Frequently Asked Questions
about
ABBREVIATED STORY CODES IN A.S.S.
Authors' Version
v 6.0 -- May, 2001
Q How do I code a story I have written so as to communicate
most accurately to potential readers?
Changes.
Essentially new version.
- = -
Q1 What does "story code" mean?
A1 Story codes are a group of symbols on the subject line of
stories posted in alt.sex.stories and alt.sex.stories.moderated
and several closely-related newsgroups. They communicate to some
of the readers some of the contents of the story. Generally,
codes are intended to address the download decisions of many
potential readers. Some warn of content that some readers want
to avoid. Some advertise content that some readers want to
download. Most codes do both.
Q2 How do I use this FAQ?
A2 If you are new to coding, you should probably browse through
it once. You should learn the codes used in the area in which
you want to write (we call that your subgenre). For a new story,
and especially for a new subgenre, you can check the section
involved. Otherwise, check out the "changes" section at the top
of each posting.
You should know the codes for sex, age, and number in part 3.0
below. You should be aware of the hot codes in part 3.1. And
you should know the codes of your own subgenre. You needn't
necessarily know the code subtleties of other subgenres, except
to know that you shouldn't use those codes for another purpose.
* In the *FAQ*, we often write a single code within its
* own set of parentheses. This is to signal that we are
* looking at codes; use only one set of parentheses on
* actual stories.
Q3 What are the codes?
A3 Here they are broken down into categories. Some codes are
repeated, with the same definition, in more than one category.
INDEX
3.0: Sex, age, and number.
3.1: Hot codes. It is considered brutally rude to omit
these codes if they apply.
3.2: Willingness or unwillingness.
3.3: Dominance, submission, bondage, pain and violence.
3.4: Relationships.
3.5: Activities.
3.6: Various kinks.
3.7: Other particulars.
****** The CODES ******
* It is considered viciously rude to include the categories that
* I have marked with an asterisk (*) without warning of them in
* the story codes. See section 3.1.
*****
3.0: Sex, Age, and number of persons engaged in sexual
activity. (Not only intercourse.)
M An adult man (18 or older)
m Boy - Teenager (13 - 17)
b* Boy - Preteen (age 12 or younger)
F An adult woman (18 or older)
f Girl - Teenager (13 - 17)
g* Girl - Preteen (age 12 or younger)
Some examples of how these are used:
MF Heterosexual adult sex
mf Young heterosexual sex
FF Homosexual adult female sex
MM* Homosexual adult male sex
ff Homosexual, young female sex
mm* Homosexual, young male sex
Mg* or mF Permutations of this are an adult having sex with a
minor.
+ 2 or more of the same sex, that is
M+F Several men having sex with the same woman
MF+ Several women having sex with the same man
M+F+ They all mix it up
MF mf Two couples, not a foursome
f-solo e.g. Masturbation by an adolescent girl.
When these are not sufficient to distinguish who is doing what
with whom, there is a discussion of connectors, ~, (or /) in
Link.
- = -
3.1: Hot codes. It is considered brutally rude to omit these
codes if they apply:
bd Bondage and Discipline
best Bestiality. Sex with an animal (see also zoo)
blackmail Forcing sex through threat of exposure.
cbt Cock & ball torture
copr Coprophilia (Fun with feces)
fist Fisting
inc Incest
mc Mind control
nc Non-consensual Sexual Activity
nec Necrophilia. Sex with a dead person
ped Pedophilia. Participants age 12 or below.
rape rape
reluc starts out as rape, but she loves it.
sad For "just" inflicting pain. Can be used with 'nc' or
'cons'.
sm Sadomasochism: pain which gives pleasure to both
parties
snuff Killing
tort Torture.
viol Violent, not always sad
ws Water Sports
zoo Zoophilia. Caring and consensual relationships
between humans and animals. (See also best)
And generally any level of sex-related violence. Of course, some
of these terms include others. If you include (tort) and (snuff)
then (sad) is redundant.
* However, we consider it fair to use (caution) in story codes
* to indicate that the story might squick some people, but
* telling *why* it might squick them might spoil the story for
* others.
Generally, male homosexual activity squicks a fair number of men.
Lesbian activity doesn't seem to bother very many people.
However, some jurisdictions forbid the depiction of sexual
activity which are illegal there. So casual FF activity should
probably be labeled as well, even if it is not a major theme.
*******
3.2: Willingness or unwillingness.
blackmail* Forcing sex through threat of exposure.
cons *Only* Consensual Sexual Activity (including possible
non-intercourse sexual activity) is in the story.
mc* Mind control.
nc* Some non-consensual Sexual Activity (including
possible non-intercourse sexual activity.)
rape* Brutal non-consensual intercourse.
reluc* Starts out as rape, but she loves it.
rom Romantic; Consensual Sexual Activity only. Based,
at least in part, on the characters' love for one
another. Just now, wisest to include (cons).
For multiple nonconsensual codes, see
Link.
*******
3.3: Dominance, submission, bondage, pain and violence.
_dom Domination by member of sex/age "_"
e.g.
Mdom Dominant adult male
Fdom Dominant adult female
bd* Bondage and Discipline
cbt* Cock & ball torture
fist* Fisting
mc* Mind control
rough Consensually rough sex, not always sm.
sad* For "just" inflicting pain. Can be used with 'nc' or
'cons'.
sm* Sadomasochism: pain which gives pleasure to both
parties
snuff* Killing
span Spanking, Mild (sm)
tort* Torture. Severe non-consensual pain-giving
viol* Violence, not always (sad)
* Generally, (snuff) applies to killing in which the description
* of the killing is supposed to add to the sexual charge;
* (viol) includes stories which are violent, even if the sex
* isn't.
*******
3.4: Relationships
inc* Incest
interr Interracial
rom Romantic; Consensual Sexual Activity only. Based, at
least in part, on the characters' love for one
another.
wife Wife *watching* (participatory cuckoldry)
*******
3.5: Activities
-solo Masturbation by M, m, b, F, f or g; e.g. M-solo
anal Anal sex, not always genital penetration.
best* Bestiality. Sex with an animal (see also zoo)
copr* Coprophilia (Fun with feces)
enem Enemas
exhib Exhibitionism
fist* Fisting
inc* Incest
mc Mind control
nec* Necrophilia. Sex with a dead person
no-sex There is no intercourse in the story.
oral Oral-genital contact.
ped* Pedophilia. Some participants age 12 or below.
scat* Scatology: Involving feces.
tg Transgendered (Transsexual)
voy Voyeurism
wife Wife *watching* (participatory cuckoldry)
ws* Water Sports (aka golden showers, that is: people who
like getting pissed on (as opposed to pissed off).
zoo* Zoophilia. Caring and consensual relationships
between humans and animals. (See also best)
*******
3.6: Various kinks.
bi Bisexuality of one or more characters.
lac Lactation. Playing with (human) milk.
preg Pregnant. Sex with a pregnant woman or impregnation.
toys Vibrators or other adult toys
*******
3.7: Other particulars.
1st First time intercourse. You may also use m-1st, F-1st,
etc.
furry Anthropomorphized animals
hist Has a historical theme
humor Humor. Funny
interr Interracial
ScFi Science fiction setting. Please note spelling.
size Overdeveloped body-parts
*******
Q4 What if none of these codes cover my needs for my story?
A4 Consult The FAQ on coding subtleties.
which has less-often-used codes and comments on dealing with a
case where new codes are really needed.
Q5 What happens if I use these codes exactly?
A5 Some readers search on these codes, by eye or by search
engine. The ones who are looking for a story like yours will
find yours. Of those who enjoy it, some will look for more of
your stories. Your readership will be increased; one or two of
them might even write you fan mail.
Also, every pleased reader will have been "positively reinforced"
for reading alt.sex.stories.* and for using the codes. You will
have helped not only yourself, but the rest of the authors.
Q6 What happens if I misuse these codes?
A6 The reader who is using the codes to look for precisely that
sort of story will miss yours. The reader who downloads your
story will be displeased. Depending on his level of displeasure
and his tolerance, his actions can range from junking that
particular story to kill-filing you or even writing you a nasty
letter or a comment in the group.
Certainly, each such reader will have been "negatively
reinforced," *very* slightly less likely to trust codes, to use
codes, and the read alt.sex.stories.
Q7a What happens if I use the codes *I* think fit, but not the
ones in the FAQ that the reader expects?
Q7b What happens if I use precisely the codes in the FAQ, but
those aren't the ones the reader considers appropriate for the
story?
A7 Pretty much the same thing as A6. Readers react according
to their expectations. The FAQ follows usage, not usage
following the FAQ, much less your opinions.
Q8 What happens if I don't use codes?
A8 Some readers won't touch an uncoded story. The readers who
*do* download your story are likely not looking for that sort of
story. Almost certainly, coding increases your readership -- how
much depends on the subgenre and other particulars. More about
this in
The FAQ on coding subtleties.
Q9 How much code should I put on the story.
A9 You should use the appropriate sex and age codes in section
3.0, any hot codes from section 3.1, and the main theme of the
story. Beyond that, consult
The FAQ on coding subtleties. You might also check out the
coding of some stories which you have read and remember, although
the best writers aren't always the best coders.
Q10 What is in the subtleties of coding FAQ?
A10 Rarely used codes and codes from specialized newsgroups and
for (MM) or (interr) stories. The order of using codes. More on
how much code is necessary.
Q11 How are these codes presented?
A11 The story-codes for each story should all be enclosed in one
set of ( parentheses ) after the story name. The codes should be
separated by spaces, and no single code should include a space
[e.g. (ScFi) not (sci fi); (Mdom} not {M dom)].
The codes for sex and age are run together when those persons are
involved with each other [(MFF) not (M F F)]. These codes are
run into the following codes when they are modifiers [(Fdom) (M-
solo) (f-1st)].
Usually, the codes for sex and age come first.
It would be nice if you used these codes just as they are given,
capitals and lower-case letters and all.
"Romeo and Juliet" {Shakespeare} (Mf viol 1st) [1/5]
works.
Much more on the entire subject line at:
The ASSM subject line FAQ
Q12 What other resources are available?
A12
The FAQ on subtleties of story coding.
The story-code FAQ for readers.
The alphabetical list of all story codes.
and
The list of all story codes by type of story.
- = - End of FAQ - = -