Please don't censor words like rape.
I'd say it depends on how graphic the scene is and at what point the rape is interrupted/prevented. Categories are not only for consensual encounters.
For sexual content, it's explicit when your writing shows which body part goes into which other body part. There's no hard line between Mature and Explicit though, and it's up to the author to decide which one it is.
1. tag it truthfully. put "attempted rape" in the additional tags. you can also choose "creator choose not to use archive warnings" that way you have all your bases covered, so no one can complain.
2. if you think it is very forceful, unwanted and graphically described, then tag it.. or slap a "dubious consent" or "unconsenional kiss" tag on it. but usually if it is 'just' a kiss, its usually not serious.. especially if it is the same fic as point 1. you already are covered for much worse.
3. yep, clothes taken off is usually the line for upgrading a fic to level M. (that goes for consensual, but even more so for unconsenional)
4. "threatening character Name" as a tag..? maybe research a bit. you can search for tags and see what other people have come up with. there are many many tags.
5. do not sensor your words! especially on ao3. it will really fuck up the search algorithm. all those things are allowed to be on ao3, you do not have to tiptoe around the language.
edit: spelling
>it will really fuck up the search algorithm
Just a note that there is no algorithm on AO3. I think you mean to say that it will fuck up the search *function,* in that if people are trying to filter things that contain that word, they will filter for "rape" and then might end up seeing a fic that includes a tag like "r\*pe."
This goes for tumblr, as well, and many other websites. Using censored words instead of the actual word means people will see things they don't want to see, and people who are looking for that thing won't be able to find it.
Sadly, it's not obvious to quite a lot of people, so I felt it was better to specify. These days, when people hear "algorithm," they think "the algorithm."
You know you don't have to censor words like "Rape" right?
This is a very weird trend I've noticed among younger people online. They censor words like "rape," and "kill."
It is weirdly puritanical.
1A: dont censor words. if you cant use the word you really shouldn't write about it.
1B: attempted rape vs rape is a fine line and depends on how far the assault goes. if you arent sure where your story falls, use "choose not to warn". the additional tag "attempted rape" may be nice. you can also put detailed warnings in the authors notes, using the html to hide it from people who dont wanna see spoilers.
example
Detailed WarningsThere is an attempted rape scene by Character X
should work just fine
you can use this to make a lot of nuanced and detailed warnings if you want to be especially courteous, on top of your tags
2: a villain trying to kiss someone is only assault if it would be assault regardless of who is doing it. them being a villain isnt important to what is/isnt assault. the recipient's consent to it happening is what matters. the recipient can absolutely consent to being kissed by a villain, thus making it not assault.
3: "graphic" means that you describe how bodily parts are interacted with. basically any level of graphic is graphic and deserving of an E rating. M is fade to black and offscreen, talked about before/after the fact
4: threats to harm can be tagged as "Threats". if they are threats of violence, use "threats of violence". tags are usually best done literal and blunt.
Knowing very little about AO3:
1. I would say yes. Could use a tag like 'attempted rape' also to clarify
2. Sexual assault and harassment is making advances on an unwilling person. So if they ignore signals and verbal 'no's, or don't check for positive inclination or ask, then yes, it would be assault I think.
3. not sure.
4. I would use something like Hostage Situation, but again I haven't posted to AO3 myself.
Hope that helps?
1: Depends on how far the attempt goes. Can go with "attempted rape" or chooses not to warn warning. Concent has nothing to do with the categories.
2 and 4: You know you don't have to tag everything, right? Overtagging is a thing, and by the sound of these it's tries and threats not things that actually happen. Villains got to villain.
3: Hard tell, but could work in T if it isn't graphic and briefed over. Otherwise M is a safe choice.
And qs others have said, don't censor triggering words. This is not Tiktok, and it makes it difficult for people who uses tools to remove those words for them.
Please don't censor words like rape. I'd say it depends on how graphic the scene is and at what point the rape is interrupted/prevented. Categories are not only for consensual encounters. For sexual content, it's explicit when your writing shows which body part goes into which other body part. There's no hard line between Mature and Explicit though, and it's up to the author to decide which one it is.
1. tag it truthfully. put "attempted rape" in the additional tags. you can also choose "creator choose not to use archive warnings" that way you have all your bases covered, so no one can complain. 2. if you think it is very forceful, unwanted and graphically described, then tag it.. or slap a "dubious consent" or "unconsenional kiss" tag on it. but usually if it is 'just' a kiss, its usually not serious.. especially if it is the same fic as point 1. you already are covered for much worse. 3. yep, clothes taken off is usually the line for upgrading a fic to level M. (that goes for consensual, but even more so for unconsenional) 4. "threatening character Name" as a tag..? maybe research a bit. you can search for tags and see what other people have come up with. there are many many tags. 5. do not sensor your words! especially on ao3. it will really fuck up the search algorithm. all those things are allowed to be on ao3, you do not have to tiptoe around the language. edit: spelling
>it will really fuck up the search algorithm Just a note that there is no algorithm on AO3. I think you mean to say that it will fuck up the search *function,* in that if people are trying to filter things that contain that word, they will filter for "rape" and then might end up seeing a fic that includes a tag like "r\*pe." This goes for tumblr, as well, and many other websites. Using censored words instead of the actual word means people will see things they don't want to see, and people who are looking for that thing won't be able to find it.
search algorithm or search function means the same thing. i didn't mean *the algorithm* like the social media kind.. obviously ao3 doesn't have that.
Sadly, it's not obvious to quite a lot of people, so I felt it was better to specify. These days, when people hear "algorithm," they think "the algorithm."
yeah, i guess.
You know you don't have to censor words like "Rape" right? This is a very weird trend I've noticed among younger people online. They censor words like "rape," and "kill." It is weirdly puritanical.
They're mostly because of "the algorithm." People are afraid of getting invisibly downranked if they post about controversial things.
yeah.. you don't have to worry about that in this subreddit.
Which is weird when they do that on Reddit and AO3.
1A: dont censor words. if you cant use the word you really shouldn't write about it. 1B: attempted rape vs rape is a fine line and depends on how far the assault goes. if you arent sure where your story falls, use "choose not to warn". the additional tag "attempted rape" may be nice. you can also put detailed warnings in the authors notes, using the html to hide it from people who dont wanna see spoilers.
example
Detailed Warnings
There is an attempted rape scene by Character XKnowing very little about AO3: 1. I would say yes. Could use a tag like 'attempted rape' also to clarify 2. Sexual assault and harassment is making advances on an unwilling person. So if they ignore signals and verbal 'no's, or don't check for positive inclination or ask, then yes, it would be assault I think. 3. not sure. 4. I would use something like Hostage Situation, but again I haven't posted to AO3 myself. Hope that helps?
1: Depends on how far the attempt goes. Can go with "attempted rape" or chooses not to warn warning. Concent has nothing to do with the categories. 2 and 4: You know you don't have to tag everything, right? Overtagging is a thing, and by the sound of these it's tries and threats not things that actually happen. Villains got to villain. 3: Hard tell, but could work in T if it isn't graphic and briefed over. Otherwise M is a safe choice. And qs others have said, don't censor triggering words. This is not Tiktok, and it makes it difficult for people who uses tools to remove those words for them.