As a reader, what are your favorite blend of tags that make you GO FOR THE BOOK!?

Eldoria

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I’m glad you’re trying to make a change in that field! Readers you better stay tuned for a story with a good family bond here ;)
I'm not sure if this can be called a manifesto or even a promotion. But for anyone (readers) who is looking for dark fantasy but with a warm family nuance (no broken family, no romance, no harem - just wholesome and heartwarming relationships between family members: mother-daughter, brother-sister), then this novel might be the answer to your search for "dark fantasy but pure family".

For anyone who reads it, I only hope one thing: that this story can touch the human side of us in an increasingly dark world.

 

FlyingMonkey0687

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I'm actually here to write something. As for what tags I like, it's subjective and based on personal preference, where I like themes about family relationships between mothers and daughters, fathers and daughters, and siblings. Tags: single parent, siblings, younger sisters, parent complex, sister complex, heartwarming, loli, family love, sibling love. Unfortunately, these themes are quite rare now (especially those that truly raise the theme of family as a story premise, not just a gimmick), because of my disappointment, I decided to write about the theme as my own novel. If there are other authors who revive the theme of family, I will be happy and will read it.
The book I'm writing is primarily about the relationship between two adopted brothers. They gain superpowers, protect each other, their third brother, parents, and friends. Their father gets killed saving all three of the boys and the three brothers have to work together to beat the creature that killed their father and stole his powers. In subsequent stories they suffer tragety on another planet, and get back to earth, then end up flung backwards in time and become immortal through a deal with the fey, and live through the centuries as brothers. They all live their own separate lives, but make a point of meeting up throughout their lives. One fights in wars because he's drawn to being a hero, even if he's unknown, the other fights in those wars to protect his brother.
 

MsChange

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There are a few tags I'll generally avoid, like Sports or Smut, but nothing that is a guaranteed draw.
I'm more likely to look at an interesting title, then look for tags I have no interest in and move on, or read the synopsis if there are none (and then flag either as "Probably won't read but curious" "Maybe Will Read" or, far less often, "Reading").
Plotting and scheming differently I see… ?
Reader: Sci-fi/Fantasy, Action, Adventure.

Reader: Urban, Slice of Life

Reader: Sci-fi/Fantasy, Kingdom Building, Lit.RPG

Reader: Action, Adventure, Horror

Reader: Sci-fi/Fantasy/Urban, Horror Mystery
Any Authors with these tags here? We got you a reader ?
Superheroes are a modern mythology (well, modern soap opera with colorful costumes and special effects since the late 80s but...) - circus performers following a grand tradition dating back to Gilgamesh and Beowulf, and at one time delivering a moral message (that Optimism, Patriotism and/or Justice will, ultimately carry they day), filtered through the prism of Pulp heroes (who often wore masks because they were murderous Good Guys - like The Shadow, The Spider, even The Lone Ranger or the Green Hornet, and especially Domino Lady, who makes The Punisher look like a saint).
But this means you can avoid 2/3 of my material (only Between Worlds and Digital Cowboy are NOT in that orbit).
This was interesting to read
Multiple personalities, time travel, weak protagonist, childhood trauma, meta, caring protagonist, secretive protagonist, girl’s love, maybe?
Ooh, you’ve got good taste! ANY AUTHOR’S HERE!?
Like Arkus86 said above "There are tags that make me interested in a book, and tags that reliably turn me away, but there is no combination that is guaranteed to draw me in. It's the combination of cover and title that make me click on it, as well as tags and synopsis that might convince me to give it a try."
For me I will mostly avoid BL/GL and Gender Bender. But have read several stories with those tags just because it looked interesting at the time. Incest is one I avoid like the plague.

I keep trying harem but generally get disappointed. I prefer plot over smut; but sometimes a little smut goes a long way.
I feel like people are either fully interested in BL/GL or completely repulsed. There’s rarely in between haha!
I'm not sure if this can be called a manifesto or even a promotion. But for anyone (readers) who is looking for dark fantasy but with a warm family nuance (no broken family, no romance, no harem - just wholesome and heartwarming relationships between family members: mother-daughter, brother-sister), then this novel might be the answer to your search for "dark fantasy but pure family".

For anyone who reads it, I only hope one thing: that this story can touch the human side of us in an increasingly dark world.

I absolutely love your pure motive :)
The book I'm writing is primarily about the relationship between two adopted brothers. They gain superpowers, protect each other, their third brother, parents, and friends. Their father gets killed saving all three of the boys and the three brothers have to work together to beat the creature that killed their father and stole his powers. In subsequent stories they suffer tragety on another planet, and get back to earth, then end up flung backwards in time and become immortal through a deal with the fey, and live through the centuries as brothers. They all live their own separate lives, but make a point of meeting up throughout their lives. One fights in wars because he's drawn to being a hero, even if he's unknown, the other fights in those wars to protect his brother.
Awwweee the brotherhood here is adorable ?
 
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DeirdreH

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Well that’s quite the interesting way to put it. Can you maybe drop the link? We might learn a thing or two ?
My favorite story recently on Scribble Hub is this one:


It's not the only story whose author has this out, but it more accurately portrays how a society of beings with extended lifespans would behave: by avoiding combat risk as much as possible.

Someone who only enters battles he has a 95% chance of surviving has an average expected lifespan of 15 battles which isn't much for beings expected to live for centuries or millennia in a martial profession.

This unfortunate mathematical reality is directly at odds with the usual techniques for making stories interesting to read so the author is forced to generate interest via means other than have the character narrowly escape death every chapter.

A story that is not in Scribble Hub is 神农道君. That one stuck in my memory for a story arc that incidentally portrayed healthy racism. I doubt it was intentional on the author's part but it is an example of a story element which Eastern authors can incorporate which Western authors can't because even acknowledging the existence of such a concept is taboo here.

Eastern cultures, of course, have their own taboos which their authors are not allowed to explore which could be a possible reason why readers from that part of the world might enjoy reading Western fiction to experience something unique to them.
 

RepresentingWrath

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Romance and fantasy. However, there is a trick to this, it has to have male MC, no GB(gender bender) no GL(girls love), no BL(boys love). This simple trick will leave me with zero self-recs on this forum.
 

MsChange

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My favorite story recently on Scribble Hub is this one:


It's not the only story whose author has this out, but it more accurately portrays how a society of beings with extended lifespans would behave: by avoiding combat risk as much as possible.

Someone who only enters battles he has a 95% chance of surviving has an average expected lifespan of 15 battles which isn't much for beings expected to live for centuries or millennia in a martial profession.

This unfortunate mathematical reality is directly at odds with the usual techniques for making stories interesting to read so the author is forced to generate interest via means other than have the character narrowly escape death every chapter.

A story that is not in Scribble Hub is 神农道君. That one stuck in my memory for a story arc that incidentally portrayed healthy racism. I doubt it was intentional on the author's part but it is an example of a story element which Eastern authors can incorporate which Western authors can't because even acknowledging the existence of such a concept is taboo here.

Eastern cultures, of course, have their own taboos which their authors are not allowed to explore which could be a possible reason why readers from that part of the world might enjoy reading Western fiction to experience something unique to them.
The concept seems very rich, love that!
Romance and fantasy. However, there is a trick to this, it has to have male MC, no GB(gender bender) no GL(girls love), no BL(boys love). This simple trick will leave me with zero self-recs on this forum.
IF ONLY MY MC WAS MALE
 

SirContro

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Most people who use the forums are authors, so it's more authors giving out cheat codes to authors, but to answer your question;

Personal Fave: Monster Tamer. I love me some dogfights.
Love: Strength-based social hierarchy & Battle Academy. Might makes right.
Like: Pragmatic, charming, antihero, antisocial, cunning, curious, crazy, clever, confident protagonist. Your protagonist's personality should always be intriguing. It's up to you which route you pick just make your character interesting.
Hate: Brother/sister complex, yandere, any of that degenerate shit.
 

MsChange

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Most people who use the forums are authors, so it's more authors giving out cheat codes to authors, but to answer your question;

Personal Fave: Monster Tamer. I love me some dogfights.
Love: Strength-based social hierarchy & Battle Academy. Might makes right.
Like: Pragmatic, charming, antihero, antisocial, cunning, curious, crazy, clever, confident protagonist. Your protagonist's personality should always be intriguing. It's up to you which route you pick just make your character interesting.
Hate: Brother/sister complex, yandere, any of that degenerate shit.
Can’t stress enough about the interesting character part! You’ve got good taste man
 

RepresentingWrath

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Am just being honest. ?
 

DaelyxLenAuphydas

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SIBLING SIBLING SIBLING
I will never read anything with romance or incest or smut or anything even vaguely approximating that
Instead I will read SIBLINGS
SIBLINGS ARE CUTE.
I'm actually here to write something. As for what tags I like, it's subjective and based on personal preference, where I like themes about family relationships between mothers and daughters, fathers and daughters, and siblings. Tags: single parent, siblings, younger sisters, parent complex, sister complex, heartwarming, loli, family love, sibling love. Unfortunately, these themes are quite rare now (especially those that truly raise the theme of family as a story premise, not just a gimmick), because of my disappointment, I decided to write about the theme as my own novel. If there are other authors who revive the theme of family, I will be happy and will read it.
ok well I dont normally like to self-promote but uhhhhhh

...Yeah, as you can see I really do love writing about siblings. Immaculate is mostly about the relationship between the brothers. And yes, it has some dark points for sure (as you saw)... But its not a tragedy and it'll get better. And it is very much the case that its a direct theme of the tsory and not just a 'gimick' as you say.

I would say the same thing about Birthright which hasn't been posted yet but that one has a bit too much weirdness en route to the realization of pure sibling love. Emphasis on 'pure'. But theres enough difficulty en route that I dont think I can realistically recommend it to someone just wanting pure fluff, since theres quite a bit of sibling abandonment, corrupting influences, etc. before Sibling Love eventually wins out.

Basically anything I write does eventually lead to themes of the importance of sibling bonds, its just a matter of how long it takes to get there. It's kind of my thing.
 
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ZaraVale

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These have been interesting to read. My writing doesn't conform to genre norms so I find it hard to find a loyal readership. I have come over to scribble hub to see if that can change.
My work follows the characters and their trauma and even though they are werewolves it follows a very human psychology.
 
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