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I recently posted this question about the Harry Potter series on SciFi SE. It's clearly on-topic there and received a number of upvotes. However, I am curious - would that question have been considered on-topic here as well? There are certain books that are covered by both sites (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter) and several series that are arguably on topic on several other sites too (e.g. The Chronicles of Narnia is on topic here, SciFi SE, and arguably on Christianity SE as well - actually, that site has several high-quality posts on that book too).

How do you decide where to post questions on those books?

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Wherever you want.

As an active member of both SFF and Lit, I faced this decision also. Lately, I've been more active here, because this is a fledgling site and needs lots of good questions. SFF is a well established site, with lots of questions and answers and people, while we're just getting started. So for now, I've been mostly posting questions on Lit. However, we're no longer in private beta, so that's not as important - it's still important, but less so.

However, I'd recommend posting it on the site where you feel you will get the best answer. Each site is different, has different expectations and norms, a different style... It all depends on what kind of answer you are expecting.

Personally, if I have a question about Harry Potter, then I might opt for SFF. Why? Because there are parts of the HP Canon that are not on-topic here - e.g,Fantastic Beasts. So you might get a more 'canon' answer there. However, if you want an answer based on analysis of the text, post here!

Tl;dr:

Post based on what kind of answers you are looking for.

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    Excellent answer. As another active member of both SFF and Lit, I agree :-)
    – Rand al'Thor Mod
    Mar 4, 2017 at 17:56
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Questions for which answers that are entirely in-universe are, for the most part, non-"literary". (i.e. minutiae about a plot point or a character is not "literary" unless it can be connected to a theme or other work with similar elements.)

However, if such questions are related to "literary fiction", there is only the Literature forum to address them, however, so they can only be asked here.

If such questions relate to popular genre for which there is already a forum (i.e. SciFi/Fantasy) it would be better to utilize that forum, as not to alienate the wider literary audience who are not sci fi/fantasy readers.

HOWEVER

Sci-Fi and Fantasy may be said to be the most literary of the genres, as it arose out of social critique (Gulliver's Travels, for instance) and is still utilized that way (Hunger Games).

Thus, "literary" questions can be asked about genre, but they tend to relate to themes, social critique, and connections to previous and subsequent work.

Q: Is there a mythological precedent to Hunger Games?

A: Yes. The most obvious is the tribute of the Athenian youths to Crete to die in the Labyrinth

Q: What are the themes of Hunger Games

A: Major themes include economic disparity and information warfare as a means of control. The books may be taken as a critique on W.Bush-era America specifically, and industrial societies in general.

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