RE: Here's me in a bikini at 15. This is a test.
I've had several discussions with the problem of tags. They are great in the fact they are dynamic and anyone can create them. How they are posted on the front page and the tag listing is still a bit of a mystery. Is it how many people use the tag or how many people vote for posts using the tag?
If you use a tag that isn't in the popular list for the day it might not get seen after it falls off the front "new" section.
Re-reading your post tags could be -life & -test which are popular and seen. -test could be a boon for someone who writes something really great depending on if users actually look at that section. While it is usually a tag for people who want to see if the platform works, it could also be a peripheral tag for someone writing about taking tests for example. If the post is great and people actually visit that tag, then the post might get more views.
Sometimes you write a post and can't find a tag that is even peripheral to your topic in the popular list. The only suggestions I have is to try to craft posts around popular tags that aren't overdone or try to find a group of people here on Steemit with the same interests you have and support each other to make that tag more popular.
The first tag should be the subject of the post or main category. The rest of the tags can be peripheral and even indirectly related. Take a recipie. Main would be -recipie, the rest could be -foodie (if that is your target audience), -vegtables, -vegan, -pasta, -quickmeals, -busy-mothers, etc.
You're love story would fit well in -writing as well. I would try a few different tag variations to see what works as a main tag. I believe that you could put -lovestory as a main tag, -writing, -relationships, -love, -life and you'll get added to writing & relationships just the same as if you put one as the main tag. Keep in mind you can edit and change any tag but the first one. Get the first one wrong and you either have to delete your post or live with it.
I also just wanted to say thank you for understanding and working things out with @neoxian. I take more time to work on helping others because I enjoy it most of the time. But there are days that I get frustrated with the amount of bad behavior I find here and it is easy to read something the wrong way and flag it after you've been at it for a while. We are human, and I really don't want bots doing this.
There are not set rules for flagging but I reserve mine for bad behavior not bad content unless it is something that could take Steemit in a direction I don't think it should go like lottery posts that may or may not be done to buy votes. I think simply not upvoting it or leaving a nicely worded comment is better.
You'll also find that there are days I can't have an opinion without writing a mini-book! Good luck to you!
Wow, Patrice, thanks for the thoughtful reply! The tagging advice is much appreciated. I didn't know we could change secondary tags after the fact. Makes sense to have several as eventually someone will create the same tag and develop a category if it becomes popular. Thank you!