Here's a breakdown of the most common "gens":
* G: General Audiences. Suitable for all ages, with no explicit content.
* PG: Parental Guidance Suggested. May contain some mild violence, suggestive themes, or mature language.
* PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned. Likely contains more mature themes, violence, or suggestive content than PG.
* R: Restricted. Contains significant levels of violence, sexual content, strong language, or other mature themes.
* NC-17: Adults Only. Contains explicit sexual content, violence, or other mature themes unsuitable for minors.
Beyond the Rating:
While the above ratings are common, "gen" can also refer to other aspects of a story's target audience. For example, you might see terms like:
* Slash: Focused on romantic relationships between characters of the same sex.
* Femslash: Focused on romantic relationships between female characters.
* Het: Focused on romantic relationships between characters of opposite sexes.
* Gen-fic: A story that doesn't focus primarily on romance or sexuality, but rather on plot, character development, or other aspects.
Where to Find Gen Information:
You can often find the "gen" of a fan fiction story listed in its summary, tags, or author's notes. If you're unsure about the content of a specific story, it's always best to read the description carefully before diving in.