Ratings are really relative. Back in 1999 for the purpose of the VA Archives, Sabrina and I decided upon a ratings guideline to give a standard for the fanfic hosted here. If you are a new writer posting to this archive, please adjust your rating accordingly (yes, one person’s R may be another’s NC-17).

Ratings Guidelines

Sexual Content

-Sex (m/f or m/m or f/f of over age-of-consent-adults) as implied, or non-graphic descriptive nudity: G
-Sex (m/f or m/m or f/f of over age-of-consent-adults) as mentioned(non-graphic), or referred to as past event(non-graphic), or off stage during story: PG.
-Sex (m/f or m/m or f/f of over age-of-consent-adults) as mentioned, or referred to as past event: PG-13
-Sex (m/f or m/m or f/f or combinations of over age-of-consent-adults) as on-stage, or non-graphic: PG-15
-Sex (m/f or m/m or f/f or combinations or S&M or bondage or other deviance of over age-of-consent-adults) as on-stage, or graphic: NC-17

-Non-con (adult m/f or m/m or f/f ) as mentioned, or referred to as past event(non-graphic), or off-stage during story: R.
-Non-con (child m/f or m/m or f/f ) as mentioned, or referred to as past event(non-graphic), or off-stage during story: NC-17.
-Non-Con (m/f or m/m or f/f or combinations or S&M or bondage or other deviance) as referred to (graphic): NC-17. -Non-Con (m/f or m/m or f/f or combinations or S&M or bondage or other deviance) as described, or happening on stage during story, even if not hugely graphic: NC-17.

Violence

-Violence (to an adult, inc. involving weapons/tools) or abuse as mentioned, or referred to as past event, or off-stage during story without clear markings to victim: G.
-Violence (to an adult) or abuse as on-stage (non-graphic): PG.
-Violence (to a child) or child physical abuse as mentioned, or referred to as past event: PG.
-Violence (to an adult) as on-stage (graphic): PG-13.
-Violence (to an adult, involving weapons/tools) or abuse as on-stage (non-graphic): PG-13.
-Violence (to an adult, involving torture) or abuse as off-stage, or referred to as past event, or mentioned (non-graphic): PG-13.
-Violence (to a child) or child physical abuse off-stage during story: PG-13.
-Violence (to an adult, involving weapons/tools) or abuse as on-stage, or referred to (graphic): PG-15.
-Violence (to a child, involving weapons/tools) or child physical abuse as on-stage, or non-graphic: PG-15.
-Violence (to an adult, involving torture) or abuse as on-stage (non-graphic): R.
-Violence (to a child, involving weapons/tools) or child abuse as on-stage, or graphic: R.
-Violence (to an adult, involving torture inc. degrading treatment) or abuse as on-stage (graphic): NC-17.
-Violence (to a child, involving torture) or child abuse as mentioned, or referred to as past event, or on stage during story (graphic or non-graphic): NC-17.

Other

-All mental heath disorders described (non-graphic): PG
-Suicide as mentioned, or referred to as past-even, or off-stage: PG.
-All mental heath disorders described (graphic): PG-13
-Suicide or self-harm as on-stage (non-graphic): PG-13.
-Suicide or self-harm as on-stage (graphic): PG-15.
-Language as soft swearing: PG.
-Language as soft-sexual swearing: PG-13.
-Language as hard swearing, or hard-sexual swearing: PG-15.