where could this go?

[JaxRhapsody]

I thought maybe gay male because most of the story the main character is dating a guy, but he is bi and has been with women, plus his b/fs transsexual room mate.

I was also thinking romance as he went from pretty much a hoe to realizing how a pretty monogamous relationship is the best thing for him.

The story is Rayne Falls; about a guy in college via a race car scholarship who meets a guy and falls in love. He was in the closet and got blasted all over the city that the top driver is bi. Lost friends and shunned by his parents and other people. Almost killed in a race. Should I chock it up and maybe try fantasy? It is simply a college story.

 

[sr71plt]

Gay Male is a trump category.

 

[PennLady]

You could also put this novels & novellas, I guess, if it is one of those. Or perhaps put each chapter -- this sounds like a multi-chapter story -- into the appropriate or dominant category.

It doesn't sound like there is any fantasy element, in terms of sf/f, to place it in there.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Sounds like the kind of gay story that has lots of story in it, and I know those do get well-recieved.

 

[TE999]

What SR said.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I had a good lot of downloads with my story in Gay Male, which I had put up for Sci Fi/Fantasy as I thought it would be too romantic and girly for GM. There are a lot of women who like men who like men cruising through there reading.

I didn't get many comments although I just had a good one from JBJ.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

In psychiatry we go with what the base problem is, when we diagnose, that is, are they psychotic/anxious cuz theyre depressed or anxious/depressed cuz theyre psychotic or depressed/psychotic cuz theyre anxious. Your story seems like its ROMANCE at its core. Its two boys in love plus the other stuff.

 

[SecondCircle]

Right, I do believe that you have to place it according to the core element or overall theme of the story, but you gotta be careful. Honestly if it mainly involves romance then put it there, because if I found it there I'd read it, no matter if it had bisexual or gay elements. However, other readers may not be as forgiving. I've seen this where a romantic story is indeed in the romance section, but was shunned because it had incest in the story.

It shouldn't matter, but people are easily offended if not warned beforehand.

 

[sr71plt]

The editor is going to put it where the editor wants it. It's going to be a fluke here (but it could happen) that the editor isn't going to put anything with gay male sex in it in the Gay Male category.

 

[SecondCircle]

Shame isn't it? Though categories do help us find the particular brand of story we want to read, they can also become labels that sometimes generalize the stories too much.

I find that sometimes they can also spoil a "surprise" or twist in a story. Imagine if I simply posted a link to a story here and prompted everyone to read it. It centers on a lonely guy, too shy and reserved to find any meaningful relationship and/or sex life. He meets and falls instantly in love with a beautiful girl he meets, and the story quickly becomes a timeless romance. He gains confidence in himself and starts making the right moves and the girl becomes smitten with him as well. Any bleeding heart romantic is hooked at this point. The climax of the story draws near (the passionate sex, of course) and we are all on the edge of our seats. The sex begins and we start to get hot and bothered...

...and then she shows him her penis.

Or she chains him up and breaks out the whips and nipple clamps.

Or they have sex and later find out they are long lost siblings.

Or she tears a chunk out of his throat, squeezes it over her face and drinks the blood, and continues to ride him as his life fades and she warps into some sex hungry succubus from some rip in dimensions.

Or her wife walks in (ZING!! Loving wives AND lesbian! Haha!)

Of course, if this seemingly sweet tale was placed in the category in which it belongs, we'd kinda see the "surprise" coming. Even if it was a timeless romance, and even if it remained so.

Oh well.

 

[sr71plt]

Almost makes you wish there was a "surprise" category. I've had ones where the twist ending revealed it was cross-dressing or incest, for instance, which are trump categories. But putting them there certainly spoils the surprise ending.

 

[SecondCircle]

Almost makes you wish there was a "surprise" category. I've had ones where the twist ending revealed it was cross-dressing or incest, for instance, which are trump categories. But putting them there certainly spoils the surprise ending.

Yup, exactly what I was thinking. I almost said that in the last post, but I figured everyone would say that if we had a surprise category or random category, that it would defeat the purpose of categories altogether.

Maybe something like a "Roulette" category. You just get a list of obscure story titles and descriptions (that still hint at what the story is about) and pick one you want. It could wind up being anything. Gay, incest, horror, transsexual, BDSM, whatever. The "Roulette" category could contain stories from other categories, and would require an open minded individual to throw themselves into a story and see what happens.

...should this be a thread of it's own?

 

[sr71plt]

...should this be a thread of it's own?

Unfortunately not, as all discussions of category changes here are so much spitting in the wind.

Fun to contemplate, though.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

Gay Male is a trump category.

I figured the readers would be pissed at the pussy he gets first. Seeing as we bis are the scum of lgbt and all that. Heh.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

Right, I do believe that you have to place it according to the core element or overall theme of the story, but you gotta be careful. Honestly if it mainly involves romance then put it there, because if I found it there I'd read it, no matter if it had bisexual or gay elements. However, other readers may not be as forgiving. I've seen this where a romantic story is indeed in the romance section, but was shunned because it had incest in the story.

It shouldn't matter, but people are easily offended if not warned beforehand.

I dont write incest. His guy starts living in his dorm more often and he's actually a crossdresser. Which was how they met. So Im narrowing it down to romance or N&N. Gotta proof read it for the 26374 time even though its mildly popular on BGCLive. Because Beccas Story hasn't had the best reviews, lol.

 

[sr71plt]

I figured the readers would be pissed at the pussy he gets first. Seeing as we bis are the scum of lgbt and all that. Heh.

Most of my bi stuff gets dumped into GM, although I've slipped a few in elsewhere.

I'd just let you go on this, but after 566 stories here, I sort of can guess where mine are going to go--and be best received.

 

[SecondCircle]

I dont write incest. His guy starts living in his dorm more often and he's actually a crossdresser. Which was how they met. So Im narrowing it down to romance or N&N. Gotta proof read it for the 26374 time even though its mildly popular on BGCLive. Because Beccas Story hasn't had the best reviews, lol.

I was just using incest as an example. All I was saying was that when people find certain fetishes or sexual elements hidden within a romance or erotic couplings story that they don't like, they get pissy and throw bad rating and trollish comments at you. So if someone is looking to read romance stories and they stumble upon the gay or bisexual elements of your story, some will raise hell.

I personally would not mind.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I was just using incest as an example. All I was saying was that when people find certain fetishes or sexual elements hidden within a romance or erotic couplings story that they don't like, they get pissy and throw bad rating and trollish comments at you. So if someone is looking to read romance stories and they stumble upon the gay or bisexual elements of your story, some will raise hell.

I personally would not mind.

Im thinking N&N, it does have about thirteen chapters. And because of the sex scene type, theres low eroticness to it. I know if the GM readers see those two vaginas, theyll throw a temper tantrum and their butts'll start to whistle.

 

[sr71plt]

I know if the GM readers see those two vaginas, theyll throw a temper tantrum and their butts'll start to whistle.

I've never seen any evidence of that from the GM side. Can you point to examples? I think that a GM reader would just move on if the story didn't suit him/her. I think the temper tantrum crowd is on the other side of the readership. It's not gay male readers who have led such sheltered lives that they require babysitting and spoonfeeding and protection against having their sensitivies bruised.

Your problem here is that the GM reader won't even know it exists when you put it in N&N. The Web site pattern has trained them that there's only one place to go to find GM content (other than cross-dressing, which has a category of its own).

But enough, put it where you please and let us know what happened (or didn't) with it.

 

[SecondCircle]

Im thinking N&N, it does have about thirteen chapters. And because of the sex scene type, theres low eroticness to it. I know if the GM readers see those two vaginas, theyll throw a temper tantrum and their butts'll start to whistle.

That's probably best. I've heard from others here that N&N stories don't get as many views but I don't venture there too often.

 

[lovecraft68]

Most of my bi stuff gets dumped into GM, although I've slipped a few in elsewhere.

I'd just let you go on this, but after 566 stories here, I sort of can guess where mine are going to go--and be best received.

Oh, look another "look at me" slipped in.

 

[lovecraft68]

I feel and many here far longer than me have always said incest and GM are the two categories that really don;t mix anywhere else. Because they are love it or hate it types of kinks, very little middle ground on either.

As for the discussion of the "surprise" ending its a great concept as long as you're prepared for the flaming one will get from people who feel they were just "blindsided" by GM or incest.

I understand dumping something there gives away any shot at surprise, but as has been discussed many times, the readers fall very much in love with their tropes and enjoy them over and over, many of them don;t want you messing with their "formula"

But looking at your description I see nothing wrong with GM I think it would get you the most play there.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I COULD try GM to see what happens. But only if it could be moved to N&N if not successful. Or vicr verca. The only thing is I might nees to make the first chapter longer- stupid Lit rules. It's 38,814 words, 87 office suite pages. I think Ill risk GM, they might not like the ending but whatever lol.

 

[sr71plt]

Oh, look another "look at me" slipped in.

I knew someone who didn't have the chops to actually answer the question would be along to object to my indication that I did have the chops to answer the question. I also knew it would be you. This is the sort of response someone gives who doesn't have the chops and wants to try to level the field by saying experience doesn't matter. And, again, I knew it would be you who tried that little ploy--for multiple reasons, all of which reduce to you being a dumbass.

Seem more than a little pissed tonight, LC. The simple question of whether you have quit your fab warehouse job and become a full-time author as you me, me, me'd about back in October happened or not seems to have sent you into your juvenile behavior mode.

 

[sr71plt]

I COULD try GM to see what happens. But only if it could be moved to N&N if not successful. Or vicr verca. The only thing is I might nees to make the first chapter longer- stupid Lit rules. It's 38,814 words, 87 office suite pages. I think Ill risk GM, they might not like the ending but whatever lol.

I think you keep not quite getting that you're going to have to negotiate through Laurel on where it's put. She maintains the privilege to put it where she wants it. You might tell her in the notes section of the submission what your druthers are. But then she'll put it where she wants it.