At The Authors Haunt all stories published in The Library and on Resident Author sites are accompanied by a series of coloured boxes or codes, each one containing text that provides you with information about the story.  This page will explain the purpose of each box and what its content means for the stories published on this site.

 

 

To jump to a particular coding section on this page, please click on one of the boxes below.

                               

 

 

 

The purple "Type" box is used in The Library and on Resident Author sites to denote the type, or size, of a story.  We have four classifications for stories at present:

 

For listing purposes in The Authors Haunt Library, a series is defined as an ongoing story that is intentionally spread across multiple flash fiction stories, short stories or, occasionally, novellas.  While each story within a series may have its own conclusion, there is an ongoing thread that spans all stories in the series and which is only concluded in the final story.  A series differs from a sequel in that each story must be read sequentially in order to make sense, whereas a sequel is a standalone story that can be read and enjoyed without reading the preceding story or stories.

For listing purposes in The Authors Haunt Library, novels are defined as any story of 75,001 words or more in length.  Novels are always broken into multiple chapters and are frequently listed in The Authors Haunt Library prior to completion.  When a story is classified as "In Progress" (see Status) the type denoted is based on the length the author expects the story to be when completed.

For listing purposes in The Authors Haunt Library, novellas are defined as any story of between 25,001 and 75,000 words in length.  Due to the extended length of these stories, they are normally broken into multiple chapters, though novellas under 40,000 words in length may be published unbroken at The Authors Haunt.  Novellas may be listed in The Authors Haunt Library prior to completion.  When a story is classified as "In Progress" (see Status) the type denoted is based on the length the author expects the story to be when completed.

For listing purposes in The Authors Haunt Library, short stories are defined as any story of between 1,001 and 25,000 words in length.  Short stories may be broken into multiple chapters or published unbroken.  Short stories are only ever listed in The Authors Haunt Library once completed.

For listing purposes in The Authors Haunt Library, flash fiction stories are defined as any story of 1,000 words or fewer in length.  Flash fiction stories are only ever listed in The Authors Haunt Library once completed.

The "Chronicles" listing does not appear in The Authors Haunt Library, only on Resident Author sites.  It is used to denote a collection of stories of varying lengths all set in the same "story universe".

Where the words "Flash", "Short", "Novella", "Novel" or "Series" are followed by an asterisk (*), this means that the story is a sequel.

 

 

 

 

The green "Genre" box is used on Resident Author sites to denote the genre of a story.  While there are many possible genres for stories, at The Authors Haunt we currently use just eight different genres:

 

Action/Thriller

This category is used for all stories in the action or thriller genres.  Such stories normally involve an adventure of some kind, often encompassing danger, violence or combat with a clear goal or resolution.

Crime/Mystery

This category is used for all stories in the crime or mystery genres.  Such stories normally involve some kind of mystery or puzzle that must be solved by the main characters with the goal of the story to uncover some secret.

Dark Drama

This category is used for all stories written to convey the darker side of life, dealing with subjects such as death, suicide, sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological disturbance or other such subjects.  Such stories are often disturbing in nature.

Fantasy

This category is used for all stories in the fantasy fiction genre.  Stories in this genre are normally set in an imaginary world or in a mythical past and frequently involve magic or entities such as dragons, trolls or other mystical creatures.  Also for stories written from a non-human perspective.

Horror/Occult

This category is used for all stories in the horror or occult genres.  Stories in the horror genre may be violent, bloody or scary and may involve creatures such as vampires, werewolves or demons.  Occult stories may not be as violent, but may involve witchcraft or mystical/supernatural beings.

Light Drama

This category is used for stories that might be considered the literary equivalent of "easy listening" - stories that are easy and comfortable to read, normally requiring nothing greater than a "C" rating and containing little to no violent or distressing content.

Romance

This category is used for all stories in the romance genre, including its related sub-genres.  Stories in this genre often focus around the love between two people and the obstacles faced by them as a couple.  Well written erotica may also be included in this category.

Science Fiction

This category is used for all stories in the science fiction genre.  Stories in this genre may be set in space, on another planet, involve advanced technology (e.g. robots), involve time travel or they may be set in the future or an alternate history.

 

 

 

 

The amber "Status" box is used in the Library and on Resident Author sites to tell readers the current publication status of a story.  Many readers don't like to read stories until they're complete, so this box will let you know what stage the story is at.  At The Authors Haunt we use three classifications for story status:

 

Completed - the story has been finished by the author and the full version is available online

In Progress - the story has either not been completed or there are still chapters waiting to be uploaded 

Coming Soon - used exclusively on Resident Author sites to denote a planned story due for publication sometime in the next 12 months 

 

 

 

 

The blue "Rating" box is used to give you guidance to readers to help them decide if the story is appropriate for them.  At The Authors Haunt we use our own rating system based on the content of stories and the impact of scenes therein on the most sensitive of readers:

 

Safe Content

Stories with this rating contain no sex or violence (though they may include implied sex or violence) or any other content which would, under normal circumstances, be upsetting or uncomfortable for even the most sensitive of readers.  Though our ratings are not based on the age of our members, stories with this rating are generally suitable for readers of all ages.

Caution Advised

Stories with this rating contain scenes or themes of moderate, non-explicit sex or violence or scenes or themes that may be uncomfortable for our more sensitive readers, including bullying, alcohol or drug abuse, moderate descriptions of physical abuse or scenes or some themes related to death or suicide.  Though our ratings are not based on the age of readers, stories with this rating are generally suitable for readers over the age of 13.

Distressing Content

Stories with this rating contain scenes of explicit sex or violence or scenes or themes that may be distressing to some readers including non-graphic scenes of rape or murder, sexual abuse, sexualised violence, extreme physical abuse or the ongoing physical abuse of a minor, some themes of death or suicide, or other unsettling content.  Though our ratings are not based on the age of readers, stories with this rating are generally suitable for readers over the age of 16.

Mature Content

Stories with this rating are completely unsuitable for sensitive readers as they contain graphic scenes of rape, murder, torture, extreme violence, fetishistic sexual practices or other scenes or themes of an explicit and disturbing nature, including non-graphic scenes of sexual abuse against a minor.  Though our ratings are not based on the age of readers, stories with this rating are unsuitable for all readers under the age of 18.

 

Please Note: The ratings used at The Authors Haunt relate to story themes and scenes that readers may find disturbing or uncomfortable.  They do not apply to the language used by the author in the story.  It is presumed that all of our readers are over the age of thirteen and thus, in this day and age, familiar with most forms of profanity. 

 

 

 

 

The red "Warning" box is perhaps the most important of all the boxes associated with stories as it is this box that will give you some guidance as to the type of content within a story.  You should associate the warnings with the story rating to determine how extreme this content might be (for example, a warning for violence in a "C" rated story might involve a fist-fight between two boys, while that warning in an "M" rated story might involve a graphic and bloody murder).  While we can't warn about everything, we have determined that the following scenes/themes require that we caution readers:

 

The story contains a scene or theme involving substance misuse and abuse.  A character having a beer does not constitute substance misuse or abuse.  This warning is issued where a character uses any illegal drug, abuses alcohol or legal pharmaceuticals or where a minor character consumes alcohol or drugs at any time, except where said consumption is not voluntary (e.g. a spiked drink).

The story contains a scene or theme involving bullying.  In the context used at The Authors Haunt, this means where a character is subjected to verbal abuse or words intended to intimidate them or where they are coerced into acts through threats of violence.  This warning is also used where bullying is a theme but does not actually occur in the story (e.g. where you encounter a character who has been subjected to bullying, but where the bullying itself is not actually depicted).

The story contains a scene or theme involving death/suicide.  This warning is used where a story centres around a theme involving death or suicide, where a main or regular character dies or commits suicide, where a main character seriously contemplates suicide, where a main or regular character attempts suicide, where a story is written to mislead the reader into believing that a main character has died or where there is a vivid description of any death or suicide.

The story contains a scene or scenes involving fetishistic practices.  This warning is used where a story contains a scene that would be considered fetishistic in nature.  It may be that no actual sexual intercourse takes place in the story, but it contains a scene or scenes of fetishism, where a character uses an object or behaves in a way designed to sexually arouse themselves or another character, or where the scene is designed to arouse a reader who relates to that fetish.

The story contains a scene involving blood and/or gore.  This is the only warning that does not involve a story theme - it must involve an actual scene in which blood or gore appear.  If a story involves someone getting a bloody nose or a cut finger, this warning will not apply.  It is normally used where there is a description of a bloody or gory scene where a character dies or is seriously injured or where blood/gore is described in such a way as to upset/discomfort a reader.

The story contains a scene or theme involving rape or non-consensual sex.  This warning is used when a story involves a scene of rape or non-consensual sex (where victim is not able to object or consent, i.e. they may be unconscious at the time) or where the aftermath of a rape is dealt with without the rape itself being depicted.  This warning also applies to sexual assaults and abuse, but not to consensual sex involving minors that would constitute statutory rape.

The story contains a scene or theme involving sex.  This warning is used where a story contains any scenes of a sexual nature, including intercourse, oral sex, masturbation and heavy petting, or where the story involves a scene where sex or sexual acts are vividly discussed, any scenes involving sexual fetishism or where there is a theme within the story involving sex (e.g. prostitution) where sex is not necessarily depicted.  This warning is not used if sex is merely implied.

The story contains a scene or theme involving torture or interrogation.  This warning is used where a story contains any scene where a person is subjected to violence in a situation where they are unable to defend themselves, where they are tortured, interrogation scenes where answers are obtained with the use of drugs, threats of violence or other means of coercion or where the story deals with a theme of, or depicts the aftermath of, torture or interrogation.

The story contains a scene or theme involving placing a minor in an adult situation.  This warning includes, but is not limited to, scenes of sex, voluntary drug use or voluntary alcohol use, or any other scene involving a minor (for The Authors Haunt's purposes, a character under the age of sixteen) engaging in behaviour normally considered adult and inappropriate or illegal for a person of that age.

The story contains a scene or theme involving violence.  This warning is used where a story contains fight scenes, where a character is physically assaulted, any story involving physical abuse (even if the abuse itself is not depicted) and scenes of consensual violence (e.g. a boxing match).  Mere threats of violence are not covered by this warning (though a bullying warning may apply) and nor is the depicted aftermath of violence (though a blood/gore warning may apply).

 

If you feel that the warnings, ratings or other codes associated with a story published at this site are inaccurate, or you feel a story/chapter requires an additional disclaimer, or you just want more information about the story codes used at The Authors Haunt, please feel free to email the Site Administrator.
 

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