Which Category?

[karaline]

Greetings earthlings!

What are your thoughts on switching category. The thing I'm working on currently started as a series of casual sexual encounters, but is taking a turn for the romantic. Should I stick the final instalments into Romance, or stay with the original erotic couplings?

Thanks in advance

Karaline

 

[Voboy]

How many EC chapters are there so far? And have your views trended up, down, or level over the past installments?

My gut says it doesn’t matter, and that your readers will follow you. You might even get new ones. I’m not sure there’s a downside, but others more knowledgeable than I will chime in eventually.

 

[SimonDoom]

Keep it in the same category. The readers who are most likely to read your story are those that already have read the first three chapters (I assume you are referring to the Goodbye Girl series). If you publish chapter 4 in Romance, some of your old readers won't see it. It's possible you might pick up some new readers, but Romance readers might not be interested in starting a series from the beginning in a completely different category. You're better off, probably, sticking with the same category.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'd say leave the last chapters with the rest. If you're going to shift categories, I reckon you need to do it early in a story cycle, not towards the end.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I would leave it alone. I think that readers generally expect that a series may wander a bit. If they enjoy your writing and make a connection with your characters, they will stick with you. But they have to know where you are!

 

[karaline]

Thanks for your swift replies all. Particularly because I'm sure this topic has been done to death already. I'll leave it where it is

(Yes, I am talking about Goodbye girl, SimonDoom)

 

[Privates1stClass]

What are your thoughts on switching category. The thing I'm working on currently started as a series of casual sexual encounters, but is taking a turn for the romantic. Should I stick the final instalments into Romance, or stay with the original erotic couplings?

I see no reason to stick with the same category in a series. You might start off with a story in the First Time category, but a follow-on probably wouldn't be First Time, because the first-time is over. You might move to Erotic Couplings for the second in a series, and then to Romance later.

If your readers enjoy the first of a series, they probably won't care about a category change unless they are squicky about the change, i.e., Romance to Anal.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I see no reason to stick with the same category in a series. You might start off with a story in the First Time category, but a follow-on probably wouldn't be First Time, because the first-time is over. You might move to Erotic Couplings for the second in a series, and then to Romance later.

If your readers enjoy the first of a series, they probably won't care about a category change unless they are squicky about the change, i.e., Romance to Anal.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

Not everyone who reads a particular series goes to the trouble of favoriting it, or the author. They read the new chapters when they come around and show up where they expect them, in the previous category. Both of my series were applicable for multiple categories. I posted one in Novels and Novellas, the other in Romance, and have stuck with those decisions. No harm done, either way, I suppose.

I am trying to figure out the logistics of a multi-chapter First Time story, though.

 

[SimonDoom]

I see no reason to stick with the same category in a series. You might start off with a story in the First Time category, but a follow-on probably wouldn't be First Time, because the first-time is over. You might move to Erotic Couplings for the second in a series, and then to Romance later.

If your readers enjoy the first of a series, they probably won't care about a category change unless they are squicky about the change, i.e., Romance to Anal.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

You have to look at it from the point of the view of readers, and how they encounter stories here. Many readers here are very category-focused. They know what kind of story they want, and when they visit Literotica they visit the story hubs where they are likely to find the stories they want.

Let's say you have a series of several chapters in Erotic Couplings, and your last chapter has 2000 readers. If you post the latest chapter in a new category, Romance, there's an excellent chance that many, if not most, of those who read the earlier chapters won't even know you posted a new chapter, because they may not even check out the new category. You'll lose them.

You might also not gain new Romance category readers. They're going to look at your chapter, Sex Romp ch. 09, and ask themselves "Why do I want to start reading a story from the beginning when the first 8 chapters aren't in Romance?"

I'm not saying you should never do it. There might be cases where new chapter so clearly fit new categories that you'll pick up more new readers than you'll lose. That might be the case, for example, if the new category is one that gets many viewers, like incest, loving wives, anal, or nonconsent. But I see no advantage switching from erotic couplings to romance.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I'm not saying you should never do it. There might be cases where new chapter so clearly fit new categories that you'll pick up more new readers than you'll lose. That might be the case, for example, if the new category is one that gets many viewers, like incest, loving wives, anal, or nonconsent. But I see no advantage switching from erotic couplings to romance.

Really. I mean, the only difference is whether he buys you dinner or not.

 

[SimonDoom]

Really. I mean, the only difference is whether he buys you dinner or not.

Bravo! Well said.

This thread can end now.

 

[bushyTrail]

I wish there was the option to add a secondary category... Just one is way too restrictive.

 

[Hypoxia]

Category-hopping in a series usually doesn't go well IMHO. Readers go away. Think of a series' main theme and post all chapters in one place. I learned that the hard way. We see mentions of 'trump' categories but I've included many kinks as minor themes or incidents without being moved or punished. Still, Laurel posts them wherever she wants. An added note might influence her.

 

[jehoram]

All I can say is that I've done series stories that change category. As long as there's a memorable unifying title ("The Masturbatorium," for example, to name one of mine), the readers will spot that and pick up on it. Will I lose a few readers here and there? Probably. Their loss. And the readers that "favorite" you as an author will probably follow you no matter where you take the story.

 

[LexxRuthless]

There are many, many multi-chaptered stories on this site that hop from one category to another. If the story is well-written and it makes sense that various chapters belong in different categories, the readers will follow you.