AO3 tagging question

[the_rck]

An AO3 fic tagging question— How is it best to tag for something squicky that looks like it might happen in a fic but doesn’t? I know that this, a potential forced pregnancy, is a deal breaker for some readers in a rather nasty way. I hesitate to tag it straight up because it doesn’t actually happen. It goes beyond being referenced, though, because the POV character seriously considers it (she can shapeshift, so she can be coerced only up to a point on that subject) and isn’t happy about it.

Comments

[nostalgia]

"potentially X"?

[rmc28]

"threatened forced pregnancy" ?

[lunabee34]

I would put in the summary that you have additional information for content in the story that's potentially spoilery and put a note at the end that the pregnancy is threatened but doesn't happen.

[melannen]

If it was me, I would probably tag "additional warnings in notes" and then explain in detail in either a front note or endnote.

the wranglers standard format for tags for that kind of thing is "implied/referenced X" but forced pregnancy is specific enough I doubt it has an "implied/referenced" canonical. "references to forced pregnancy" would probably work as a tag though.

[adrian_turtle]

I'd put it in a Note before the story, but not a Tag. "Trigger warnings for: forced sex, forced pregnancy, [ptsd], [blood feud], [whatever other disturbing stuff is or might be in your story]."

There should be a warning before readers get to the story. Because people who are seriously triggered by forced pregnancy stories won't want to read this one. You can warn there, and don't have to undermine it or soften it or foreshadow that she's going to escape at the last minute. The problem is that you don't want to put a tag in the field where it's going to be found by people searching FOR forced-pregnancy stories.

[rahirah]

I've seen people use "Implied (whatever)" of "threat of (whatever)." Not sure how widespread that is, though.

[rahirah]

I've seen people use "Implied (whatever)" of "threat of (whatever)." Not sure how widespread that is, though.

[jerusha]

You could also put it in the end notes and reference it in the before notes, which is what I've done before. Say, "WARNING: potential trigger related to pregnancy see end notes for more info"