But what do I rate it?
We have a lot of first time fic writers participating in the challenges and I’ve seen a few people say they aren’t sure what to rate their stories. FFN and AO3 have slightly different rating systems, so that can cause some confusion. And if you don’t use one of those platforms to post your stories, it can be even more confusing. So, here I will attempt my best to explain how to rate your stories. As far as I have seen, most entries for Let’s Write use the AO3 system for rating (G, T, M and E), but I will include the FFN rating equivalent as best I can. Like with rating anything, there is a bit of interpretation. Consider these general guidelines and feel free to reblog and add in your two cents.
AO3 Rating: General Audiences (FFN K and K+– ages 9 and below): FFN considers this rating something suitable for young children. I would expand this to say that this rating is appropriate for stories that lack any sort of violence or sex. There may be a little cursing, but it is usually fairly mild. A lot of domestic fluff stories could probably easily fall under this category as well as many friendship stories. A personal preference of mine is to avoid rating angst (or other emotionally weighty stories) under this category because I feel that it usually, by the genre’s very nature, tends to deal with much harder topics, even when it avoids the discussion of sex or violence. This is, of course, ultimately up to the author to decide.
AO3 Rating: Teen and Up (FFN T: ages 13+): This rating is reserved for stories that deal with topics that may be seen as “edgier” than what the G/K rating would allow for; however, references to sex or violence are still mostly suggestive than blatant. For example, you may allude to the fact that two characters had sex, but you would not write out the sex scene. Or you may mention that someone was kidnapped, but you would not show that person being physically or psychologically tortured. Language is often harsher than what might be found in a G/K rating, as well.
AO3 Rating: Mature (FFN M: ages 16+): This is where things get a bit complicated because the line between Mature and Explicit can get a little fuzzy sometimes and often becomes a matter of “I know it when I see it.” I am not entirely satisfied with that, so I will do my best to describe the difference. Mature rated fanfiction deals with adult topics. Now folks have a tendency to hear the word “adult” and think sex, which while partially true is not the entire shebang. These stories deal with more detailed discussions of sex and violence, but do not necessarily linger on those scenes.The stories under this rating also deal with more complex emotional issues. If, for example, I wanted to write a story about John dealing with PTSD now that he is back in England or Sherlock’s drug use pre-series, I would most likely rate them Mature because they are complex, powerful, and often upsetting topics.
AO3 Rating: Explicit (FFN N/A): FFN does not allow for stories that fall under the Explicit rating, but AO3 does, so it is useful to know the difference between Mature and Explicit. There is a tendency to think of Explicit only in sexual terms, however, it can be used for more than that. Explicit lingers. Explicit describes, in detail, sexual as well as extremely violent acts. If Mature is the fade to black or the tastefully lit sex scene, than Explicit is the closeup in HD. Taking the example from the Mature rating, if I wanted to not only talk about John dealing with PTSD, but also wanted to describe in detail a spectacularly violent or traumatizing experience for him while in the military, I would be more inclined to give it a rating of Explicit. If someone is captured by a serial killer and we are given a blow by blow account of exactly what happens to them, then it should probably be rated explicit. Personally, I would consider things like the Saw movies explicit because the violence is intense and it lingers.
Some Tips: My suggestion to all new writers is to consider the topics you are presenting in your stories and the level of detail in which you describe them. I would encourage you to always fall on the side of caution. Better to rate something higher than rate it low and unpleasantly surprise people. I tend to think in terms of movie ratings, though this can be a slightly imperfect system.
Remember a higher rating doesn’t necessarily mean dark; you can have a very fluffy story that is still explicit. And always, always, rate based on the entire story, not just the first chapter. Have an idea of where you plan to take your story and rate it based on that.
And finally: When in doubt, warn for it. Let your readers know why you are rating something the way you are, so that they can make informed decisions. If you are aware that there is a potential trigger in your story, warn for it in the author’s notes at the beginning of the story.
–Urban
