Fanfiction 101

Tips for writers and readers

on tagging, comments, Betas, etiquette, and more
By AJ Constantine

Athena Lendvay BSN, RN, OCN

Pelvic Health/ ERAS Program Coordinator
January 2020
 BAMF: Bad A** Mother F***er
AU: Alternate Universe
ABO: Alpha, Beta, Omega
Mods: moderators Beta: fic editor
SPAG: Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar
The Language of Fanfiction Brit-picker
BTS: Behind the scenes
DM: Direct message
WIP: Work in progress
Shipping: link romantically
TBH: To be honest
CW: Content Warning
cannon 22
THANK YOU to the contributors of this presentation!

Angelsnuffbox NaroMoreau SummerofSpock

Beckers522 Nehken TawnyOwl95

Obessionful The Art of Yelling

Charlottemadison
Racketghost Twighlightcitysky
Darcylindbergh
Singasongrightnow
Entanglednow
Slow Show Support Group
Miraworos
3
Tagging

44
Tagging: Rating

Not Rated: This is the default option.

General Audiences: unlikely to be disturbing to anyone, and is suitable for
all ages.
Teen And Up Audiences: may be inappropriate for audiences under 13.
Mature: contains adult themes (sex, violence, etc.) that aren't as graphic as
explicit-rated content.
Explicit: contains explicit adult themes, such as porn, graphic violence, etc.

Start with the rating that the story will

end up with, if you know it. 55
Tagging: Archive Warnings

Graphic Depictions Of
Violence: contains gory, graphic,
explicitly described violence.

Major Character Death: contains the death of a major character.

Whether or not a character counts as a major character is up to the
creator's discretion.

Rape/Non-Con: contains non-consensual sexual activity.

Underage: contains graphic descriptions or depictions of sexual

activity by characters under the age of eighteen.

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 Tagging- Choose Not to Use
Archive Warnings

I think of it as a
'read at your own risk' tag

Authors might use this tag when the story has:

• Dubious consent elements- but the author felt it didn’t warrant
the Rape/Non-Con tag.
• Violence but the author felt it didn’t warrant the Graphic
Descriptions of Violence tag.

–anonymous7 7
Tagging- Choose Not to Use
Archive Warnings

• Subject matter that can be

difficult to warn for everything
that might be upsetting. War
(blood, wounds, PTSD, etc.),
psychologically difficult themes

• A plot point the author wishes to keep hidden so as not to

spoil the plot

–anonymous

88
Tagging- Relationships
• Romantic and/or sexual relationship:
indicated by using a slash (“/”)

• Nonsexual, non-romantic relationships: platonic

relationships between friends, family, teammates, etc.,
indicated with (“&”)

• Example: The tag Crowley&Warlock indicates a friendship relationship,

but Crowley/Warlock would be a VERY different fic.
• Do not use both Aziraphale&Crowley and Aziraphale/Crowley
in the same fic, even if they’re “only” friends
for the majority of the story.

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Tagging- Characters
You don’t need to tag every character that doesn’t
play a major role.
Example: the story is mostly Aziraphale and Crowley
(romantically), Anathema shows up briefly, and
Ligur is discussed in a few lines or less:
- Use the tag Aziraphale/Crowley
- Use the “Mentioned X Character" freeform tag:
Mentioned Anathema Device
- Don’t bother to tag for Ligur

1010
Tagging- Additional Tags

Canonical tags:
• Autocompletes when typing in

• Display in the search/ filtering

features on AO3

1111
 Tagging: Additional Tags

Non-canonical tags
• Will not auto-complete while typing
• They can be searched/filtered
Canonical
by the tag, but not as Tags
easily as canonical tags.
Non-
canonical
tags

1212
 Tagging: Additional Tags

Non-canonical tags: typically used to

1. Give information about the story
that the canonical tags don’t give
2. Give a flavor of the story

Look at the tags on other similar

themed stories for ideas on what tags
you might want to use for your story

Readers: Read the tags!

Use them to judge if this is the right fic for you.
1313
Tagging: Requests to add tags
Readers: If you think a tag should be added, Don’t be rude or
angry. And regardless of what the author’s response is, move on
with your life. You’re not the fandom police.
Hi AmazingAuthorPerson! In your fic, there is a scene that contains
XYZ material, but the fic is not tagged as containing XYZ material.
Would you please update your tags so that your readers can be
aware if they need to be? Thank you for your work! Sincerely,
PoliteReaderPerson.

Writers: seriously consider adding requested tags, but you are not
required to if you disagree with them.

Source: https://littlethingwithfeathers.tumblr.com/post/160839714289
1414
 Tagging: Guidelines

Maximum tag limit: 75 total fandom, character, relationship,

and additional tags
Ultimately the goal of tags should be to:
1. Help people find your story via the tags
2. Provide details not provided in the summary
3. Warn for content

1515
Tagging- Organization
Generally list the tags in this order:
1. Canonical tags
2. Non-canonical tags
 Unless these tags help relay information essential to the story

1616
 Tagging- Organization
• Enter your tags in the correct tag categories:
- Fandom in the Fandoms field, relationships in the Relationships field,
characters in the Characters field.
• Use the Additional Tags field to include any thing that doesn’t fit well into
the above categories. Themes, genres, tropes, triggers etc. that a user might
want to know when deciding if they want to read your story.
• Ensure each tag contains just one concept: one fandom, one character,
one relationship, one trope, etc.
• Ensure tags can stand alone: no additional context is
required to understand what the tag refers to
• Spell-check and double-check your tags before posting.
1717
Chapter Notes
• For fics that have tags for things like
Dubious consent, drug use, violence,
etc., a reader can choose to read it,
but don’t know WHEN it's happening

• You may add chapter content

warnings in the Chapter Notes.

• Example: A fic has a Physical abuse

tag. The chapter note includes a
content warning letting the reader
know which chapter the abuse is in.

1818
Chapter Notes
Beginning chapter notes
You may include a summary of
sensitive chapter content in the end
Chapter Notes so readers can make
an informed decision about reading
the chapter.
1. Specifics can be added without End chapter notes
spoiling things for readers who
don't want to know spoilers
2. Clarity can be offered for readers
who do.

19
 How to have a healthier
relationship with
stats, kudos, and comments

2020
How to have a healthier relationship with stats

Stats, kudos, comments, subscribers

do not tell you if you’re good at
writing. They are not a way to tell you
if you are loved. They have nothing to
do with the quality of your work or
your worth as a person.

Focus on the things you can control instead of things you can’t.

You can not control the reaction to your story.

Source:
https://ao3commentoftheday.tumblr.com/post/
626123905048985602 2121
How to have a healthier relationship with stats

You can control:

• The work you put into your
story.
• Celebrating statistics like
word count or time spent
researching, or writing, or
just completing it.
• You CREATED something! Go you!!

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How to have a healthier
relationship with stats

Find something in the story that

makes you happy.

Did you enjoy writing it? Did it make

you happy/ bring you pleasure/ are
you proud of it?

See comments and kudos for what

they truly are– a nice bonus, not
fleeting validation

2323
How to have a healthier
relationship with stats

If you find yourself feeling

negative about comments,
kudos, statistics etc:
• Ignore them.
• Take a break from looking at
them.
• Even take a break from
posting if need be. Focus on
–anonymous
other hobbies.

2424
Comments: Readers

2525
Commenting on Fics: Readers

No reader is required to
write a comment!

2626
Commenting on Fics

If you do comment, know that

writers love and adore them
Positive comments can help make a
writer feel better about their work,
bring a spot of brightness to their
day, and inspire them to continue
writing…

2727
Commenting on Fics: What Not to Do

DO NOT give unsolicited

criticism
• Advice on what they did ‘wrong’
• Name things you didn't like

• Tell the author what you would have done differently

• Say negative things about the fic
• Tell an author you stopped reading for any reason

If you don’t have anything nice to say,

don’t say it at all
2828
 Commenting Tips

“Even a simple I loved this so much is delightful.

Anything that says the person had a good time reading it!!”
2929
 Commenting Tips

Detailed comments are NOT required, but for those who would like
ideas:

• Comment on tone/ writing style/ genre/ setting

• Comment on characters/ characterization: if the character
seemed really in character/ true to cannon/ made you feel
something
• Interaction between characters: actions/ dialogue/ banter/
feelings, etc
• The scene: well balanced, natural, realistic

3030
 Commenting Tips

• The plot: interesting, funny, believable

• Favorite parts/ lines/ turns of phrase: funny or
meaningful parts, your feelings about them
• How it made you feel: It caused you to smile/ laugh
out loud, excitement, swoon-worthy

• Your reaction to it/ how you related to it: you’re re-reading it,
had to stay up late to read it because it’s so great, can’t stop
thinking about it

3131
 Commenting on Explicit Fics

• AO3 asks the reader if they are

okay with reading explicit fics
before continuing.
• But there is no such consent for an
author reading the comments
posted on their story.
• Just because an author writes
explicit stories that doesn’t mean
they are open to reading explicit
content that they didn’t write
themselves.

3232
 Commenting on Explicit Scenes: Tips

• Descriptions: Hot/ spicy/ scorching/ flaming/ ridiculously/ incredibly

hot/ sexy/ sweet/ erotic/ tender/ delicious/ glorious/ spectacular

• Implied actions: fans self, spontaneously combusts, takes long cold

shower, runs for the shower and turns the knob all the way to freezing
cold, I melted/ combusted/ expired/ speechless

• Comment on the relationship rather than on the physicality.

Romantic, emotional, pining, friends-who-bang, strangers-who-have-a-
connection: there’s always some type of relationship there.
Conversations/ feelings expressed they have before/ during/ after.

• Comment on tone/ writing style/ genre/ setting

3333
 Commenting on Explicit Scenes: Tips

• Comment on characters/ characterization: if the character/ smut

seemed really in character/ true to cannon

• Interaction between characters: actions/ dialogue/ banter/

feelings, etc

• Emotional connection between the characters: sweetness/ depth

• The scene: well balanced, natural, realistic, hot

• Favorite parts/ lines/ turns of phrase: feelings about them

3434
Comments: Writers

3535
Reading Negative Comments

If the comment intent could be ambiguous, keep

in mind that most of communication is
nonverbal. So writing is not a clear method of
communication.

Try waiting before deciding what to do about it.

Maybe check with friends for their feedback.

Try not to take it personally!

3636
Reading Negative Comments

Choices:
• Ignore it
•
• .
• Prevents new replies from being added to a
comment

3737
 Replying to Negative Comments

Yelling/ arguing with the commenter doesn't

really do much to elevate the discourse

“Please don't feel you need to force yourself to read something you
have no interest in.”
“I hope you find a story that is a better fit for you.”
“I think we have a different view of realistic character behavior”

3838
Responding to comments

• No writer is required to respond to comments!

• There are lots of VERY LEGITIMATE REASONS why a writer might
not reply to a comment, or any comments.
 They don’t have time, don't have the mental energy for it,
they're shy/anxious/nervous about it, they get too many
comments to realistically respond to…

–anonymous

3939
Responding to comments

Some writers add an author's note something to the effect of:

Gosh I adore all of the comments, they mean the world to me,
thank you so much, but I really don't have the (time/ energy/
ability, ect) to respond to them. But know that I do appreciate
them.

4040
Responding to multiple comments on a completed fic

If a commenter leaves multiple comments in a short period of time on

a multi-chapter completed fic. If you want to reply back, you can:
• Reply to them all
 Do you really have the time and energy to reply to all of them?
 Generally readers don’t expect a response to every single one
• Reply to some
• Reply only to the comment at the end (including a wow, thank
you so much for all of your wonderful comments)

41
Responding to comments- Tips

You can mimic the tone of the comment. If the comment is:
Emoji’s: either no reply, or just back

Short: Loved this!, This was great! All it requires is a Thanks! or Glad
you liked it!

WRITTEN IN PLAYFUL EXCITED CAPITALS or keysmashes: you

can be playful back-- YAY!! I LOVED THAT PART TOO!! Kjdkfdxldsa!!!

Long and thoughtful: respond thoughtfully back, using their

comments as the basis for your response

4242
Responding to comments- Short replies

Thank you so much/ Thank you This is a lovely/ amazing/ thoughtful

so much for commenting comment
I love/ adore/ appreciate your Your comment made me smile/
comments grin/ laugh/ feel something
I'm so glad/happy/pleased you You are so kind/ thoughtful/ sweet
liked/enjoyed/loved it

4343
Responding to comments- Longer replies

The comment pointed out relationship,

characterization, dialogue, prose:
respond to that particularly
The comment highlighted a particular
scene, plot point, action, line of dialogue:
engage with that - how did you come up with
it/ feel about it, inspired by something? What
were you thinking of when you wrote it?

How the comment made you feel: Delighted,

gleeful, appreciated, loved it, made you laugh out
loud, you’re going to frame and mount it on your
wall…

4444
Tips for longer comments:

Review the story on one device while

typing comments on another.

Install the AO3 floating

comment box:
A Java script installation
that creates a floating
comment box which
allows for typing
comments as you scroll
through a chapter. 4545
Commenting Tips

Editing comments: If you edit your

comment, the author/reader will receive
an email for each edit.

Bookmarks: Unless you make a

bookmark private, when you enter a note
on a bookmark, everyone can see it.

If your bookmarks are public, be cautious

about what you say in the bookmark
notes/tags.

4646
Beta’s

4747
 Beta’s- Does a writer have to have one?
NO
Consider your emotional capacity to receive
critique.
Some writers hate hearing anything negative
about their writing so they should do a bit of
self acknowledging of that before deciding to
allow someone to Beta their work. –anonymous

–anonymous 4848
Types of Beta Work

• General story: wide range of only spelling/ grammar/

punctuation all the way to plot/ characterization/ flow feedback

• Brit-picking Beta: a British Beta who gives feedback about

correct British terms and/or spellings if you writing a British story

• Sensitivity Beta: having someone from a culture that is not your

own to provide feedback as to if you are being culturally sensitive

4949
Types of Beta Work

• Characterization: are the characters • Are you writing in American or UK

behaving consistently/ true to English, and how particular do you
character/ make sense? want to get about it?
• Structuring/flow of the chapter/ story? • Do you want word strength/word
• Phrasing, continuity, coherence, where choice feedback? Or only grammar and
more detail is needed? spelling?
• Big picture feedback, character • Do you want a couple rounds of back
believability/ plot? and forth, or just hop in once and then
leave it to you?
• Are you interested in fact checking?
• Do you want positive feedback/
cheerleading or will you distrust it?

5050
Express appreciation of your Beta
Thank them in the Chapter Notes.
It can be a simple: Thanks to XX for the
Beta-work, or more effusive: Thanks to the
wonderful XX for the amazing Beta-work,
you are a goddess.

During the editing process.

Saying things like good point/ spot/ great idea gives feedback that
their comments are helpful/ appreciated.
In direct messaging. (Discord/ Tumblr/ email), wherever the main
communication happens.

5151
Be appreciative

You can also consider

publicly thanking others
that that helped you with
a chapter in other ways.

Brainstorming,
sensitivity feedback,
consulting on an element
that they specialize in,
etc.

5252
Searching & filtering on AO3

1. Go to the search box in the to

right-hand corner and type
the fandom or character,
author, etc

2. Select the fandom, character,

or author you are looking for

5353
Searching &
filtering on AO3

Now the Sort and Filter

menu appears, where
you can include and
exclude tags

5454
 What questions do you have?
Archive of Our Own: AJ_Constantine

Discord: AJ Constantine#0325

Tumblr: @AJ Constantine

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