Do you think it would help?

[yowser]

Nothing wrong with the categories that wouldn't be solved with more accurate re-naming.

The list with improved titles in Bold, enhanced reader-interest-focus:

Erotic story categories

Anal
Up yer Ass(Arse)

Audio
Listen

BDSM
Bind & Flog Me

Chain Stories
Serial Stories

Crossdressing
Dress Up

Erotic Couplings
Miscellaneous Drawer

Erotic Horror
Scare Me

Exhibitionist & Voyeur
Flash Me

Fan Fiction & Celebrities
Fan-Fuck

Fetish
Special Squicks

First Time
Firsties

Gay Male
Guys Only Ghetto

Group Sex
More the Merrier

How To
If you wanna know something...

Humor & Satire
Laughgasms

Illustrated
Art/Photo Stories

Interracial Love
Orgasmic Miscegenation

Lesbian Sex
Women Only

Letters & Transcripts
Write Me

Loving Wives
Schizophrenic Monogamy

Mature
Old Coots

Mind Control
Make Me Do It

Non-English
Non-Anglophonic

Non-Erotic
Asexual

NonHuman
Non Sapiens

Novels and Novellas
Big Books

Reluctance/NonConsent
Force Me!

Reviews & Essays
Cerebral Navel-gazings

Romance
Love(sic)

Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Dreamscape

Taboo/Incest
All in the Family

Toys & Masturbation
Toys ‘R Orgasms

Transgender
Non-Binaried

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Lesbian Sex
Women Only

*Clam Jam

 

[lovecraft68]

The crowd of trolls there will still go to the stories that they don't like and trash them and fill them with their hate spewing nonsense.

The category and content is not the problem, they are.

Changing is coddling to the incels and whining manbabies and they've already gotten a louder voice here than they deserve.

 

[anthrodisiac]

I need to read tags I think. Found myself in the middle of knife/blood play the other day. The story was lovely, that scene was not for me. I would have missed out on some truly perspective-altering foreplay though, so the lesson and the message are at cross purposes.

They really ought to make the tags the default selected side tab. But you should always check tags, always. Not just if you have things you aren't interested in, or niches like me, but for any reader; that way they know what they're getting into, and those who get partway through a story to find something they dislike and can just skip the story instead of voting their displeasure/disappointment.

 

[liliput1]

They really ought to make the tags the default selected side tab. But you should always check tags, always. Not just if you have things you aren't interested in, or niches like me, but for any reader; that way they know what they're getting into, and those who get partway through a story to find something they dislike and can just skip the story instead of voting their displeasure/disappointment.

There's really no reason to make info and tags two separate tabs. Info is so short they could just be combined. Because tags are info.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I have to defer to the greater minds in this thread. But no matter what should be, what is or will be, the truth is ain't no changes headed our way! Not yistide ner tomorrie.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I'm curious what you mean by this. I don't disagree at all, it just seems like you put more thought into it than I have and I'd like to hear your thinking.

As I've said in previous discussions, Lit's categories are an absurd mix of genres, sexual orientations, genders, fetishes, and whatnot else. They've been around for so long, and we are so used to them that we don't really perceive how absurd and restrictive they are. They are a hindrance rather than a help in most cases.

I think the best approach would be to categorize stories based on length, but also based on the amount of sexual content. And then just strengthen the tags and let them do the rest of the work. Introduce major and minor tags, etc.

What we have now is 1k-word stroke stories bundled together with 40k-word stories with minimal sexual content, just because they are, say, about lesbian characters.

You need clear criteria for any successful categorization, and Lit's categories are anything but.

 

[Seurat]

I'm sure there is some way of setting this up, but I'm too old in set in my ways to figure it out. I just let things as they are, and I imagine I am not alone. Therefore, I wish the default for tags was to have them on the first page, and not the last. That way, if intent of the story isn't in the line item (and I don't expect it to be), once I could click on that first page I have an idea what I am in for before I've even started.

I come from the old school, newsgroup days where the post title would have a string of letters describing story content, ex She's All Thumbs (Fdom FF ex) meaning Female domination, Female/Female action, exhibition. We had a pretty good idea what we were in for before we even clicked the link.

 

[Trionyx]

As mentioned above, a category for ENM would still get trashed. The problem, as LC68 said, is the reader and not the category.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'm sure there is some way of setting this up, but I'm too old in set in my ways to figure it out. I just let things as they are, and I imagine I am not alone. Therefore, I wish the default for tags was to have them on the first page, and not the last. That way, if intent of the story isn't in the line item (and I don't expect it to be), once I could click on that first page I have an idea what I am in for before I've even started.

Tags are on the first page, top left, the little luggage label. Click.

I come from the old school, newsgroup days where the post title would have a string of letters describing story content, ex She's All Thumbs (Fdom FF ex) meaning Female domination, Female/Female action, exhibition. We had a pretty good idea what we were in for before we even clicked the link.

It you get to stories from the Author's page, you now see tags for all stories.

I don't like the new display because I rarely look at tags, and it clutters up the page with stuff I don't want - I'd like to see a way of toggling that display off.

But, two steps forward, one step back, so I'll live with it, having no choice.

If you navigate to stories from the hubs, top left and click to see the tags - at this point you're already in the story.

If you're still using the Classic view, then you might be missing out on the latest tweaks the site is doing. But the new View is at least five year's old now, so there's that...

 

[RetroFan]

I've said this before in another thread, but my take on a lot of the more vocal Loving Wives readers is that they actually want to find and read stories where the content outrages them, so then they can get angry and write abusive comments.

They may claim 'wrong category' or 'I wasted my time reading this crap' but really it is just the story they want to read. For example if someone posted a story where the cuckold husband is a weak mama's boy type who still calls his mother 'mommy' despite being 40-years-old and his nasty cheating floozy of a wife makes a fool of him all over town but he is too afraid of her and some of her boyfriends to do anything about it, the comments would be plenty and very brutal, but many of the readers would prefer to read this rather than a standard 'wife cheats, husband finds out and divorces her' story, even though the comments would suggest otherwise.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I'm pretty sure I've said this before elsewhere, but my personal Loving Wives Balkanization Plan would be to split it into two new categories:

• Non-Monogamy
• Infidelity & Betrayal

This would provide a more positive, fun-loving home for the writers and readers who want Sharing and Swinging and Hotwife and Cuckold stories.

The I&B category would no doubt continue to be a tricky space to write for though. And there's just no way around it, because it would still have the Burn-The-Bitch/Bastard audience and the Reconciliation audience, who tend to want different resolutions in their stories.

I actually think a better organizing framework would involve a much smaller number of broad Categories and a more granular and intentional use of Tags, but I suspect Lit's venerable database would not survive such a transition

The first who wouldn't follow this categorization are the authors themselves.

If you know your story would get trashed in one, and you know it would be treated better in the other one, then you'll come up with reasons why it was hotwifing and not cheating, and why you had to put your story in the non-monogamy rather than infidelity. And then the readers would start spilling over, and you'd be back right where you were.

I don't know why the first example that came to my mind was Ross Geller yelling WE WERE ON A BREAK!

 

[liliput1]

Tags are on the first page, top left, the little luggage label. Click.

Yeah but perhaps that should not require a click.

It you get to stories from the Author's page, you now see tags for all stories.

On the Works page? Maybe it's different with the beta opt-in because I've never seen them there.

I don't like the new display because I rarely look at tags, and it clutters up the page with stuff I don't want - I'd like to see a way of toggling that display off.

But, two steps forward, one step back, so I'll live with it, having no choice.

If you navigate to stories from the hubs, top left and click to see the tags - at this point you're already in the story.

These days most stories have a little intro, and I can't recall the last time one went hard from word one, so the amount you're likely to see before you know this story definitely isn't for you is most of the time not going to be that bad.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yeah but perhaps that should not require a click.

Not everyone wants to see tags. I don't, for one. How hard is it to click once?

On the Works page? Maybe it's different with the beta opt-in because I've never seen them there.

Yes. The new feature started about a month ago.

I've just remembered, you have to change the options by going into any story, which then gives you a new default. I guess that's where the toggle is, to turn it off again. I must go do that.

I use tags as an author to advertise a story's kinks, but I don't use them at as a reader.

These days most stories have a little intro, and I can't recall the last time one went hard from word one, so the amount you're likely to see before you know this story definitely isn't for you is most of the time not going to be that bad.

I find those little warning intros a bit tedious - writers not wanting to upset people. Usually they're a good reason to leave the story early, to save doing it later.

It seems to me there's a whole bunch of readers who want tags and intros to be squick warnings, who expect authors to mind read and warn them.

My contrary view is to expect adults on an adult website to act like adults, to know how to back click and go away. There's too much catering for the nervous, if you ask me.

But then, I'm not all readers, so as an author, I don't bother trying to anticipate what they want or don't want, when they open up a story.

 

[liliput1]

Nothing wrong with the categories that wouldn't be solved with more accurate re-naming.

The list with improved titles in Bold, enhanced reader-interest-focus:

Erotic story categories

Taking this in the spirit of funny but not wrong:

Anal
Up yer Ass(Arse)

Ahem!
Butt Stuff

BDSM
Bind & Flog Me

Hmmm. I can’t fix this but I want to. D/s is sometimes separate.

Mind Control
Make Me Do It

Reluctance/NonConsent
Force Me!

And I want the latter to be “Make Me” but no idea for the former then.

I am the Captain?

Transgender
Non-Binaried

NB != trans

 

[liliput1]

Yes. The new feature started about a month ago.

I've just remembered, you have to change the options by going into any story, which then gives you a new default. I guess that's where the toggle is, to turn it off again. I must go do that.

That explains. It must be off by default.

I use tags as an author to advertise a story's kinks, but I don't use them at as a reader.

I have been as well but as I read more stories by people my authors follow, the boundaries I’m encountering spread and we’ve gone from, “wait am I into that?” to “do not want” so either I continue acting surprised and risk becoming more like one of the folks you all don’t like (justifiably), or I act like a grownup and inform myself before I shock myself.

Because that’s basically what happens when you walk through a door that you won’t like. I can as you say stop reading at any time. To continue is creating drama. As was implied about LW. Except…

My contrary view is to expect adults on an adult website to act like adults, to know how to back click and go away. There's too much catering for the nervous, if you ask me.

I would agree with this if NC didn’t exist. There are literally people here trying to process trauma through their writing, and many of them are decent enough to realize that other people are in a different spot in their journey and to post TWs.

Meanwhile we have people posting rape fantasies twice a week in Story Ideas. So, clearly not on the same page.

 

[liliput1]

I've said this before in another thread, but my take on a lot of the more vocal Loving Wives readers is that they actually want to find and read stories where the content outrages them, so then they can get angry and write abusive comments.

They may claim 'wrong category' or 'I wasted my time reading this crap' but really it is just the story they want to read. For example if someone posted a story where the cuckold husband is a weak mama's boy type who still calls his mother 'mommy' despite being 40-years-old and his nasty cheating floozy of a wife makes a fool of him all over town but he is too afraid of her and some of her boyfriends to do anything about it, the comments would be plenty and very brutal, but many of the readers would prefer to read this rather than a standard 'wife cheats, husband finds out and divorces her' story, even though the comments would suggest otherwise.

Fuck. This can’t be right can it? Fuuuuck.

I so want you to be wrong but also nominate you for a Nobel.

 

[ElectricBlue]

That explains. It must be off by default.

It is. It's the silliest new feature, because it's so well hidden.

I would agree with this if NC didn’t exist. There are literally people here trying to process trauma through their writing, and many of them are decent enough to realize that other people are in a different spot in their journey and to post TWs.

The category is clue enough, surely?

Meanwhile we have people posting rape fantasies twice a week in Story Ideas. So, clearly not on the same page.

If they're detailed, report the posts. The category Moderator has a responsibility to keep forum content within the site's policy guidelines.

 

[liliput1]

It is. It's the silliest new feature, because it's so well hidden.

The category is clue enough, surely?

Authors I love to death have discussed NC topics outside of that category. It's... tough. The world wasn't designed to make me personally comfortable. I know (or fear I know) why they do it, I wouldn't begrudge them doing it, but if I had a magic wand...

But they're all good about not just tagging but also putting trigger warnings up. Of course if you're halfway through an epic and find you have to stop, that's not great either, because you're invested and you can't finish it.

If they're detailed, report the posts. The category Moderator has a responsibility to keep forum content within the site's policy guidelines.

Either I'm too slow or they're smart enough for that. But I've literally seen a handful of different people post "yikes". Yikes indeed. I didn't really want to complain about that so much as illustrate that vigilance and thoughtfulness are needed. The night is dark and full of terrors.

 

[Ianus4]

I've said this before in another thread, but my take on a lot of the more vocal Loving Wives readers is that they actually want to find and read stories where the content outrages them, so then they can get angry and write abusive comments.

They may claim 'wrong category' or 'I wasted my time reading this crap' but really it is just the story they want to read. For example if someone posted a story where the cuckold husband is a weak mama's boy type who still calls his mother 'mommy' despite being 40-years-old and his nasty cheating floozy of a wife makes a fool of him all over town but he is too afraid of her and some of her boyfriends to do anything about it, the comments would be plenty and very brutal, but many of the readers would prefer to read this rather than a standard 'wife cheats, husband finds out and divorces her' story, even though the comments would suggest otherwise.

I think this is more a matter of differing beliefs. Post a story on a forum for new moms about how a mother should handle it when her child throws a tantrum, rolling around on the ground in a public place. There, too, a camp will form that firmly believes you have to be strict with the child, otherwise the child won’t respect you. Others will say that in such a situation, you should buy the child something; that’s sure to calm them down. There will certainly be comments saying that "when I have a child, I’ll definitely be firm about this". Well, at times like this, experienced parents smile, because back in the day, they too were certain they’d be perfect parents. There will also be comments from people who recognize their own stories in the narrative.

Stories about marital fidelity—and the issue of fidelity in general—form exactly the same kind of groups - of men. How to handle a critical situation.

 

[liliput1]

I've just remembered, you have to change the options by going into any story, which then gives you a new default. I guess that's where the toggle is, to turn it off again. I must go do that.

I use tags as an author to advertise a story's kinks, but I don't use them at as a reader.

Sorry, I'm still not seeing it. There's no options on the works page or the story page. There's nothing in the home/options about either. Clicking the tags tab and then navigating to the author does nothing, logged in.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Sorry, I'm still not seeing it. There's no options on the works page or the story page. There's nothing in the home/options about either. Clicking the tags tab and then navigating to the author does nothing, logged in.

Go into any story, Page 1 top left, click on the A. Fourth box down, there's a Story Card format box with three choices. Pick "Expanded". That will show the tags on every Author's story page.

It's a very odd way to get to it, but once it's done, it's your default view. It can be changed instantly, at any time.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I've said this before in another thread, but my take on a lot of the more vocal Loving Wives readers is that they actually want to find and read stories where the content outrages them, so then they can get angry and write abusive comments.

Well, d'uh!

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I find those little warning intros a bit tedious - writers not wanting to upset people. Usually they're a good reason to leave the story early, to save doing it later.

Indeed, don't apologize for your writing before the read even starts. All that does is unimpress the reader. Also, don't tell the reader how to read the story. At best, this puts undue stress him (who just wants to relax and read) and at worst condescends to him.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've said this before in another thread, but my take on a lot of the more vocal Loving Wives readers is that they actually want to find and read stories where the content outrages them, so then they can get angry and write abusive comments.

They may claim 'wrong category' or 'I wasted my time reading this crap' but really it is just the story they want to read. For example if someone posted a story where the cuckold husband is a weak mama's boy type who still calls his mother 'mommy' despite being 40-years-old and his nasty cheating floozy of a wife makes a fool of him all over town but he is too afraid of her and some of her boyfriends to do anything about it, the comments would be plenty and very brutal, but many of the readers would prefer to read this rather than a standard 'wife cheats, husband finds out and divorces her' story, even though the comments would suggest otherwise.

I agree and its not just here and with stories.

Have you seen the absolute unhinged hatred over the Supergirl movie? Just trashing it and the actress and its existence and they're not even going to go see it, they're just rage posting. Its the exact type of manbaby lunacy you see here from the worst LW faction.

Jeez, what a bunch of insecure little sissies these 'men' are.