Tragedy · 6:11pm Jun 3rd, 2016
After some discussions with authors I have decided I need to label Twilight's Secret Journal a Tragedy. So I've just replaced the Thriller tag with Tragedy.
The inclusion of this tag does not give away the ending. Let me explain.
The reason I have been reluctant to use the Tragedy tag is that it feels very spoilery to me, but after a lot of thought and discussion it seems clear now that I've been misinterpreting both its meaning and its function.
For the meaning, Tragedy doesn't strictly mean "bad ending" or Sad or even that something horrible happens at the end of the story. It's more like this:
Tragedy: now available in Extra Strength Irony formulation.
The majority of efforts of the protagonist end up in vain. It's a struggle where the act of struggling is the story, but things undoubtedly aren't going to turn out exactly the way the protagonist wants (at least, initially wants).
The function of the Tragedy tag is a warning to readers who cling tightly to the protagonist's initial view of the struggle. Some readers take the lack of the tag as a promise that, "this story will do a complete one-hundred-eighty degree turn at some point", and as that becomes increasingly less likely it frustrates the reader.
I should note that under this definition, The Price of a Smile is probably a Tragedy. I'm not sure if I should label it or not, and I'd like to hear some feedback from readers about it. I probably have a few other unlabeled Tragedy stories in my list. I'll have to spend some time thinking about this in more detail.
I should also note that Tragedy is entirely compatible with the non-existent Hopeful tag. (Click the name to see a new group that chronicles those stories.)
Hopefully this clears things up in a way that benefits a majority of my readers without making it sound like I'm giving away the ending. I may get some downvote love for it, but I'm certain now that including the Tragedy tag is the only responsible choice. 
(Note: I'm making two posts about this topic. The first (this one) is not tagged with the target story so that ponies with the M filter on can still see and comment on the topic. The second will be a link to the first.)
My post was in the other thread but I'll post it here since you wanted a discussion.
>> Trick Question
>a compromise
isn't a tragedy, that's character development, but it is still a fine line to walk, particularly when a compromise too far not in her favor could seem like a loss anyway. I don't think a tradgedy is too much of a spoiler. A tradgedy could easily be twilight also being a victor. The aspect of tradgedy from victory comes when you examine the idea of a phyric victory. If twilight prevailed but at the cost of all of her friends lives that would still be a tradgedy. A compromise where twilight's victory is essentially meaningless is also phyric.
In a normal story we accept that the hero is probably going to win without a tradgedy marker, we stay along the ride wondering how. with that in mind, I can't see tradgedy being a spoiler either. People who like tragedy will read to see how the hero finally breaks, what kind of monster they become or end they receive for their efforts.
If twilight somehow stopped the pony vampirism outbreak and the brain box shenanigans, or declawed it into a direct religion that required real consent, I could consider the ending not a tragedy, even if she ended up belonging to someone at the end. If twilight completely curbed the vampire efforts, restored celestia, and ameliorated the sexual repression conflict in equestria, even if she still ended up on the collar end of a leash, I would even consider that a total victory, despite the fact that twilight's situation would mean she could have never really consented in the time period offered given the abuses laid on her so far.
I hope all thats illuminating in some way, or helpful.
as an addendum that accounts for your post here, I also feel its worth mentioning that its not too accurate to say people are expecting things from twilight's expectations. People generally see things very close to their own personal perceptions in real life. They may be able to suspend those thoughts and see them the way the character would and still be motivated towards the characters goals. However, if in the end, if a character who has some alien ideas eventually changes them to be more in line with public perception, even if closer to their enemies than they started, I don't think people will have their expectations crushed.
For your story, most people are going to see sexual repression as undesirable, and want twilight to overcome it just like they want her to overcome the people who are doing other things that make both them and twilight react negatively. On the other hand, they probably wont be able to see brain damage and body mutilation as kindly, even if it is precision instead of wanton.
In essence, pretty much every story is either a comedy or a tragedy to some degree.
florenceinferno.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tragedy-comedy-icons.png
The real difference is how you want the audience to react.
Initially, I thought Tragedy was the same as Sad, except with a bad ending. That's not always the case though. Like you said, Tragedy is just when the protagonist is constantly hit with obstacles, with almost no relief in sight. In the end though, there could be a light at the end of the tunnel. It reminds me of a story I read,
One in a Million
Now I would definitely tag this story as a Tragedy because Scootaloo is constantly bombarded by hardships. Even the slightest happy moments are soon squashed out. It ends on a high note, but considering 90% of the story is Scootabuse (emotionally), the tag would be justified.
Fair enough. I doubt many readers are still under the impression the events so far could ever be wholly undone by Twilight.
Still, we know so very little about what's going on that it still feels spoilery: This is admitting that whatever the secret is, this is not just some misunderstanding and even if Twilight knew more she would not agree in her current state with how things will turnout. I suppose that's not exactly a shocking reveal, though; SOMETHING creepy is happening.
Tragedy might not preclude hope, but it does generally mean that characters suffer calamity or are otherwise worse off than when they started (though they are often wiser for it)
actually most tragedies tend to have points where the hero almost seems to win in order to heighten the sensation of the crushing end.
as long as we're talking about porn, the material series is probably the most blatant use of this. I am still burned by that to this day, which is why I have a chip on my shoulder for ero protagonists getting the bad end when they've already earned their victory.
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That "burn" is what I'm trying to prevent, but I'm uncertain how well I can succeed.
At least the Dark tag, the M rating, and the disclaimer keep many ponies at bay.
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Wish I could give you the link to get an idea of what I mean, but I just don't remember the name of the series. If you find one where the ladies get roses on the top of their chest and are refereed to as materials or some such you'll know you got it right. they also have some kind of strength enhancing catsuit as a part of the plot that also sticks out. its a rather long doujinshi
Why the hell would someone downvote a story due to a change of tag? That's pretty dumb, if you ask me
A thriller or tragedy or any tag won't spoil an ending, but they do 'spoil' the tone and expected structure. From what I've read, it's a thriller in structure. There is a mystery and we are on a wild ride to figure out what is really going on. It could be a tragedy if the real focus, given the resolution, is more of the drama of Twilight setting a course for herself that forces her into a destructive situation that will outright kill her, someone else, or some core part of her life.
But genre labels are silly things and tend to expand in meaning the longer they're around. (You're an amazing and deep writer, and it's kinda tragic that by writing such intense stories you set yourself on a path where these tags can be such a deal.)
The problem I have with this definition...is that it is NOT the definition that Aristotle used. Tragedy was, essentially, a story where the focus is more on personal drama, and negative effects, but a "True" tragedy, or at least a well-written one, has to make sure that the problems come from the actions of the protagonist, and not just from bad stuff happening.
A true "Tragedy" is not, say...Someone tries to go to college, but they are rejected and then hit by a car. That's just being a jerk.
A true tragedy, is one when they are given every change to prevent this...but still continue, and it brings about their doom. Though, interestingly...Aristotle found the BEST tragedy to be one where they avert the bad ending. This story is definitely structured like a tragedy. Twilight's struggle against the Vamponies is...completely futile. She can never win.
But, from reading it as it updated, though I confess I kinda skim, the problem is...it's so MUCH, and so overboard. Every single bit of hope is consistently squashed, she can never get a victory, and there's never really a chance for her to win. The only 'out' is to admit defeat and join the BS&M super-slave orgy. And, if she continues...they'll just convert her forcibly anyway!
I...honestly kinda get the feeling you root for the vamponies. I might look up the story again when it's complete, but it's...kinda...well, it's the same problem I've had with Game of Thrones. Every time the heroes MIGHT win...FAIL.
Well, it does need to have at least have one of those elements, because otherwise it's kinda just a comedy that hasn't noticed it's funny yet.
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Alright. I finally dug it up
http://exhentai.org/?f_doujinshi=1&f_manga=1&f_artistcg=1&f_gamecg=1&f_western=1&f_non-h=1&f_imageset=1&f_cosplay=1&f_asianporn=1&f_misc=1&f_search=Dawn+of+the+Silver+Dragon&f_apply=Apply+Filter
If you don;t have the Exhentai extension or otherwise cant get in.
http://www.animephile.com/hentai/dawn-of-the-silver-dragon.html
the first 4 links here in the list contain the story to completion as far as I know.
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hmm, it seems like the second link might not be complete after all
heres a list I'm sure is complete. The Exhentai still works, though the 4th volume is labeled by chapter not volume number.
https://nhentai.net/g/9128/
https://nhentai.net/g/10120/
https://nhentai.net/g/12386/
https://nhentai.net/g/20314/
I think it's worth potentially spoiling something to protect people from reading something they don't want to. There are more than a few times when I've read something not expecting it to have something sad in it only to find it has something sad in it. Sadness is fine when I'm looking for it but if I'm in a bad mood I don't want to invest myself in a story only to find out a character dies or breaks up with their special somepony or something.
As far as the meaning of tragedy I think it's safe to assume if it involves something that would make someone more than a little sad the odds are good it's tragic.
What I've noticed in TSJ is that you've created a rather sick version of Equestria to begin with -- one which is under such crippling puritanism and oppressive sexual laws that it's very easy to be convicted of rape even between mutually-consenting adults, and in particular is so hostile to stallions that despite a Stallion Dearth many stallions can't marry -- and is under attack by an even sicker subculture that resembles the Free Love movement as it might have been if led by a vampiric Charles Manson. So I actually don't see any possible non-tragic outcome to all this. Either Twilight Sparkle wins, and imposes the shackles of a mad puritanism probably originaly emanating from Celestia back on society; or the Order of Spring wins, and traps everypony in an insanely promiscuous BDSM vampire hell. You even Lampshade this by having Twilight reflect at one point that sanity probably lies somewhere between these two extremes.
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All things considered this. Twilight knows the path.
As for my follow. I never really got an answer back on what i linked. so I'll just have to play it safe and cut it out of my update list. Burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice, shame on me. though in this case it's not so much you as it was that other story, but the lesson has been taught, I don't want to stick my hand in the beehive.