New story classifications

I wanted to record some of my ideas about tickling stories, and this seems to be the place to do it. I doubt anyone will read it. This seems to be one of the most neglected forums mostly because nothing here is meant to arouse or titillate anyone. That being said, if anyone does ever read it, please note. I am going to make some statements about the kinds of tickling stories i like and those I don't. Please don't take that as a passive aggressive way of saying "These types of stories are bad and should not exist and if you write them or just enjoy reading them, you are wrong." i am adult enough to realize that not everyone shares my tastes, and that is OK. You do you. Now...

I have been reading tickle stories (and writing them) since before there was a TMF. In all that time, these stories have been classified one way, by the sex of the 'Ler and the 'Lee. That's it. After giving the situation much thought, i don't believe that is the best way to do it. Knowing a story if F/f for example doesn't really tell you that much. One can have much more in common with a certain M/m one than another F/f.

Here are a couple of classifications I think give more information and would help people find stories they like better.

Non-consenting vs. Consenting

For me, this is the main factor in whether I'll enjoy a story. Is the 'Lee allowing this to happen? This speaks to who has the power in the social dynamic. In consenting, it is the 'Lee. They may hate being tickled (or both love and hate it) but they have agreed to be tickled and have put themselves into a position where they can be tickled. They could have stopped it from happening in the first place and can stop by moving, or if bondage is involved, with a safe word.

In non-consenting, however, the 'Ler has all the power. They have rendered the 'Lee incapable of preventing the tickling and are the sole decision maker in how long the tickling will last. they aren't just role-playing being the dominant partner, they are in every sense of the word. If the 'Ler's control should wane, the tickling would end immediately as the 'Lee would run as fast as their legs could carry them.

I only enjoy non-consenting stories. Don't know why. As soon as i can see a story is Consenting, I'm done reading, no matter how well written it may be. Maybe its because in real life I have had opportunities for consenting tickling while most while avoiding non-consenting as I am just too nice to really do that kind of thing and also don't want to end up in prison. Stories are the only way non-consenting tickles can be explored.

Sexual vs Non-Sexual

Another way to classify tickling stories would be Sexual vs Non-Sexual. (No, i don't mean for the reader. If you are here, these stories are sexual to you.) I mean for the 'Ler. Why do they want to tickle the 'Lee? The 'Ler may have many motivations, but if the tickling gives them a sexual thrill, that tends to push the others into the background and the tickling becomes a type of fore-play. In non-sexual, the 'Ler's libido is never engaged. They are doing the deed for completely non debauched (though possibly evil) reasons. This focuses on tickling as pure torture, leading to nothing other than the 'Lee's suffering.

Completely non-sexual stories are rare. Probably because most of us can't conceive of tickling not being sexual, and since we're the ones writing the story... While i enjoy both types, non-sexual is the only way I can enjoy M/m stories (not putting them down, just saying) and F/m stories written from the 'Ler's perspective. Non-sexual has a very different flavor and may not be for everyone.

If you put those two labels into a grid, you'd get four distinct types of stories.

Non-consenting Sexual - probably the most common story (virtually all the M/f ones.) and certainly a felony in your town. The 'Ler has kidnapped their hearts desire and plans on making the beast with two backs after a healthy dose of hysteria. This is probably what one of would do if The Purge ever became a real thing. ( I mean why waste that opportunity on killing homeless people? it makes no sense.)

Consenting Sexual - Essentially a role-play that could easily happen if you are in a good relationship or if you have enough money. Probably the only type truly common in real life despite what we may dream of.

Non-consenting-Non Sexual - usually involves the 'Ler torturing somebody. All the CIA does it all the time, they just substitute water boarding. Perhaps they need a password or signature on some legal document or the 'Lee needs to be punished for misdeeds real or imagined. I guess it could be more innocent, like what bored friends/college students might do, or at a party where seeking out the most ticklish and making them howl. but probably the torture thing.

Consenting Non Sexual - Most difficult one to imagine, but not impossible. A pedicure story would fall into this category. The 'Lee asks for the service and is actually paying for it. The 'Ler is not getting off on their suffering (we don't think) and may even be annoyed at their carrying on.

I think these categories would provide more information than the standard F/f, M/F, F/m and M/m. Any thoughts?

Love collection, but what do you think of mixing them together with 2 other categories?

Group/solo ler

Love vs malicious tickling.

The second one is more motivation and combined with the two could mean the difference between a Poly-amorous love to being tortured to death like a tickling centred wickerman

The main problem with most classifications is that they're both too narrow and not narrow enough at the same time. Everyone seeks something else. For you the defining point would be the con/non-con and sexual/non-sexual division, while other people don't care about those aspects as they would only read f/f stories anyway, so your classification won't be helpful for them at all. Even others - only those where the characters are of specific race or age group. And so on, and so on. Not to mention the "reality" classification (i.e. whether it's real world or future, or supernatural, or Tolkien-esque fantasy, or...). Soon we'd get to the point when the category tags would be longer than the story itself (I exaggerate, naturally, but how about "non-con sexual f/f interracial furry Asian fantasy ageplay"?).

I get your point, your classification would clearly work for you (and for some others) while it would clearly NOT work for another group. Just like any other classification anyone would come up with.

I think your ideas of classification are valid. This, however, would require the community to adopt it. Like, that was never really a rule, more of just a courtesy to others. I started including target areas because, well, I don't want to be disappointed either. Im down to put your methods to use in my stuff but the subject titles are already long haha, so I'd probably just put it in the post itself. Like, I don't want anyone to read through something of mine and close it halfway because its not what they wanted, you know?

To respond briefly to ichii: Sure. A brief synopsis would resolve the issues you're bringing up, and I think that would include what the OP mentioned. To be fair, a better vetting method would solve a lot of the issues; like if you could go down to the responses and get feedback on some things in the story. I think our community is too small and silent for that, though. When I start posting again Ill try to do a synopsis at the top more than my personal thoughts about the work.

Good luck with this, though. It'd be cool if the community adopted it.

ElFewja said:

I think your ideas of classification are valid. This, however, would require the community to adopt it. Like, that was never really a rule, more of just a courtesy to others. I started including target areas because, well, I don't want to be disappointed either. Im down to put your methods to use in my stuff but the subject titles are already long haha, so I'd probably just put it in the post itself. Like, I don't want anyone to read through something of mine and close it halfway because its not what they wanted, you know?

To respond briefly to ichii: Sure. A brief synopsis would resolve the issues you're bringing up, and I think that would include what the OP mentioned. To be fair, a better vetting method would solve a lot of the issues; like if you could go down to the responses and get feedback on some things in the story. I think our community is too small and silent for that, though. When I start posting again Ill try to do a synopsis at the top more than my personal thoughts about the work.

Good luck with this, though. It'd be cool if the community adopted it.

Click to expand...

That doesn't mean that any ideas or rules coming out of this thread are to be thrown away, if a small group of writers adopt it, it creates a whole new subgenre of fetish fiction.

The writers who participate in this thread could be the fetish world's equivalent of a Dogma 95 movement

Haha, I'm down, lets do it. We can ride motorcycles and hit people with chains and steal drugs and all sorts of cool things. I might be playing too much GTA 5 lately.

I'm down for this. I have a new story to post up so I'll try to use some expansive descriptors so people know what they're getting. A bit more like literotica or some of those other sites right?

Elfewja is a bit too hardcore for me. I don't have a motorcycle but I think my old skateboard is around somewhere and I have a boomerang.

I cannot skateboard. I get like 5 inches and then everything goes to shit after that. Can't turn, can't do anything haha.

I wouldn't say there is much of a format for this right now, and I actually don't know those other sites. I posted a few stories over the past week, but all I did was describe what I thought the story contained alongside a brief synopsis of the story.

This is what I included in my most recent post:

The tickling in this is non-con, of a sort. It’s grey area stuff. The ‘lee of the first section is arrested and placed in a stockade, though she goes willingly with a chance to resist. The second bit is also grey area: she puts herself in a situation to get tickled, and is, but then is bound against her will, though she invites the tickler to tickle her. I would classify it as non-con, but its greyish. This piece is exclusively foot tickling, with some F/F and M/F in the first parts, and some M/F intermingled between the bits where the tree tickles her.

I think this is a great suggestion! But, like mentioned earlier, depending on the title (if any) it can easily become too verbose. I like a gist of the kind of content I'm to be reading beforehand in the title, (sex/not). I agree with other posts, that in the BEGINNING of the story, if chosen, a more detailed preface of the story's content to be given (sort of like reading the cover title, then a smaller additional on the cover; inside, you read the synopsis of what the book's about in more detail to see if you want to read the book after the initial catch of the title).

Go, suggestion, go! Now, if only I could write...



Doesn't mean I don't try, regardless.

So I would like to discuss implementation. Obviously the people here aren't in any position to demand this service of others but I still think it a good idea to either spread word of additional tags, synopsis or further descriptions of stories or request this of more prominent authors.

I don't anticipate that we'll reach most authors for several years even if we are adamant in this campaign, but well, I still want to try.

I don't see much point to it myself but I tend to stick to a formula unless I am posting a commission. I think it sounds good in theory but would ultimately be a major headache for writers. I mean, when you see a poster at the theater for a batman movie, it doesn't say "Batman Returns: Male and female villain, some gothic scenery, a handful of fights and cuss words, yada yada. Too much description gives the story away. It's true that with a movie, you can look up a plot synopsis, but with stories on TMF, I mean they tend to average about 5 to 15 pages in length. How much do you want spoiled for you?

I will say that there are times when I read a story on here and am disappointed by there being things in it that I didn't want or expect, but you are gonna get that with any kind of storytelling medium that you ever experience. I will say that if anything, I think more people should post about fetishes and content that isn't tickling. For instance if there is tickling, but also spanking, foot sniffing, BDSM, etc... it would be nice to know ahead of time. Going back to my Batman movie metaphor, at least movie posters give you an idea of content. The MPAA will rate it PG-13 for fantasy violence and language, or R for Horror and bloody images. So, you kind of know what you are getting into but none of the plot is spoiled.

Those are my thoughts, at least.

Haha, I was thinking about messaging you and I was concerned that might be your response, sir.

I understand that, as a seasoned person with a fanbase, one assumes his audience to know what he's on about. I was thinking the same about myself (though personally was playing at the assumption that I have much of a fanbase at all lol).

My counter to that is new-readers, people that don't know what you're on about, usually. You were the person I thought of concerning this because, well, I never really read your stuff. I believe you started posting when I was taking a leave of the forums, and I also believe you dealt mostly in /m, which is not an interest of mine. So for me to go to a more recent story of yours -- which was my intention tonight as I saw you put up a /f piece within the past few days -- I would be going in without much of an understanding of how you typically go about things. And that's fine and exciting and why I choose to do so.

However.

The reason I would, beyond anything else, push for something like this is a bit beyond taste. I have had a person disclose to me recently that a story was recommended to her, but contained a lot of material that either sickened her or that she was morally opposed to, and so she is less likely to read a random bit of content due to not knowing its nature. I can understand that.

Further, triggers. I used to scoff at trigger warnings but had it explained to me that the intent of a trigger warning is not to protect from questionable content but to allow one to prepare for it. The argument was a war veteran needing to mentally prepare himself for scenes showing combat as they might trigger flashbacks and such. As a personal note, I have something similar: I spent a few days in juvi when I was younger, and well. The walls. If you've been in similar public schools as I have, the walls are painted white and they're these bricks that are sort of pyramid esque if you look at them. The wall of my cell was the same way. Occasionally when I look at these walls I get flashbacks to those times, of being surrounded by these people that stabbed their brothers or whatever, and I just get lost in those memories for a while. It's not a fun place but I've gotten a lot better about dealing with it. I'm not comparing this to the PTSD a soldier might experience but I have more empathy towards the subject as a result. I can relate.

To be fair I have been terrible about respecting this, even recently. Like, I put in some fight scenes in my more recent stories. These aren't necessarily events you would expect and I can totally see how such unexpected violence in our setting could be a problem. But kidnapping and non consensual tickling are more common, as are content of a sexual nature, and I can totally see how an individual who has had a bad experience might be put off by such topics. I think the real value in this would be to avoid unintentionally upsetting people, mostly.

Anyway, I view a synopsis as I would a movie or tv trailer, just something to wet my appetite and raise my interest at a glance. Those can spoil elements but they're also tools through which we discover if something resonates with our interests. They're also optional for the viewer/reader.

Sorry for the long windedness, I combined a few bits of things I had been mulling over for a few different topics I was intending to post.

That's all well and good. As I was saying, I wouldn't be adverse to some kind of content advisory system, but I think it's ridiculous to have a synopsis of a 10 page story. I mean, after you read that paragraph, why do you need to read the story?

I wouldn't agree with that. You can write a synopsis of any literary work. From that synopsis, someone might well decide that the story being told is not one they are interested in and skip it. That's fine. But for them to think that by reading the synopsis they got the full impact of the story and now do not need to read the story, that they got the same effect from the paragraph as opposed to the ten pages...that would seem wrong.

Truthfully, a synopsis probably wouldn't apply to all cases. I'm terrible with titles but I think one can convey at least enough in it, at times, to not necessitate further explanation.

Additionally -- citing your story, Kat's Curiosity -- I think you accomplish this between the first paragraph and title. You introduce the characters by name and their relation, and through the title we know or can assume some things: namely, that this character will be involved either because she is curious at what the experience of tickling, or being tickled, is like. She's the daughter of a friend, and so one might assume that there's a familial thing going on, or at least has the potential. Through the use of the word curiosity consent and choice is at least implied, and at least from the onset. In this scenario you've established the boundaries of the story, or at least enough that I can assume where it's going.

I think the answer you are most looking for is: because the reader is interested or invested and wants to know the content, how the characters get there, what leads them to their decisions, how they react to the situation(s)/tickling and so on. There's a satisfaction to be had there that can't quite be contained within a brief description.

I think maybe the best way to describe it would be to take any clip. You're told the girl is "barefoot, she's in in stockade and her feet are tickled with a brush" outside of the clip, but you still watch it anyway because you want to see her reactions, hear her laugh, watch how she fights with the bondage or further becomes enthralled with whats going on with her body, if that makes sense. On the one hand you don't need to watch it because you've either seen pictures and know what she looks like, or you already know the content of the clip.

I suppose at it's core it would involve how much detail you gave in a synopsis relative to the story, but truthfully, I think everything is about context and serving things appropriately. For example, I would argue Kat's curiosity doesn't need a synopsis because of how you handle the beginning of the piece. I may have misused the word synopsis when instead I meant something of a teaser or introduction to the work, though. Like, just a general idea where the piece is going.

I'm not convinced I took the best route to explaining myself so if I was insufficient here I can try again from a different angle, but I think that would be more of an expansion upon a summary versus the actual content of a story.

I can see how a too verbose synopsis might undermine a story, and I can also see how a story lacking in proper content might suffer, by the by. I can take my oldest stories and apply that logic to it, for sure, because they're short and they don't contain a lot of worthwhile content, to the point that a synopsis could be or is more or less the same thing as the actual story.

I used this on my most recent effort which is similar to some of the things I've seen on other story sites.

Thread: An Irresistible Challenge (M/f, reluc, all over)

I didn't think to add a synopsis paragraph though as I prefer to let the narrative unfold. I know what you mean though about a 'back cover blurb' type deal.

Suikoden, in your latest story, I think the title and people involved (m/f) (and further details) are more than enough information to give an idea of the content. Like earlier stated, I think giving too much more of a "preface" would only lessen the thrill of reading the story and discovering the details within. But that's just me, maybe. *shrug*
I am ALL for a very basic additional info being mentioned in the title, so as to prevent possible unintentional triggers (sex and consensual seeming to be the biggest ideas used, and relaying triggers if anyone's experienced traumatic events in either field).

Yeah, I've fallen back on keywords, because I'm lazy but also I'm super lazy.

That's not what I initially set down to write and trust me there were at least a few seconds between the first lazy and the second lazy. Damn, though, I am lazy.

It, ah. No, I really think just the inclusion of some themes in the story -- kidnapping is in something I'm writing but it hasn't been a tag I've used yet -- is sufficient. There are too many for the title, though, and that sucks.

Maybe I'll reconsider again haha, who knows. I just haven't been at anything lately that I think merits a slightly longer description of the story, I guess.

Anyway, the keywords I've been using have been sexual/non sexual, con/non con, kidnapping, that sort of thing. I'm not sure I would include one for vibrating someone, whether or not that takes away from the story or not, hm. I used bondage in one thing but not in others where there is bondage. Ah, I'll come back if/after I build up some more experience doing it and see what I think then. I'm too lazy right now.

This sounds like a guilt play by someone who wants to push an Idealistic agenda. Did it ever occured to the OTHER.P. that the most common sexual fantasy most women have is the ravage (or rape fantasy) and that many women have enjoyed that type of story?

Just putting it out there
ST