[HPforGrownups] FF.net Ratings

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 948

Hi --

summers.65 at osu.edu wrote:

> I didn't rate it R because I thought it contained objectionable
> content, I rated it R to communicate that the story was intended for
> grownups to read and wasn't really suitable for 11-year-olds, to whom
> PG-13 is fair game.
>
> I'm wondering if I should change the rating to PG-13.  I've gotten a
> few
> mildly irate emails from teenagers who think I'm saying they can't
> handle
> this subject material.  Not really the point.

Carole & I are getting the same irate emails from teenagers.  I think
the R rating for PoU is still appropriate for the reasons you've given
-- AND you're explicit about the reasons for the rating in the summary
of each chapter on fanfiction.net.  Even if the content isn't explicitly
"R" material, it *is* written by an adult with an intended audience of
adults.  It's *perfectly* reasonable for you to reinforce that the
intended audience is for adults by putting a "R" rating on the story.

We will be sticking by our R rating (ASA will probably have more
objectionable content than PoU though).  I also think you appropriately
handled the situation with the teenager who couldn't join the list due
to parental controls.  The last thing you want is an irate mother on
your hands (or worse, a litigious mother!).

> As an author and a list administrator, I think it's better to err on
> the side of caution and rate the story perhaps more severely than it
> merits on its face.

I agree completely.  I'm still not entirely convinced that some upcoming
chapters of ASA don't merit the NC-17 rating personally, erring on the
side of conservatism.

Penny



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]