[PennyThompson]

It seems like the consensus is that I venture into the morass of LW. My spouse, who has read the story, agrees with that, given what I have relayed from the forums.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

 

[Voboy]

If I were intending to put a story in F/SF (which I do not hesitate to do), I'd make sure to play up the supernatural components sooner. You can trickle them in slowly, so that by the time the reader realizes they're reading a fantasy, they're already into it. I've done that, and it's fun. Erotic Horror can work similarly.

EC is okay. I've had luck there, but I've also had the opposite of luck. I generally try to avoid putting stories there, if I can.

I, personally, do not view LW as a choice for a serious story. I think that's unfortunate: if it functioned as it was intended to function, a number of my stories would probably find a good home there. But it's been allowed to become a battleground, not a story category. Plenty of people enjoy it there, but I am not one of them.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

PTB. Praise the Bitch?

Sounds like it could fit in LW. It'll be interesting to see how the magic component plays there. Good luck!

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

As a fellow newish author, I have been avoiding LW like the plague and will continue doing so until I become brave enough to venture over there and take my beating.

I would find any excuse I could to put my story in another genre, honestly.

 

[StillStunned]

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

Tum tiddle umpty-pum
Tum tiddle umpty-pum
Tum tiddle umpty-pum
Someone had blundered

 

[PrimalDual]

Categories, bah. I write my stories. They're not neatly categorizable. Or I don't want to provide spoilers. So I take a guess and submit for publication. They lie unread. Lather, rinse, repeat. "I put some effort into this one. Try it. It might defy your expectations. You might like it." Doesn't work. Keep doing the same anyway. Someday I'll be discovered. The world will be sorry they overlooked me. Categories, bah.

 

[JTass]

I am a new-ish author

Funny, you don't look new-ish.

 

[iwatchus]

Funny, you don't look new-ish.

I have been writing for two and a half months. I am still figuring out what I am doing. I don't know why you say that. I don;t know how to interpret what you are saying.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I have been writing for two and a half months. I am still figuring out what I am doing. I don't know why you say that. I don;t know how to interpret what you are saying.

It’s a joke - Spaceballs reference.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

Well, I don't know why they ordered the Light,
To go charging, it doesn't seem right.
Cannons to the left of us
Cannons to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle and Boom!

 

[JTass]

I have been writing for two and a half months. I am still figuring out what I am doing. I don't know why you say that. I don;t know how to interpret what you are saying.

 

[iwatchus]

@JTass @SinclairGroupLLP Thanks for clarifying. I love most of Mel Brooks, but for some reason I have never been able to abide SpaceBalls.

 

[Jorunn]

LW is an odd category in that half the readers will criticize you if you deviate from the norms, and half will criticize you if don’t. If your story is good, you can still do OK and get lots of reads, but don’t expect a high score.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

A standard guide to classification is Tx Tall Tale's Love Your Readers.

 

[PrimalDual]

@JTass @SinclairGroupLLP Thanks for clarifying. I love most of Mel Brooks, but for some reason I have never been able to abide SpaceBalls.

Watch it again, but drunk. You will be embarrassed at how often you laugh, especially when Dark Helmet takes a pratfall.

 

[SkyBubble]

There's a great divide across Literotica, with LW on one side of the chasm and every other category on the other. If you don't want to cross the bridge, then there's Erotic Couplings if you're not sure where a story should go. There are some who think EC is a dead zone, but stories can run well there. It's always down to the story itself - there's no "category cohort" as such.

EC is a good default category.