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I'm wondering if I changed her name, if more people would like these stories....
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/10101/sissy-saga
Is one word, a name, not a title, THAT freaking important?
It's an attempt to revert the word to "sister" rather than "efeminate boy" like most coloquial English has it.
Comments
Sissy
I'll venture that some of us may have a negative reaction to "sissy" as a term/title and distance ourselves from it, each for our own personal reasons. For my own reasons it is negative. Thats about me, not a judgement of you or your craft. That feeling only extends to the point I chose not to read due to assumptions I made based on the titles.
Joy, this is not meant in any way as a criticism of your pen name but "Maid Joy" along with stories titled "Sissy..." may lead some to conclusions about the whole genre of your stories. Some are drawn to it, some not. Some like strawberry, some like chocolate.
Truely a case of judging a book entirely by its cover, I cannot speak for others but I am sorry if my assumptions were wrong.
-Christine
I also skipped the story
My reaction was the same. The term "Sissy" plus your pen name implied a genre I don't like and hence passed it over. I expect that many if not most readers will pick their reading material on the basis of a few keywords that either attract or detract them from the particular item so your thought of changing the title may be a valid idea. I dare to guess that majority of readers would interpret "Sissy" in a broad TS/TG genre as "effeminate male".
Georg
Sorry, but...
Maid Joy,
Ditto on what Christine said. Names do have power.
Michelle
Like she said
In a genre that has such a wide range of subjects, the need to prescreen stories before reading is fairly high. A number of things are weighed, consciously and unconsciously, by any reader before opening a story to read.
As MS Christine pointed out, certain words carry some baggage that colors how they are perceived. Sissy, maid, mistress, etc. all have been used in a way that affects how the reader perceives a story they are attached to. So you had 2 1/2 strikes against you from the get-go.
I'm told I don't have the right not to be offended, I suppose so. So I do exercise my right to choose what I read in an attempt to reduce the possibility of that happening.
Sorry about that.
Yuri!
Yuri!
OK
You have convinced me. I will read your story.
Hilltopper
It just is.
The origin of Sissy (as described in a certain Trans production called 'The Sissy Show' ) is not the same as the current (modern) connotation of the word.
However, that is what is it is now, and people will obviously respond based on that consensual understanding.
For me, my journey is towards independence and is a hard fought one and the title connotation ( and I have NOT read any of your works BTW ) leads me to take a pass on such a work.
I sincerely recognize there are divergent views of roles and ideals for a trans person and I say live and let live. Being Asian, I have been on the receiving end of prejudice and I have felt chastened for the times I have not let other people declare their existence their way.
However, if your stories are not what I think they are then I apologize for my prejudice.
Kim
To be honest...
To be honest I automatically skip a story if I see the title "sissy" or "bimbo" or "slave" or anything along those lines. If those words are in the title, in my experience, the stories are not for me. So I don't even bother to give it a try anymore. If those words are in tags, most likely I also won't read the story unless no one else has decided to post that day.
So I suppose what I'm saying is "yes". One word is that important... well if you consider whether or not *I* read your story important. But then again I'm only one person so maybe it isn't. Regardless that's my opinion.
Same Here...
In a word, yes. The combination of "sissy" and "maid" produces expectations that leave me behind when it comes to choosing reading material.
Sorry, Eric
Stories And Titles
I first read this series in spite of the title. "Sissy" was for me a turn-off, so I don't know why I actually read it. However, I did read it and I've never regretted it and now I look forward to every chapter. BUT the title could be a no-no for many potential readers. I honestly don't know. However, what can you do now? You can hardly change the title or us loyal fans will be mightily pissed off. Anyway, looking back at the early episodes you got tremendous hits, so why have they fallen off? Again I don't know. Joy, all I can suggest is that the story is not all cuddly and sweetness and light and thus does not fit the BC general vibe. If you can't accept this then stop writing this story. I personally hope you don't because I love it and I know a few others do too. BC doesn't have to be about young teenage TS's and magic all the time. For me, you're doing something worthwhile,
Joanne
Tags
I have to agree with Joanne, you cannot please everybody but you should still plug on. Don't expect whatever you do to be everybodies cup of tea. There will be some people who find your writing just rings true with them and will devour everything you write just because your name is attached to it. Others will scan the tags and choose based on that.
I am a very busy person but I am willing to give up sleeping time or TV time just because of the high value I place on relaxing with the superb stories on BC.
We all have our likes and dislikes, for the most part I prefer stories that are reality based. Even though I am a witch I will not read stories if there is a "magic" or any other non reality based tag in the header because I assume this is the mechanism for the transformation. All too often if that is the only occurance of magic or supernatural phenomina then I personally feel it is weak and unimaginative writing using it as a bridge to get on to the part of the story so that they can write about exfolitating, the salon scene, gluing on breasts, tucking, the feel of panties going up their legs, nylons, sitting at a makeup table, the first look in the mirror, "I cannot believe I am passing", getting caught or the confession, shopping, precum, oral or anal sex, humiliation, resignation and acceptance. Did I miss anything?
I dare someone to write a good TG story with non of those things in it. Tell us about life. So far that leaves Tuck, Gabby and I Cannot Believe I Fell Off My Bike? If those topics are mentioned it is an aside, not the focus. So, for my tastes that might rule out a lot of stories, but Joy, that is just me and I certainly do not represent the rest of the readers here.
The objective part of me is interested in the premise of each of these stories. I stop reading when my suspension of disbelief is stretched beyond its elastic limits or if I see it coming :-)
Please Joy, write on, I will give it a read and see where it takes me.
-Christine
Sissy is a great story, but....
RAMI
Sissy is a great story, but I understand what some of those who have posted comments about the turn off have said.
Titles do have an effect on what I read. Tags are more important. However, I will take a look at the story to see where it goes.
PLease keep the story going, I am enjoying it.
RAMI
RAMI