How Long Before the Pay Off (Tags)?

Localforeigner

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My new WiP is going to end up covering a lot of the various tags, but not initially. For example, there will be sex scenes in it, but probably not for many chapters. So I guess my question is, how long do readers wait for certain elements to show up before they get annoyed that you are 'holding out'? Is it better to tag stuff that might not show up for 30 chapters, or leave it so people don't feel baited?
 

Malonymous

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If you want to play it safe, you could try putting author notes/announcement at the start of chapters that feature a new tag to make everyone aware of it when you also add the tag. If a relevant tag doesn't feature in the story until many chapters in, some authors will mention in the blurb when the tagged content shows up in the story so readers aren't left guessing or feeling baited or whatever the concern might be. Up to you!
 

Localforeigner

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If there’s only a few sex scenes my advice is to not even tag for it. The people who like theses tags are the worse people to hold off,even worse than people who like LitRPG and not seeeing a blue screen every 5 words
Oh, that may be an issue...it is a litRPG but blue boxes don't show up till chapter 4 and then only a couple of times after that (so far). Meep!
 

Erios909

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Oh, that may be an issue...it is a litRPG but blue boxes don't show up till chapter 4 and then only a couple of times after that (so far). Meep!
Don't sweat it. As long as it has litRPG elements and you are consistent, tag away.

If it's an element that appears once then never shows up again, then yeah, maybe ditch that tag.
 

TheMangaGod

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My new WiP is going to end up covering a lot of the various tags, but not initially. For example, there will be sex scenes in it, but probably not for many chapters. So I guess my question is, how long do readers wait for certain elements to show up before they get annoyed that you are 'holding out'? Is it better to tag stuff that might not show up for 30 chapters, or leave it so people don't feel baited?
I have a futanari tag in mine and am over 60 chapters in with still no futa girls... Only 1 person has complained so far and only lightly.
 

DubstheDuke

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Look I went hundreds of chapters before adding on certain tags to my story. If they don't wanna read it don't read it.
 

owotrucked

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I think that it's about trust. If your story looks well planned out and gives a good illusion of progress then you're good.

You can throw a bone by putting hints of sex scene in the prologue or early mini arc but readers might misinterpret that sex has a big weight in the story which doesnt seem to be the case.

If you feel insecure about it, just explain in author note that the tag is more of a warning that'll come out in few dozen chapters
 

CL

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I was busy looking up what others across the internet have done about the tag dilemma and I discovered one way it had been dealt with: "Readers can add tags to a product page and can indicate that an existing tag is useful."

This would be equivalent to liking a comment or review. More importantly, it would display the tag is or is not relevant towards the story. I would expect tags that are not frequently seen in a novel would not be liked nearly as much as the searched for tags that are actually spotted regularly in the story.

Shame it isn't a suggested feature (yet).
 

TotallyHuman

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My new WiP is going to end up covering a lot of the various tags, but not initially. For example, there will be sex scenes in it, but probably not for many chapters. So I guess my question is, how long do readers wait for certain elements to show up before they get annoyed that you are 'holding out'? Is it better to tag stuff that might not show up for 30 chapters, or leave it so people don't feel baited?
I just tag to be safe, adding things that I think I will add once, in passing, a hundred chapters in
 

LinMeili

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I had planned transgender content in my story, but removed it after 20 chaps of it not appearing. :oops: I can always put it back in if I need to.
 

COLOC_Kid

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My new WiP is going to end up covering a lot of the various tags, but not initially. For example, there will be sex scenes in it, but probably not for many chapters. So I guess my question is, how long do readers wait for certain elements to show up before they get annoyed that you are 'holding out'? Is it better to tag stuff that might not show up for 30 chapters, or leave it so people don't feel baited?
Leave it until you write it add tags as you go. Good readers can wait 20 chapters before feeling baited.
 

Flashwolf96

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I think I might have mentioned this story before, but I once received a 1-star rating from someone simply because my character was not overpowered despite my story having the "Overpowered Protagonist" tag. But just because my protagonist was not overpowered at the time they read the story, does not mean I lied when I added the tag. I just haven't gotten to it yet. In that same vein, that same story also has the "Battle Academy" tag, but as it's focusing on the protagonist's steady aging from birth (and she's currently 10-11 years old) I obviously haven't gotten to that either.

My point is, you aren't baiting anyone if the story is actually going to get there eventually. And if someone wants to read your story simply for the sex, then there are plenty of other stories that showcase it much more prominently. It's just my personal opinion, but the readers who read your story for no other reason than because they like it are far more valuable than those only interested in one element of a story that has so much more in it. Not that readers aren't valuable regardless though.

In any case, you know your story best, which is why you're in the best position to tag it accordingly. As the author, only you have this power. So, please don't feel the need to stress over how others perceive a story that isn't even complete. Trust in your own writing and the readers that trust you in turn, and just write how you want to write.

:sweat_smile: Those are just my thoughts on the subject though, so I hope I was of some help to you.
 

AKnightWithaKnife

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Just don’t be the shit head who puts a litrpg tag and doesn’t show a single screen until chapter 50
 
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