Can someone knowledgeable in AO3 give me some advice?

[doravg]

So, I can't put my stories here anymore because they are in German, and I don't want to break the rules. SH has done a lot for me as a writer, and I don't want to cross any lines that shouldn't be crossed.
I post on AO3 and DeviantArt. On DeviantArt I have a bit of a following because of the fan art I post. All hail Midjourney! XD
But on AO3 I have like one, maybe two, consistent readers for my original stories. I put all the tags I can think of, post every day, and yet I can't seem to get a bigger following.
All I want is for my stories to be read. So, for those of you who have Original Stories in a language other than English, can you please give me a hint how I can get a bigger following on AO3? Or if there are other sites, for German stories specifically, which have a bigger reader base?
My fanfictions are doing ok on AO3, but that is because I write niche stuff, and they get first place in the listing for months to come. (I am pretty certain that nobody else writes Hetalia Bulgaria/Byzantine fics...)
So, any ideas?

 

[Tsuru]

As ao3 user
tips

1) Too many tags is disgusting
2) Theme choosing is important. Like BL / GL / Hetero / rape / wholesome, have more readers than others
3) Smut > Not smut
4) I didnt try your stories. Is the quality good enough ? Also realistic original or fanfic from shows or fanfic from animes/mangas ?
Its also a big diff between viewers

5) Just learn english
I am not english user myself
but i became that good, despite when first class in childhood of english, a direct 0 because i couldn't understand wtf is another language AT ALL

How i did it
Just read sfw doujins of touhou, and everytime i saw a word i didnt understand, i search definition on the app that existed on Windows XP at that time. Forgot the name but it was very powerful as a dictionnary thing. At least more reliable than googling.
Also english isnt that hard to be honest, compared to all the languages.

 

[Premier]

Try fanfiktion.de

 

[TheKillingAlice]

Because Ao3 doesn't care about original stories. I already mentioned that on another post. The problem is that you will only have a real following when you post a story with a big fandom attached. And I'm talking BIG - like Harry Potter.

For German stories, try FanFiktion.de, BookRix.de, and, if you have to, Wattpad.

 

[Tsuru]

PS : (5) is truly my biggest tip
because look. As a german. I bet that just like my language, you suffer a shortage of "translation" in your language for manga/novel right ?

Well. Simply learn english, done. You just unlocked 50 manga/hua/hwa you can read
200+ animes
500+ novels
2000+ MTL novels

100 000 raw chinese web novels if you can stomach suffering headaches for 1-2 months during initiation of reading with google translate
(Shouldnt be that bad, compared to pre-2020, because since 2020 google was bribed by china to upgrade quality of translation and now its near human quality compared to the garbage pre-2020 MTL)

 

[TheKillingAlice]

5) Just learn english

I thought they speak english just fine thou? I don't think that's the problem. The bulk of my stories is in German as well.

 

[Tsuru]

Because Ao3 doesn't care about original stories. I already mentioned that on another post. The problem is that you will only have a real following when you post a story with a big fandom attached. And I'm talking BIG - like Harry Potter.

For German stories, try FanFiktion.de, BookRix.de, and, if you have to, Wattpad.

^
Dang, so fcking true now thinking about it. In fact thought of that but forgot.

BTW
Even pixiv is also same for jp about original stories
Its like some kind of secret conscientious idea among users that pixiv : "the website for fanfic"

I thought they speak english just fine thou? I don't think that's the problem. The bulk of my stories is in German as well.

True ^^"

I rephrase it

"If you want more readers than simply write your story in english"

In fact its kinda same trouble as english WN writer.
English SH writer readers are pitifully low compared to the readers of eastern countries
@TheKillingAlice

 

[doravg]

As ao3 user
tips

1) Too many tags is disgusting
2) Theme choosing is important. Like BL / GL / Hetero / rape / wholesome, have more readers than others
3) Smut > Not smut
4) I didnt try your stories. Is the quality good enough ? Also realistic original or fanfic from shows or fanfic from animes/mangas ?
Its also a big diff between viewers

5) Just learn english
I am not english user myself
but i became that good, despite when first class in childhood of english, a direct 0 because i couldn't understand wtf is another language AT ALL

How i did it
Just read sfw doujins of touhou, and everytime i saw a word i didnt understand, i search definition on the app that existed on Windows XP at that time. Forgot the name but it was very powerful as a dictionnary thing. At least more reliable than googling.
Also english isnt that hard to be honest, compared to all the languages.

I am trying to learn German to get a job. I already know English. I am not writing just to write, but because I have a purpose.

 

[TheKillingAlice]

^
Dang, so fcking true now thinking about it. In fact thought of that but forgot.

BTW
Even pixiv is also same for jp about original stories
Its like some kind of secret conscientious idea among users that pixiv : "the website for fanfic"

True ^^"

I rephrase it

"If you want more readers than simply write your story in english"

In fact its kinda same trouble as english WN writer.
English SH writer readers are pitifully low compared to the readers of eastern countries

For example, I wrote a story a while ago, parallel to a story a friend of mine wrote. On a different site, our stories did just as well as the other's. But on Ao3 she did extremely well, and I mean her stories became HUGE. Because the fandom I used was in hers as welly, but she did a cross with HP.
I'm not saying her story wasn't actually good or anything, or that my story was entitled to the responses, but hundreds/thousands (at some point) of readers and active comments against literally nothing is very telling, when it didn't blow up like that on a "non-FanFiction-centric" site, if you know what I mean.

I am trying to learn German to get a job. I already know English. I am not writing just to write, but because I have a purpose.

That makes sense, I thought it must be something like that, because your profile said you were from Bulgaria and the name didn't sound very German either (no offense or anything, I just had the feeling).

 

[doravg]

For example, I wrote a story a while ago, parallel to a story a friend of mine wrote. On a different site, our stories did just as well as the other's. But on Ao3 she did extremely well, and I mean her stories became HUGE. Because the fandom I used was in hers as welly, but she did a cross with HP.
I'm not saying her story wasn't actually good or anything, or that my story was entitled to the responses, but hundreds/thousands (at some point) of readers and active comments against literally nothing is very telling, when it didn't blow up like that on a "non-FanFiction-centric" site, if you know what I mean.

That makes sense, I thought it must be something like that, because your profile said you were from Bulgaria and the name didn't sound very German either (no offense or anything, I just had the feeling).

I haven't gotten any complaints about the grammar and the like. Then again, I edit it with ChatGPT and then twice with a grammar checker on my own. I just feel as if I am writing into the void. Not that I don't cherish my readers, but I'd like it if there are more of them.

 

[Tsuru]

In fact its kinda same trouble as english WN writer.
English SH writer readers are pitifully low compared to the readers of eastern countries

Because if you ask any english teenager
ton of would reply what is your fun pastime ?

Replies : games, sports, dating, driving, muscles, eating, surfing internet, reading books, reading mangas, social fun, watching movies, watching animes
And its niche to get : i read web novels

ESPECIALLY worsened because of smartphones
lot of discord users would tell (or not tell) : i hate reading words
which is another reason they ignore you when writing long paragraphs
or the fact the term TLDR is so FCKING POPULAR (i curse the inventor to....................)

Meanwhile in jp, the % is more higher, far higher

But in china
OH BOI, its like 90% of teens
Because unlike english and jp, they didnt get decent manga (hua), tv shows and movies are garbage because of putting shitty idols with 0 acting skills in it to steal fanboi-girl money for billions of yuan, same for music, and their game industry is entirely destroyed thx famous TENCENT (that btw bought all shares in RIOT games in 2 transactions). Tencent plagiarizing ideas of indies and stealing buddy popularity. Even ton of webnovels nowadays mention it if the MC is game maker. Also plagia law is badly respected, court is weird, and TENCENT can use delay tactic to destroy any lawsuit.
So any chinese teen that surf internet, they only had web novels for fun
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF POVERTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! where people still in loan debt for their house/appart for 10+ years in big city
This problems are far far less in 2023, but this caused that now basically all coomer and new generation genZ of china, know about WEBNOVELS.

Meanwhile if asking a english user (or german user) "Do you know that you can read NOVELS FOR FREE ON INTERNET ?"
lot will probably wont believe
Or probably think "pokemon" stuff or "harry potter"

I am trying to learn German to get a job. I already know English. I am not writing just to write, but because I have a purpose.

Oh i see

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

In my opinion,

In term of feature and function, Archive Of Our Own, a.k.a AO3 is basically the more modern version (or the 2007-2008 version) of Fanfiction.net that was eleased in 1998 with near to no UI changes.

Just like how Scribble Hub is the 2019 version of Royalroad.

 

[doravg]

Do I get fewer readers because I post more than one chapter per day? I finish a novella in 6 days these days. If I post one chapter per day, then I will have a backlog of novellas, right?

 

[Succubiome]

In my opinion,

In term of feature and function, Archive Of Our Own, a.k.a AO3 is basically the more modern version (or the 2007-2008 version) of Fanfiction.net that was eleased in 1998 with near to no UI changes.

Just like how Scribble Hub is the 2019 version of Royalroad.

AO3 has tags, freeform tags, even, Fanfiction.net does not-- which is a kind of huge difference IMO.

As ao3 user
tips

1) Too many tags is disgusting

Could you go into this more? I assumed AO3 was more of a tag heavy place given what I've seen, so I'd like your perspective here.

.

 

[doravg]

Just made a photo collage with some of my book covers and posted it in a Facebook group. Hope it helps gain me more readers. I honestly don't know what else to do at this point.

 

[TheKillingAlice]

I haven't gotten any complaints about the grammar and the like. Then again, I edit it with ChatGPT and then twice with a grammar checker on my own. I just feel as if I am writing into the void. Not that I don't cherish my readers, but I'd like it if there are more of them.

I can see that. I also didn't comment on your grammar, because I don't think that is essentially a problem on Ao3, for the most part.

Just made a photo collage with some of my book covers and posted it in a Facebook group. Hope it helps gain me more readers. I honestly don't know what else to do at this point.

Can repeat myself here: change sites.

 

[doravg]

I can see that. I also didn't comment on your grammar, because I don't think that is essentially a problem on Ao3, for the most part.

Can repeat myself here: change sites.

I posted a book on Wattpad and got no views either. On AO3 at least I have some readers.

 

[Tsuru]

AO3 has tags, freeform tags, even, Fanfiction.net does not-- which is a kind of huge difference IMO.


Could you go into this more? I assumed AO3 was more of a tag heavy place given what I've seen, so I'd like your perspective here.

.

Just like video game companies,
tagging
feels JUST LIKE that there is some kind of mastermind mindcontrolling the world

I mean.
TAGGING, only NOVELUPDATES in the FUCKING GIGANTIC INFINITE INTERNET have a good tagging system
not even youtube, or anything

Meanwhile, all game companies destroy their own IPs (just like china for quick bucks)
As if they are all secretly competiting in a secret competition of "Who is the biggest company that destroy their IP the fastest"

AO3 has tags, freeform tags, even, Fanfiction.net does not-- which is a kind of huge difference IMO.


Could you go into this more? I assumed AO3 was more of a tag heavy place given what I've seen, so I'd like your perspective here.

.

And that is why i keep reinforcing my idea of "only by being a reader, reading more, AND KEEPING READER MENTALITY (with writer mentality) can someone be a good writer"
Kinda like big AAA games suck because devs (or decision makers) dont play their own games
meanwhile indies do good games (or Arcane anime studio did a good job)

COUGH sorry disgression
Like one sentence motto i have "moderation in everything"
Just like food, too much sugar is disgusting for a cake, but too little is bland and boring

I will pick random examples of AO3
5s i search

Here :
[No Archive Warnings Apply
Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends) Caitlyn (League of Legends) Vi (League of Legends) Futanari Lactation Established Relationship Breastfeeding Nipple Licking Mommy Kink Rough Sex Vaginal Sex Grinding Milking Mentions of Pregnancy Breeding]

And now THIS :
[[[Rape/Non-ConAdora/Catra (She-Ra)Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra)Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)Catra (She-Ra)Adora (She-Ra)Bow (She-Ra)Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta (She-Ra)Scorpia (She-Ra)Hordak (She-Ra)Wrong Hordak (She-Ra)Perfuma (She-Ra)Razz (She-Ra)Horde Prime (She-Ra)Angella (She-Ra)Angst and Fluff and SmutGay PanicEmotional/Psychological AbuseAnorexiaCuttingSelf-HatredSelf-HarmTransphobiaLesbian SexSuicide AttemptAlternate Universe - College/UniversityTrans Catra (She-Ra)Friends to Enemies to LoversPOV Alternatingidiots to loversEverything HurtsMating Cycles/In HeatUnhealthy Coping MechanismsMutual PiningDom/subDom Adora (She-Ra)Sub Catra (She-Ra)CunnilingusPeggingBondageno beta we die like angellaCatra is still a cat and nobody questions itthings get worse before they get betterCatra Needs a Hug (She-Ra)Mental AnguishActually Everyone Needs A HugSlow Burnso much slow burnRape/Non-ConAdora/Catra (She-Ra)Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra)Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)Catra (She-Ra)Adora (She-Ra)Bow (She-Ra)Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta (She-Ra)Scorpia (She-Ra)Hordak (She-Ra)Wrong Hordak (She-Ra)Perfuma (She-Ra)Razz (She-Ra)Horde Prime (She-Ra)Angella (She-Ra)Angst and Fluff and SmutGay PanicEmotional/Psychological AbuseAnorexiaCuttingSelf-HatredSelf-HarmTransphobiaLesbian SexSuicide AttemptAlternate Universe - College/UniversityTrans Catra (She-Ra)Friends to Enemies to LoversPOV Alternatingidiots to loversEverything HurtsMating Cycles/In HeatUnhealthy Coping MechanismsMutual PiningDom/subDom Adora (She-Ra)Sub Catra (She-Ra)CunnilingusPeggingBondageno beta we die like angellaCatra is still a cat and nobody questions itthings get worse before they get betterCatra Needs a Hug (She-Ra)Mental AnguishActually Everyone Needs A HugSlow Burnso much slow burn]]]

I wont bother to even explain as likely you already understood

In fact
The blame isnt on "over tagging"
but more on AO3 tagging problem

Because some are repetitive
Then the fact you need to tag character names AND relationship
THEN if you don't, author probably risk not getting a fan of the tag finding it
Then with how nowdays internet people are whiny, you risk offending someone if a tag wasnt present to warn

ALSO
AO3 don't bother to solve the problem
GUESS WHAT : Probably any AO3 have this question "how i can save the tag search i do?" (beside keeping tab)
OFFICIAL ANSWER : Simply bookmark the link when you did the search

Then the fact you can't edit the tags of the works of authors like NU
OR WORSE
(warning sarcasm against AO3) goshhhhhhhhhhhh its FUCKING COSTLY to get someone or multiple people to edit tags for newly added works, oh woooow, probably i am sure there are HUNDRED MILLIONS NEW WORK EVERY DAY or the fact part time salary nowadays is BILLIONS of $ or I DONT KNOW get a (staff) COUSIN or FRIENDS to do it for free ?
------------
THEN
there is the problem that indeed lot of author (hopefully you arent one i aim with my next words)
OVERTAG WITH BULLSHIT
Ok sure i accept things like "Beta we dont die whatever" or some personal commenting in the tag ^(Catra needs a hug) in example

But problem is that, compared to the big example, you get some other that have TWICE THE SIZE
Or pull out totally pointless blaberring
OR THERE ARENT ENOUGH TAGS TO GUESS WHAT IS INSIDE !

Also there are M/M F/F M/F Multi but then there ARE "Gen" and "Other" bullshit !!!!!!!!!!!

THEN YOU GET this !

• Explicit
• Mature
• Not Rated
• Teen And Up Audiences
• General Audiences

Wtf with not rated ?
What is difference between explicit and mature ?
For me i think explicit is like shown sex and mature just teasing or sexual organ cameos or hinted sex scenes
BUT PROBLEM IS THAT NOT EVERYONE think same thing !!!!!!
You get some good sex works BUT THEY ARE IN MATURE or EVEN NOT RATED !

What is also problematic is FINDING YURI OR FUTA !
EVEN BANNING M/M
and bunch of stuff
You still can risk getting YAOI WORKS !
Its like NU (in fact since 2016), you will find out that FUJOSHI are becoming rampant to CRAZY LEVEL where 9 works of 10 are YAOI / BL
yes if you go front page of NU updates, TON OF YAOI

Then there is the fact as a weeb, i don't stomach well realistic fanfic like MARVEL and stuff
BUT GUESS WHAT, there isnt a true method to separate the realism and the 2D anime-ish
BESIDE banning the DOZENS OF IP like Wednesday, Marvel, Biohazard, Lucifer, House of dragon, Percy, Star wars, HP
THEN BANDS like TWICE, ITZY, etc
THEN disliked IP like Little pony, Stray dogs, Genshin, Jujutsu Kaisen, etc


(HEAVY BREATHING)
Sorry it turned into a rant half way

But just saying, the website is trash and just lucky get first popularity (like youtube or facebook)
Its partially their fault about tagging problems

But also the author fault sometimes.
And the problem that now people dislike long texts unlike before, like reading HP on the bed at night (destroying eyes to be like HP lol)
------------------
Your choice to choose how many tags you must add. But too much is bad and not enough is bad.

 

[Succubiome]

Also there are M/M F/F M/F Multi but then there ARE "Gen" and "Other" bullshit !!!!!!!!!!!

So:
Gen means basically no romance for the MC and romance among secondary character isn't a big part of the plot. It's useful if you wanna find non-romance stuff.
Other means that there is romance, but m/m m/f f/f etc don't apply. Like, if one of the characters is non-binary, or an ungendered sexless robot from space.
May not be as directly useful to you, but useful to other people, much like your 3d vs 2d tag would be for you, and it also usefully sorts out stuff you don't want to read-- people might be "well, I guess the ungendered sexless robot from space is more feminine than masculine?" and tag F/F if they didn't have other options.

THEN if you don't, author probably risk not getting a fan of the tag finding it
Then with how nowdays internet people are whiny, you risk offending someone if a tag wasnt present to warn

What is also problematic is FINDING YURI OR FUTA !
EVEN BANNING M/M
and bunch of stuff
You still can risk getting YAOI WORKS !

...so you're saying a tag wasn't present to warn you, and you were upset about it?

 

[doravg]

Just like video game companies,
tagging
feels JUST LIKE that there is some kind of mastermind mindcontrolling the world

I mean.
TAGGING, only NOVELUPDATES in the FUCKING GIGANTIC INFINITE INTERNET have a good tagging system
not even youtube, or anything

Meanwhile, all game companies destroy their own IPs (just like china for quick bucks)
As if they are all secretly competiting in a secret competition of "Who is the biggest company that destroy their IP the fastest"

And that is why i keep reinforcing my idea of "only by being a reader, reading more, AND KEEPING READER MENTALITY (with writer mentality) can someone be a good writer"
Kinda like big AAA games suck because devs (or decision makers) dont play their own games
meanwhile indies do good games (or Arcane anime studio did a good job)

COUGH sorry disgression
Like one sentence motto i have "moderation in everything"
Just like food, too much sugar is disgusting for a cake, but too little is bland and boring

I will pick random examples of AO3
5s i search

Here :
[No Archive Warnings Apply
Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends) Caitlyn (League of Legends) Vi (League of Legends) Futanari Lactation Established Relationship Breastfeeding Nipple Licking Mommy Kink Rough Sex Vaginal Sex Grinding Milking Mentions of Pregnancy Breeding]

And now THIS :
[[[Rape/Non-ConAdora/Catra (She-Ra)Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra)Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)Catra (She-Ra)Adora (She-Ra)Bow (She-Ra)Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta (She-Ra)Scorpia (She-Ra)Hordak (She-Ra)Wrong Hordak (She-Ra)Perfuma (She-Ra)Razz (She-Ra)Horde Prime (She-Ra)Angella (She-Ra)Angst and Fluff and SmutGay PanicEmotional/Psychological AbuseAnorexiaCuttingSelf-HatredSelf-HarmTransphobiaLesbian SexSuicide AttemptAlternate Universe - College/UniversityTrans Catra (She-Ra)Friends to Enemies to LoversPOV Alternatingidiots to loversEverything HurtsMating Cycles/In HeatUnhealthy Coping MechanismsMutual PiningDom/subDom Adora (She-Ra)Sub Catra (She-Ra)CunnilingusPeggingBondageno beta we die like angellaCatra is still a cat and nobody questions itthings get worse before they get betterCatra Needs a Hug (She-Ra)Mental AnguishActually Everyone Needs A HugSlow Burnso much slow burnRape/Non-ConAdora/Catra (She-Ra)Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)Catra & Entrapta & Scorpia (She-Ra)Adora & Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra)Catra (She-Ra)Adora (She-Ra)Bow (She-Ra)Glimmer (She-Ra)Entrapta (She-Ra)Scorpia (She-Ra)Hordak (She-Ra)Wrong Hordak (She-Ra)Perfuma (She-Ra)Razz (She-Ra)Horde Prime (She-Ra)Angella (She-Ra)Angst and Fluff and SmutGay PanicEmotional/Psychological AbuseAnorexiaCuttingSelf-HatredSelf-HarmTransphobiaLesbian SexSuicide AttemptAlternate Universe - College/UniversityTrans Catra (She-Ra)Friends to Enemies to LoversPOV Alternatingidiots to loversEverything HurtsMating Cycles/In HeatUnhealthy Coping MechanismsMutual PiningDom/subDom Adora (She-Ra)Sub Catra (She-Ra)CunnilingusPeggingBondageno beta we die like angellaCatra is still a cat and nobody questions itthings get worse before they get betterCatra Needs a Hug (She-Ra)Mental AnguishActually Everyone Needs A HugSlow Burnso much slow burn]]]

I wont bother to even explain as likely you already understood

In fact
The blame isnt on "over tagging"
but more on AO3 tagging problem

Because some are repetitive
Then the fact you need to tag character names AND relationship
THEN if you don't, author probably risk not getting a fan of the tag finding it
Then with how nowdays internet people are whiny, you risk offending someone if a tag wasnt present to warn

ALSO
AO3 don't bother to solve the problem
GUESS WHAT : Probably any AO3 have this question "how i can save the tag search i do?" (beside keeping tab)
OFFICIAL ANSWER : Simply bookmark the link when you did the search

Then the fact you can't edit the tags of the works of authors like NU
OR WORSE
(warning sarcasm against AO3) goshhhhhhhhhhhh its FUCKING COSTLY to get someone or multiple people to edit tags for newly added works, oh woooow, probably i am sure there are HUNDRED MILLIONS NEW WORK EVERY DAY or the fact part time salary nowadays is BILLIONS of $ or I DONT KNOW get a (staff) COUSIN or FRIENDS to do it for free ?
------------
THEN
there is the problem that indeed lot of author (hopefully you arent one i aim with my next words)
OVERTAG WITH BULLSHIT
Ok sure i accept things like "Beta we dont die whatever" or some personal commenting in the tag ^(Catra needs a hug) in example

But problem is that, compared to the big example, you get some other that have TWICE THE SIZE
Or pull out totally pointless blaberring
OR THERE ARENT ENOUGH TAGS TO GUESS WHAT IS INSIDE !

Also there are M/M F/F M/F Multi but then there ARE "Gen" and "Other" bullshit !!!!!!!!!!!

THEN YOU GET this !

• Explicit
• Mature
• Not Rated
• Teen And Up Audiences
• General Audiences

Wtf with not rated ?
What is difference between explicit and mature ?
For me i think explicit is like shown sex and mature just teasing or sexual organ cameos or hinted sex scenes
BUT PROBLEM IS THAT NOT EVERYONE think same thing !!!!!!
You get some good sex works BUT THEY ARE IN MATURE or EVEN NOT RATED !

What is also problematic is FINDING YURI OR FUTA !
EVEN BANNING M/M
and bunch of stuff
You still can risk getting YAOI WORKS !
Its like NU (in fact since 2016), you will find out that FUJOSHI are becoming rampant to CRAZY LEVEL where 9 works of 10 are YAOI / BL
yes if you go front page of NU updates, TON OF YAOI

Then there is the fact as a weeb, i don't stomach well realistic fanfic like MARVEL and stuff
BUT GUESS WHAT, there isnt a true method to separate the realism and the 2D anime-ish
BESIDE banning the DOZENS OF IP like Wednesday, Marvel, Biohazard, Lucifer, House of dragon, Percy, Star wars, HP
THEN BANDS like TWICE, ITZY, etc
THEN disliked IP like Little pony, Stray dogs, Genshin, Jujutsu Kaisen, etc


(HEAVY BREATHING)
Sorry it turned into a rant half way

But just saying, the website is trash and just lucky get first popularity (like youtube or facebook)
Its partially their fault about tagging problems

But also the author fault sometimes.
And the problem that now people dislike long texts unlike before, like reading HP on the bed at night (destroying eyes to be like HP lol)
------------------
Your choice to choose how many tags you must add. But too much is bad and not enough is bad.

I just noticed that you don't like BL. You are missing out, you know? I don't go out of my way to read Hetero or Gl, but when the story is good enough, it doesn't bother me at all. Love is love.