Which category?

[Barahir]

I'm nearing the end of a long (very, very long) story. I won't put any of it in the posting queue until it's finished and mostly edited -- I get very aggravated with unfinished stories -- but I'm starting to confront the question of which category would be the best fit.

It's a narrative, character-driven (but times extremely sex-laden, depending on the chapter) story set in a well-known fantasy universe, focusing on a known character and incorporating other known and invented characters from that universe.

Sci-fi/Fantasy is the obvious choice, of course, but other than being set in the aforementioned fantasy universe there's only a very little bit of it that's not real-world realistic, and my slight hesitation is that most of the best stories in this category rely pretty heavily on the Otherness of their settings. Mine doesn't. Nor, of course, is it my universe.

The other obvious one is Novels/Novellas, for which it certainly qualifies.

But my question is whether it would be better to keep it all under Sf/F, all under N/N, or just characterize each chapter individually? At the minimum, that could mean incorporating First Time, Erotic Couplings, Anal, Group Sex, Non-Erotic, NonConsent/Reluctance, BDSM, Loving Wives, Romance, Lesbian Sex, Mind Control, perhaps Toys & Masturbation, possibly Mature, and possibly NonHuman.

While I like the idea of giving readers a heads-up that a certain chapter is a lot darker, or weirder, or stroke-ier than that which preceded it, I'm personally tempted to indicate this in a headnote or something of that nature, and keep the whole thing within one category.

If it helps, I'm less interested in topping the rating or popularity scales than I am getting people who will enjoy this sort of story to read the whole thing, or at least as much as their tastes will allow.

What do you, as a reader, prefer? Any advice from the other authors?

 

[soflabbwlvr]

If it is set in a well-known universe and features a well-known character, it will most likely end up in Celebrities, no matter which box you select.

 

[3113]

Non-Human?

I'm nearing the end of a long (very, very long) story. I won't put any of it in the posting queue until it's finished and mostly edited -- I get very aggravated with unfinished stories -- but I'm starting to confront the question of which category would be the best fit.

It's a narrative, character-driven (but times extremely sex-laden, depending on the chapter) story set in a well-known fantasy universe, focusing on a known character and incorporating other known and invented characters from that universe.

So it's fanfic? I fear Lit doesn't have such a category and, really, it should as that's where this story would fit best. Can you tell us which universe it is? It might help us to direct you.

As for all those other categories, put them from your mind. Unless the *whole* story is BDSM, then it doesn't belong there, and you really shouldn't break up a novel into different categories, one for each chapter.

I'd say Novels/Novellas might be best, or Nonhuman if its a fantasy universe that is ours with non-humans. Fantasy/Sci-fi, as you note, is really for stories that transport the reader to a very different universe. Like Hogwarts or Game of Thrones. Erotic horror would be Supernatural, and Non-human would be something like Twilight. In our world but filled with non-humans that are more human-magical than monster-scary.

Do let readers know it's fanfic put in that particular universe. Such a note will help draw readers who are fans of that universe to it.

 

[patientlee]

I think fan fiction goes in celebrities because the category comes with disclaimers. I agree that your story will go in celebrities, no matter which category you choose.

 

[Barahir]

I agree that your story will go in celebrities, no matter which category you choose.

Well, that's unfortunate. Thanks for the responses, though. I did search and found that the stories in this universe are -- with a very few exceptions -- either in Celebrities or Chain Stories. I tend to agree it's not the best choice for a purely fictional character, but oh well.

It's set in Middle-earth, for those who've asked.