Freeform Tagging
All freeforms are canonical by default. However, not every tag is useful, so some will need to be decanonized.
General Guidelines
- If a tag means the same thing as another existing tag, synonym it (e.g., "established couple" can be synned with "established relationship")
- If it's a variation of "X Character" or "character has X", it has an umbrella tag (e.g., "lesbian Y" would go in the "lesbian Character" tag)
- If that identity doesn't have a tag, make one, especially if it's a queer identity
- If there's a typo, either fix it or syn it to a new tag that is the old tag minus the typo
- If it's a long-form tag that doesn't say anything filterable about the fic, decanonize and mark unwrangleable
- Tags should generally be either unwrangleable, synned, or canonical
- If the tag means something to a fandom, put it in that fandom. General freeforms are "No Fandom" by default
- If the fandom doesn't exist, create it as a tag
Broadly-Applicable Umbrella Tags
Mental Health Issues
Any sort of mental health issues. Notably, stuff like "trauma" or "recovering from abuse" would go here, but tags like "abuse" or "death" wouldn't. The focus has to be on the mental health aspect. Something like "aftermath of character death" would fit but not the traumatic event itself. Also includes depression, OCD, low self-worth. Note: autism or ADHD (neurological disabilities but not specifically mental health issues to treat) should not go here.
Yuri
Any tag that's [adjective] Yuri. Examples: doomed Yuri, toxic Yuri, baseball Yuri, etc.
Short
Any tag that specifies a fic is short. Examples: one shot, drabble, vignette, etc.
Queer Themes
Any tag indicating queer identity is relevant to the fic in some way. Stuff like lesbianism and bisexuality but also neopronouns and HRT.
Identity Character Tags
Any tag marking a character's gender identity, sexuality, or romantic orientation. Examples: gay Character, lesbian character, trans character, etc.
Alternate Universe
Split into 2 subtags for the two types of AUs, but all AUs fall into this group umbrella:
- Alternate Universe - Changed Canon Universe: Indicates it's an AU that typically is just the canon universe with changes made. Examples include vampire fics, soulmate AUs, all canon divergence fics, alternate canon timeline, time travel, etc. Genres of fic that would be described with the canon universe itself as the base from which changes are made. Like "JJK with werewolves" or "DC Comics but there was kryptonite in the vat the Joker fell in."
- Alternate Universe - Entirely Separate From Canon: Indicates it's typically set in a completely different universe that is largely an adaptation of the canon universe, but does not use canon as a base. You wouldn't describe the AU as "add X" or "instead of Y there's Z," you'd describe it as "what if work A happened in work B" or "what if the characters went to school."
Use your best judgment. There's obviously overlap, but this is a better system than just having it be impossible to filter out modern AUs.
Sex
Any sexual acts, or acts almost always associated with sex. There will be a bunch of subtags eventually. Try to put stuff in the right subcategory, but if you can't figure it out, it's always ok to put stuff in the larger umbrella.
Angst/Fluff
Any tag about like 'angst with a happy ending' or 'tooth rotting fluff' should go under 'angst or fluff'. Also the former should also be under 'happy ending'.
Based on Comics
Umbrella tag for all individually tagged comic runs. Stuff like "Batgirl (2000)".
Secrets
Anything based around characters keeping things from each other.
Death
All tags about characters being dead. Both "dead first name last name" and stuff like "minor character death". There's also a separate character death umbrella for characters.
Domestic
All tags about how characters are domestic or whatever.
Paranormal
Fantasy phenomena that's common in paranormal and urban fantasy stories. Examples: werewolves, vampires.
Fantasy
Fantasy phenomena that's common in fantasy media, like dragons or mermaids.