Content ratings and mature stories

Every story on Herix carries one of three content ratings: General, Teen, or Mature. The writer chooses it when publishing, and it tells readers what to expect before the first chapter.

What each rating covers

General

Suitable for a broad audience, including younger readers. Expect mild conflict, non-graphic violence, light romance, and occasional mild language. No substantial graphic violence, sexual content, or heavy profanity.

Teen

Written for teenage and older readers. May include recurring violence, some blood, stronger language used occasionally, kissing and romantic relationships, references to sex without explicit content, alcohol or drug references, horror, and serious themes such as grief or bullying.

Mature

For adult readers. May include frequent profanity, graphic violence and gore, detailed injury or death, sexual situations, drug use, crime or abuse, and psychologically intense material. Readers see a warning before opening a Mature story.

For writers: choosing a rating

• Graphic violence, gore, or sexual content means the story must be rated Mature.
• If a General story has material that could be unsuitable for younger readers, move it up to Teen or Mature.
• Add content warnings for specific subjects when a reader would reasonably want to know in advance.
• You are responsible for keeping the rating accurate as the story develops. If later chapters get darker, update it.

For readers: controlling what you see

You decide which ratings appear for you across the site. Go to Settings → Reading → Reading & Content Preferences and choose the ratings you are comfortable with. Even within a rating, individual stories can touch on themes some readers find uncomfortable, so check a story's warnings if a subject concerns you.

If you find a story that is rated lower than its content, let us know through the contact form with a link to the story.