Controlled Vocabulary

For a version of this page that can be used to browse our available products and their aligned tags, please go here for titles and merchandise released under our Duck Prints Press general imprint and here for titles released under our Duxxx Prints Press erotica imprint.

We use a controlled vocabulary for tagging genre, format, ratings, and more, to ensure uniformity across our various publications and publication platforms. This is similar to the system that Archive of Our Own uses, except that it’s developed internally, and modified with input from our authors as appropriate to their individual stories. As more publishers consider approaches that include tagging systems, we thought that sharing our system might be helpful to people. This list includes all tags we’ve used for our books, our anthologies, our backer-exclusive stories, and elsewhere.

Our shop uses two different sorting systems to facilitate navigation and help prospective readers locate content they’d be interested in and avoid content they’d rather not read. The first of these sorting systems is Categories. The Categories are over-arching information about the following areas:

Format (eg, eBook)
Genre (eg, Modern with Magic)
Rating (eg, Adult Audiences)
Relationship (eg, MLM)
Story Elements and Tropes (eg, hurt/comfort)
Work Length (eg, novella)
Merchandise (eg bookmarks)
Erotica (coming soon!) (note that Erotica categories are not listed below; they are on a separate page)

Categories are designed for quick navigation of our shop, and reflect only the most prominent themes of a given work. Furthermore, our categories are nested, and we will reflect that in the bulleted lists below.

To provide more in-depth information about each work, we also use a Tag system. Tags provide more extension information about a work, including content warnings, sub-themes, and more. They may include or imply spoilers. While many tags could fall into multiple categories, for organizational purposes we’ve sorted them into the following tag types, and each tag is assigned to one, and only one, tag type. All categories are also tags, but not all tags are also categories. Tags are written all lowercase, always.

alpha/beta/omega dynamics (eg, mating cycles) (note that alpha/beta/omega dynamic tags are not listed below; they are on a separate page)
book format (eg, pdf ebook)
character feature (eg, bipoc character)
character gender (eg, trans character)
character profession (eg, professor)
character religion (eg, muslim character)
character romantic orientation (eg, aromantic character)
character sexual orientation (eg, pansexual character)
creature character (eg, werewolf)
era (eg, regency)
fanworks (eg, character in a “Queer Fanworks Inspired By…” story has had their gender swapped)genderqueer character (eg, trans character)
genre (eg, welsh mythology)
kink (eg, bdsm) (note that kink tags are not listed below; they are on a separate page)
merchandise (eg sticker)
narrator point of view (eg, pov third person)
platonic relationship type (eg, characters are twins)
rating (eg, explicit)
relationship type (eg, interspecies romance)
setting (eg, academia)
special occasion (eg, wedding)
story elements and tropes (eg, established relationship)
warning (eg, major character death)
work format (eg, epistolary)
work length (eg, novel)

Tags are generally used to give a more specific idea of what a story is about. Usually, tags are assigned if they reflect prominent themes of the work in question, with the exception of warnings. Warnings are used for any content we feel may be potentially triggering, and will be listed for a given story even if the thing being warned for is only briefly mentioned or isn’t described in detail. This doesn’t mean everything will be tagged, but we do our best to be thorough, and we are always open to receiving feedback that our tags should be modified.

We will aim to update this list monthly.

Last updated: 10/17/22

Tags

alpha/beta/omega dynamics (this is a NSFW list, so we’ve posted it on a separate page for those who’d rather avoid such content.)

artist

a. a. weston (artist)
aceriee (artist)
alessa riel (artist)
alicia matheson (artist)
amy fincher (artist)
casei solus (artist)
cris alborja (artist)
diminuel (artist)
empowerfantasy plush (artist)
foxy joy (artist)
gio guimarães (artist)
jade hallett (artist)
joey hazell (artist)
joshua beeking (artist)
liz brooks (artist)
liz lee illustration (artist)
magnolia porter (artist)
nikki o’shea (artist)
pallas perilous (artist)
pimmy oldham (artist)
rima sweet (artist)
sunny powell (artist)
taylor c. fischer (artist)
xanthe p. russell (artist)

author

a. l. heard (author)
adrian harley (author)
alex ransom (author)
annabeth lynch (author)
aria l. deair (author)
beth lumen (author)
d. v. morse (author)
em rowntree (author)
era j. m. couts (author)
florence vale (author)
i. a. ashcroft (author)
jessica black (author)
jo mathieson (author)
juno caster (author)
k. b. vimes (author)
kristi mae (author)
lacey hays (author)
lex t. lindsay (author)
lucy k. r. (author)
lyn weaver (author)
m. k. mads (author)
maggie page (author)
nickel j. keep (author)
nicola kapron (author)
nicole wilkinson (author)
nina waters (author)
nottesilhouette (author)
nova mason (author)
puck malamud (author)
r. l. houck (author)
scarlett gale (author)
shea sullivan (author)
t. s. knight (author)
theo neidlinger (author)
theresa alef (author)
theresa tanner (author)
tris lawrence (author)
veronica sloane (author)
willa blythe (author)

book format

epub (book format)
mobi (book format)
pdf (book format)

character feature

alcoholic (character feature)
amnesia (character feature)
anger management issues (character feature)
anxiety (character feature)
aroace (character feature)
bilingual (character feature)
bipoc (character feature)
blind (character feature)
clumsy (character feature)
cursed (character feature)
depression (character feature)
elderly (character feature)
fat (character feature)
in the closet (character feature)
memory loss (character feature)
murderer (character feature)
mute (character feature)
nightmares (character feature)
oblivious (character feature)
panic attacks (character feature)
piercings (character feature)
prisoner (character feature)
ptsd (character feature)
scars (character feature)
secret identity (character feature)
self-esteem issues (character feature)
serial killer (character feature)
surviving spouse (character feature)
tattoos (character feature)
veteran (character feature)

character gender

agender (character gender)
gender non-conforming (character gender)
genderfluid (character gender)
genderqueer (character gender)
non-binary (character gender)
trans female character (character gender)
trans male character (character gender)
transmasculine (character gender)

character profession

artisan (character profession)
barista (character profession)
criminal (character profession)
does drag (character profession)
engineer (character profession)
executive assistant (character profession)
farmer (character profession)
gardener (character profession)
in a band (character profession)
in a religious order (character profession)
mercenary (character profession)
musician (character profession)
nobility (character profession)
nurse (character profession)
office worker (character profession)
performer (character profession)
police officer (character profession)
private detective (character profession)
professor (character profession)
research assistant (character profession)
royalty (character profession)
scientist (character profession)
security guard (character profession)
soldier (character profession)
superhero (character profession)
waste disposal (character profession)
witch (character profession)
writer (character profession)

character religion

christian (character religion)
daoist (character religion)
jewish (character religion)
muslim (character religion)

character romantic orientation

aromantic (character romantic orientation)
biromantic (character romantic orientation)
demiromantic (character romantic orientation)

character sexual orientation

asexual (character sexual orientation)
bisexual (character sexual orientation)
gay (character sexual orientation)
heterosexual (character sexual orientation)
lesbian (character sexual orientation)
pansexual (character sexual orientation)

character special ability

animal shifter (bear) (character special ability)
animal shifter (bird) (character special ability)
animal shifter (cat) (character special ability)
animal shifter (dog) (character special ability)
animal shifter (dragon) (character special ability)
animal shifter (fish) (character special ability)
animal shifter (fox) (character special ability)
animal shifter (octopus) (character special ability)
animal transformation (character special ability)
animal transformation (involuntary) (character special ability)
cultivation (character special ability)
magic use (character special ability)
precognition (character special ability)
shapeshifter (character special ability)
telepathic communication (character special ability)

era

regency (era)
the 1860s (era)
the 1890s (era)
the 1920s (era)
the 1940s (era)
the 1950s (era)
the 2000s (era)
world war i (era)
world war ii (era)

erotica (this is a NSFW list, so we’ve posted it on a separate page for those who’d rather avoid such content.)

fanworks

alternate universe (fanworks)
canon compliant (fanworks)
character has a different gender than in the source material (fanworks)
non-fanfiction story inspired by source material (fanworks)

genre

character study (genre)
dark comedy (genre)
dystopia (genre)
fantasy (genre)
fantasy with science fiction (genre)
heists (genre)
historical (genre)
historical with magic (genre)
historical with science fiction (genre)
horror (genre)
humor (genre)
kidfic (genre)
magical realism (genre)
modern (genre)
modern with magic (genre)
modern with science fiction (genre)
modern with superpowers (genre)
mystery (genre)
mythology (british) (genre)
mythology (celtic) (genre)
mythology (chinese) (genre)
mythology (germanic) (genre)
mythology (greek) (elements of) (genre)
mythology (greek) (genre)
mythology (norse) (genre)
mythology (slavic) (genre)
mythology (welsh) (genre)
mythology retelling (genre)
noir (genre)
romance (genre)
science fiction (genre)
science fiction with magic (genre)
solarpunk (genre)
steampunk (genre)
time travel (genre)
utopia (genre)

merchandise

add magic to taste (merchandise)
and seek (not) to alter me (merchandise)
art print (merchandise)
bookmark (merchandise)
dux (merchandise)
enamel pin (merchandise)
key chain (merchandise)
magnet (merchandise)
merchandise (merchandise)
mug (merchandise)
plushie (merchandise)
sticker (merchandise)

narrative style

epistolary (narrative style)
past tense (narrative style)
present tense (narrative style)
prose (narrative style)

narrator point of view

alternating third person limited (narrator point of view)
child point of view (narrator point of view)
first person (narrator point of view)
multiple third person limited (narrator point of view)
second person limited (narrator point of view)
third person (narrator point of view)
third person limited (narrator point of view)
unreliable narrator (narrator point of view)

non-human character

alien (non-human character)
artificial intelligence (non-human character)
automaton (non-human character)
bird person (non-human character)
collective consciousness (non-human character)
deity (non-human character)
demon (non-human character)
dragon (non-human character)
elemental (non-human character)
elf (non-human character)
fae and fairyfolk (non-human character)
fire spirit (non-human character)
ghost (non-human character)
half-human (non-human character)
immortal (non-human character)
merperson (non-human character)
nature spirit (non-human character)
non-human character (non-human character)
reaper (non-human character)
sentient animal (non-human character)
vampire (non-human character)
water spirit (non-human character)
werewolf (non-human character)

rating

general audiences (rating)
mature audiences (rating)

relationship type

adoption (platonic relationship)
age difference (non-platonic relationship)
commoner/noble (non-platonic relationship)
enemies to lovers (non-platonic relationship)
established relationship (non-platonic relationship)
experienced partner/inexperienced partner (non-platonic relationship)
f/f (non-platonic relationship)
f/m (non-platonic relationship)
f/m (past) (non-platonic relationship)
f/m/m (non-platonic relationship)
f/nb (non-platonic relationship)
found family (platonic relationship)
friends to lovers (non-platonic relationship)
idiots to lovers (non-platonic relationship)
interspecies (non-platonic relationship)
m/m (mentions of) (non-platonic relationship)
m/m (non-platonic relationship)
m/nb (non-platonic relationship)
master/servant (non-platonic relationship)
mentor/mentee (platonic relationship)
owner/owned (platonic relationship)
parenthood (platonic relationship)
polyamory (non-platonic relationship)
queerplatonic (platonic relationship)
secret relationship (non-platonic relationship)
servitude (involuntary) (platonic relationship)
siblings (platonic relationship)
soulmates (non-platonic relationship)
star-crossed lovers (non-platonic relationship)
t4t (platonic relationship)
the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one (non-platonic relationship)
twins (platonic relationship)
two-person love triangle (non-platonic relationship)
twosome to threesome (non-platonic relationship)
witches and familiars (platonic relationship)

setting

academia (setting)
antarctica (setting)
bar setting (setting)
berlin (setting)
bookstore (setting)
california (setting)
canada (setting)
coffee shop (setting)
college (setting)
connecticut (setting)
england (setting)
farmer’s market (setting)
florist shop (setting)
france (setting)
fraternity (setting)
georgia (setting)
germany (setting)
great britain (setting)
hartford (setting)
high school (setting)
iceland (setting)
indiana (setting)
ireland (setting)
italy (setting)
kentucky (setting)
london (setting)
mmorpgs (setting)
netherlands (setting)
new england (setting)
new york (setting)
new york city (setting)
new zealand (setting)
norway (setting)
office (setting)
organized crime (setting)
public transit (setting)
royalty (setting)
russia (setting)
seattle (setting)
sports (football) (setting)
sports (hockey) (setting)
sports (setting)
sports (taekwondo) (setting)
tea shop (setting)
texas (setting)
the beach (setting)
the us midwest (setting)
theater (setting)
united states of america (setting)
venice (setting)
western europe (setting)
wisconsin (setting)

special occasion

funeral (special occasion)
halloween (special occasion)
hand fasting (special occasion)
marriage proposal (special occasion)
masquerade (special occasion)
romantic getaway (special occasion)
wedding (special occasion)

story elements and tropes

accidental baby acquisition (story element/trope)
altered mental state (drunkenness) (story element/trope)
altered mental state (story element/trope)
angst (mild) (story element/trope)
angst (story element/trope)
anti-soulmates (story element/trope)
anything that can go wrong… (story element/trope)
arranged marriage (story element/trope)
assassination (story element/trope)
attraction at first sight (story element/trope)
be gay do crimes (story element/trope)
be gay solve crimes (story element/trope)
bed sharing (story element/trope)
blackmail (story element/trope)
body modification (involuntary) (story element/trope)
body modification (non-consensual) (story element/trope)
car accident (story element/trope)
chance meeting (story element/trope)
character death (discussions of) (story element/trope)
character murder (discussions of) (story element/trope)
childhood friends (story element/trope)
coming out (story element/trope)
confined together (story element/trope)
curses (accidental) (story element/trope)
didn’t know they were dating (story element/trope)
didn’t know they were queer (story element/trope)
dimension jumping (story element/trope)
drunken confessions (story element/trope)
duels (story element/trope)
eating (descriptions of) (story element/trope)
eavesdropping (story element/trope)
emotional hurt/comfort (minor) (story element/trope)
emotional hurt/comfort (story element/trope)
enchanted artifact (story element/trope)
estrangement (forced) (story element/trope)
everyone knows they’re in love but them (story element/trope)
existential crisis (story element/trope)
false accusations (story element/trope)
first date (story element/trope)
first kiss (story element/trope)
first meeting (story element/trope)
flashbacks (story element/trope)
flirting (story element/trope)
fluff (domestic) (story element/trope)
fluff (story element/trope)
food (descriptions of) (story element/trope)
food (mentions of) (story element/trope)
forced labor (story element/trope)
fostering (story element/trope)
fraught family dynamics (story element/trope)
getting drunk (story element/trope)
getting together (story element/trope)
grieving (story element/trope)
happy ending (story element/trope)
hurt/comfort (mild) (story element/trope)
hurt/comfort (story element/trope)
i thought you were straight (story element/trope)
illegal immigration (story element/trope)
imprisonment (story element/trope)
isolation (solitary) (story element/trope)
isolation (story element/trope)
jealousy (story element/trope)
kissing (story element/trope)
love at first sight (story element/trope)
love declarations (story element/trope)
magical mishaps (story element/trope)
magical tattoos (story element/trope)
manipulation (story element/trope)
masquerading as human (story element/trope)
meddling friends (story element/trope)
meet awkward (story element/trope)
meet cute (story element/trope)
meet weird (story element/trope)
mind control (magical) (story element/trope)
miscommunication (story element/trope)
missed connections (story element/trope)
mistaken identity (story element/trope)
mistakenly believed dead (story element/trope)
misunderstandings (story element/trope)
mutual pining (story element/trope)
petnames (story element/trope)
pining (story element/trope)
playing pranks (story element/trope)
politics (story element/trope)
polyamorous relationship negotiation (story element/trope)
possession (story element/trope)
pranks (story element/trope)
pregnancy (story element/trope)
recovery (story element/trope)
red string of fate (story element/trope)
reincarnation (story element/trope)
resource scarcity (story element/trope)
reuniting (story element/trope)
revenge (story element/trope)
second chances (story element/trope)
seduction (story element/trope)
sharing an umbrella (story element/trope)
slice of life (story element/trope)
soulmate tattoos (story element/trope)
tarot (story element/trope)
teenage rebellion (story element/trope)
the nature of free will (story element/trope)
therapy (story element/trope)
whump (story element/trope)

warning

ableism (mentions of) (warning)
abuse (past) (warning)
abusive relationship (past) (warning)
alcohol use (casual) (warning)
alcohol use (warning)
aphobia (internalized) (warning)
bad parenting (warning)
biphobia (mentions of) (warning)
body horror (warning)
break-up (past) (warning)
bullying (warning)
cannibalism (warning)
child abuse (warning)
classism (mentions of) (warning)
classism (warning)
consent issues (minor) (warning)
consent issues (warning)
deadnaming (warning)
death of a child (mentions of) (warning)
death of a child (off-screen) (warning)
death of a grandparent (off-screen) (warning)
death of a mentor (warning)
death of a parent (mentions of) (warning)
death of a parent (off-screen) (warning)
death of a parent (past) (warning)
death of a parent (warning)
death of a sibling (off-screen) (warning)
death of a sibling (warning)
death of a spouse (mentions of) (warning)
death of a spouse (off-screen) (warning)
dehumanization (warning)
drowning (mentions of) (warning)
dubious consent (mild) (warning)
dubious consent (warning)
dysphoria (mentions of) (warning)
emotional abuse (mentions of) (warning)
emotional abuse (warning)
gender dysphoria (warning)
gore (non-graphic descriptions) (warning)
harm to animals (warning)
homophobia (internalized) (warning)
homophobic language (warning)
homophobic violence (mentions of) (warning)
infidelity (minor) (warning)
infidelity (warning)
injury (graphic descriptions) (warning)
injury (non-graphic descriptions) (warning)
kidnapping (consensual) (warning)
kidnapping (warning)
major character death (temporary) (warning)
major character death (warning)
micro-aggressions (racist) (warning)
micro-aggressions (transphobic) (mentions of) (warning)
minor character death (past) (warning)
minor character death (warning)
misgendering (unintentional) (warning)
misogyny (internalized) (warning)
period-typical homophobia (mentions of) (warning)
period-typical homophobia (warning)
period-typical understandings of gender and sexuality (warning)
permanent character injury (warning)
possessive behavior (warning)
racism (warning)
rape/non-con (off-screen) (warning)
rape/non-con (warning)
robbery (mentions of) (warning)
self-harm (mentions of) (warning)
sexual content (mentions of) (warning)
sexual content (non-graphic descriptions) (warning)
sexual harassment (mild) (warning)
speciesism (mentions of) (warning)
speciesism (warning)
suicide (mentions of) (warning)
torture (graphic descriptions) (warning)
transphobia (mentions of) (warning)
verbal abuse (warning)
violence (graphic descriptions) (warning)
violence (non-graphic descriptions) (warning)
vomiting (mentions of) (warning)

work length

anthology (length)
novel (length)
novelette (length)
short story (length)

For a version of this page that can be used to browse our available products and their aligned tags, please go here for titles and merchandise released under our Duck Prints Press general imprint and here for titles released under our Duxxx Prints Press erotica imprint.

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