How does one determine what rating to put on a work, and how does it affect popularity on wattpad for example? I've heard about people demanding adult ratings on works with just kissing. I'm writing fantasy with some disturbing elements but no actual gore, and it has lgbt romance too. Should I go for an adult rating just to protect myself? I don't think it's more upsetting than what I used to read as a teen.
Read the site's rating guidelines. They will tell you per rating how content should be rated. You're on their site, so follow their rules, not the readers'. On Wattpad go to Settings > About Wattpad > Content Guidelines. All their rules are right there.
Every writing site has to have rating guidelines since overall your content affects their site more than it affects you. Ignoring their guidelines can get your works deleted. Whereas following their guidelines can protect you from nuisance reports by readers.
