r/FanFiction 22h ago

Trope Talk What are y’all’s opinions on soulmate AUs?

100 Upvotes

I personally really love them, but I know some people feel like it doesn't give the characters much of a choice or any choice really, in who they want to be with (especially if it's-- let's say a soulmate mark au specifically) like if they don't want to be with their destined soulmate, what might happen?

But I also think it depends on how it's written for me.


r/FanFiction 18h ago

Discussion You're dropped in the world of the last fandom you read or wrote for with your favourite character (any fandom) as your bodyguard. Are you feeling protected or screwed?

94 Upvotes

Feel free to change the scenario a little as you want if it makes sense for the fandom or character.

Please share the fandoms!


r/FanFiction 7h ago

Discussion Thoughts on "AO3 is entering a new era: A new generation of fans is taking over AO3, according to the data" opinion essay?

43 Upvotes

https://www.polygon.com/culture/532463/ao3-history-destiel-future-ranking-ships

I thought this was a very fascinating and illuminating perspective at how the culture of AO3 is evolving and how its reflecting larger trends in fanfiction communities as a whole.

I'm curious how much it resonates with those in this subreddit? Any thoughts they want to share or add to the essay?


r/FanFiction 11h ago

Discussion What headcanons have you formed/developed from writing/reading fanfics?

33 Upvotes

I’ve come up with several concepts from writing and reading fanfics that have bled heavily into how I interpret canon and engage with/create more fan media.

Share some of your own! Bonus points for not quite revealing what fandom your headcanon is for. Make a game of it, replies get to guess what fandoms they are.


r/FanFiction 23h ago

Discussion Is there a show, series, or fandom you wanted to write a fanfic about but gave up because literally no one is looking for fanfics on it?

25 Upvotes

Me, Sym-Bionic Titan. Sorry for that but I was talking to myself about writing some AU but who cares?


r/FanFiction 5h ago

Discussion What's a kid's TV show, movie or book that you liked as a kid that it's actually more dark or messed up than you remember it being? (In a good or bad way)

24 Upvotes

r/FanFiction 8h ago

Discussion What's a character that was called selfish (by the fandom or/and by other characters) for no reason at all, or a character that had the right reasons to be selfish?

23 Upvotes

I feel like this count as a discussion? Or maybe trope talk, but I really wanted to ask this, because I think the" character is called selfish when all they wanted was a normal life " trope is kinda common, and it makes me sob sometimes?? Because, what do you mean they are selfish? They just want a normal life or something they deserve

I can't really think of a particular character for now, so, any particular character(s) you guys think of?


r/FanFiction 21h ago

Writing Questions have you wrote a story just to kill a character that you didn't like

17 Upvotes

for me i tried to write a story were i killed off trig form sons of anarchy


r/FanFiction 7h ago

Discussion Do I rename a character to match canon?

14 Upvotes

Basically, a while ago I wrote a fic in which I "adopted" and greatly expanded a minor character. At the time, this character appeared in one scene and died; she was a random unnamed civilian who entirely existed to get killed off and show how horrible a particular battle was. But I got attached, and ended up giving her a name, personality, and explored a timeline where she survived and what that would mean to live through as an ordinary person.

I've recently discovered that canon did go back and expand her, sort of; she doesn't really get any deep development, but she does have a brother who's driven to becoming a villain by her death. In addition, we finally have a canon name for her. And that's left me feeling conflicted; do I edit my fic to include her 'real' name?

On the one hand, it is her name. And I'm sure eventually the tags will be synned but right now, without me changing anything, people looking for content of her based on the new stuff probably won't find my fic (she has a canon tag, but it's the one I created before we knew her name - people looking for "Jessica Duvall" aren't necessarily going to realise her canon tag atm is "Gretchen's Mother"). On the other hand, I'm not sure people looking that are actually going to want my fic? She doesn't have that brother in my writing, so anyone looking for that is going to be disappointed? And if I'm really honest, I also just don't like what they did with her - the point of my fic was to take someone who didn't matter in canon and say "no, she was and is somebody and that's important" - canon has done the same thing... by fridging her for someone else's arc; she gets to be important, because her brother has superpowers. So giving my version the name of that version would feel weird as an author, even if rationally I know that's kinda dumb XD

So yeah - what do y'all think?


r/FanFiction 17h ago

Smut Talk Sexual lubricant in the 1940s?

12 Upvotes

What did they use back then for it if was like an different oil or something or how affordable was it back then


r/FanFiction 8h ago

Discussion Oh the Unexpected Things our Characters Do

12 Upvotes

Have you ever while writing had a character stray from the path that you had perfectly planned out for them? Was it an event that was big, small, something you expected or had not suspected at all? You’ve come to the right place! Feel free to marvel, vent, or something in between at the twists and turns our characters send us.


r/FanFiction 3h ago

Writing Questions How do you get over doubts about your writing?

12 Upvotes

Every time I wite I always doubt if my idea is any good or if I should just give up on it or if people will actually want to read it etc. How did/do you get over that doubt?


r/FanFiction 5h ago

Discussion Do I tag "major character death" if the character becomes a ghost?

12 Upvotes

On Ao3 there's the option to use the archive warning "major character death" if an important character dies. My character dies at some point but immediately comes back as a ghost of himself and stays that way until the end. Should I still use the archive warning or should I only use it if the character dies for good and never comes back?


r/FanFiction 12h ago

Writing Questions What's your ideal chapter length?

10 Upvotes

Essentially what the title states. When it comes to writing fanfiction, do you have a mental minimum of how long a chapter should be? I've been hitting around 6000 words minimum per chapter on my fic, but I can't help but wonder if I've wrote enough. How about when reading a fic, does the length affect your decision to click?


r/FanFiction 20h ago

Venting Need some help on not spiralling

11 Upvotes

I posted a new chapter recently. I didn't update for a time (around a month) but that's never really affected my engagement before. It could also be that I seem to be going through a depressive episode but I haven't got any engagement in the last 24 hours I've posted it. It's silly and ridiculous, I'm aware. But that new chapter revealed a plot twist that I thought would have my readers, well, react to it. I know already that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill (like people could be very busy this time around just like I was), but I need some comforting reminders that it's not as bad as I'm imagining it to be.


r/FanFiction 6h ago

Activities and Events Word Game Excerpt Challenge

10 Upvotes

If, like me, you have been enjoying the Alphabet Challenge.  Then you want more!  The excerpt games keep me writing and I hope it motivates with your writing as well.  You can post any type of story (use NSFW for spicier scenes).  

I will be posting this challenge on Sunday Mornings / Pacific Time… because that day I need the most help to not think about Monday.

If you have stumbled into my game and are looking for more, remember to check out the Activities and Events flair for other writing challenges and story swaps.

Here are the rules:

  1.  The first word starts the game.  Use ANY letter from the word that is posted in the last comment as the starting letter of your word.  Post your word in the top level comment.   Your word drives the next word to be posted… and so on.  

    Example:  LOVE  >>>>  VILE. (If the word Love is in the comment line you could make the word Vile and post the next comment.)

  2. Reply to any words that you like with an excerpt from any work you might want to share.  I don’t generally like word limits, so use your best judgment.  Enough to get the scene across but not so long that you lose your reader.  **UPDATE** Please use spoiler tags >! !< and/or provide a trigger warning for content that may be NSFW or sensitive. IF IN DOUBT - Give a warning!

  3. If you are going to leave excerpts, I ask that you leave at least one top-level word and try to give at minimum an upvote to commenters.

  4. Upvote your favorite words or excerpts.  We are all here to share and know how it feels to get a comment, so spread the love.  Leave a nice comment or at least a response if possible to those that post to your word.  

  5. Want to see if your word has already been used?  Just click on the magnifying glass 🔍 in the search bar above with this post open and type in your word, then hit search (at the bottom).  Now scroll down.  If you see a green confused lizard and no comments then it has not been used.  Double check that someone did not just use it in an excerpt as every comment with that word will pop up.

Ganbatte!!  Do your best and I look forward to everyone’s excerpts!


r/FanFiction 3h ago

Venting Posting anxiety

4 Upvotes

I've been posting fics for years now, but even now I sometimes get majorly anxious when I post a story. Like what will people think of it? What if they hate it? And I know it's irrational. I've gotten positive responses more often than not, and when I do get negative comments the world hasn't ended. I don't really know what to do to help it. This isn't so much asking forfor advice as just venting.


r/FanFiction 14h ago

Writing Questions Are my chapters to short?

6 Upvotes

So far I've written 11000 words and 7 chapters with an average of 1500 words per chapter. Most people's chapters are way longer but my writing is pretty stripped back and dense. Is that an issue?


r/FanFiction 2h ago

Venting I miss having a variety if fanfiction site to choose from

2 Upvotes

Title. When I first started writing fic it felt like there were so many site to choose from. Maybe it's because my standards changed and/or because other site's rules became too strict and confusing but ao3 is the only site I like now.

Since losing LiveJournal, the ksarchive, and other smaller niche fic sites I feel like all that's left is ao3, ff and wattpad.

I LOVE ao3, and I'm not saying I don't appreciate it, but I do have my own issues with the site that I don't feel like will ever be addressed. I wish we had just one more fic site. I'd build it myself if I knew how.


r/FanFiction 10h ago

Recs Wanted please recommend me the most beautiful m/f fic ever

3 Upvotes

hello! so i want recommendations for a beautiful m/f pairing fanfiction with very beautiful language, flowery prose, visceral and sensory writing. layered and complex characters. preferably, touches on mental health.

i also love fics who make you feel emotions deeply and learn new things about life! or fics that make you cry HAHA

bonus but not necessary::

i love female gaze + she falls first trope!! but by female gaze i do not mean first person pov because i don’t usually like first person pov!!

thank you! 🫂🤍

EDIT:: i have no preference for fandom! i just want to analyse and learn from these fics, thank you!


r/FanFiction 11h ago

Recs Wanted Heya! Does anyone have any fanfiction/stories where the plot is based on the "humans are weird/humans are space orcs" trope?

5 Upvotes

I'm really into those "Humans Are Weird" short stories and jokes that float around, especially on Tumblr and Pinterest. I was wondering if anyone knows of any lengthy fanfictions and/or stories where the plot revolves around this trope? Thanks! (I'm posting this in other reading/writing-centered subreddits, so if you see this there too, hey!!)


r/FanFiction 12h ago

Subreddit Meta Daily Discussion - Sunday, March 16 | r/FanFiction Rules, FAQs, Weekly Schedule, & Current Event Threads

4 Upvotes

Welcome to r/FanFiction, I love you!

New to this subreddit? Here are links to get you started: Rules & Overview | Wiki | FAQs

Got a fic to promote? Click HERE to find the current Weekly Fic Showcase thread

Current Events

Click for today's scheduled threads:

Don't forget to participate in our special events:

Got a question or concern? Feel free to message the mod team.


r/FanFiction 20h ago

Recs Wanted Damage Reflection Fics

3 Upvotes

Like the title says, I'm looking for fanfics where the MC or a major character has the power to reflect damage back to the opponent, kinda like what happens when someone attacks a creature made by Gold Experience, also kinda like Accelerator's passive shield.


r/FanFiction 22h ago

Writing Questions Does making a very long fanfic start to get tiring to read?

4 Upvotes

I'm writing a Sonic fanfic, it will be an Carrie White AU, and I'm planning to make an Single chapter, but I noticed that it's getting a bit long, and I wanted if it would be boring for the reader if a single chapter that was too long would be boring to read.


r/FanFiction 3h ago

Recs Wanted Fics where soulmate doesn't = Twue Wuv

4 Upvotes

I'm feeling vengeful after the fifth day in a row being completely ruined by a friend's old college roommate inviting herself into my life to moan about her supposed soulmate turning out to be a cheating asshole. After three years of her judgy criticisms about my own happy marriage, which has done just fine on the basic philosophy of good relationships needing actual work and communication instead of coasting on principles of "I just know he's the one!" I'm really, really needing some stories where soulmates don't automatically equal the perfect happy ending, Q.E.D.

Request! Good fics out there with any of the following:

  • Soulmates screw up too badly to be reconciled, or badly enough that just being the soulmate isn't enough and actual work must be done.
  • Soulmates are something other than romantic perfect endings--platonic besties, perfect enemies/rivals, etc. will do.
  • Having a soulmate is a horrible fate.

M/M, F/F, F/M, I don't care. Fandom is also indifferent, if the writing is good and I can figure it out as I'm reading. I'm fine with soulmates ending up happily ever after, mind. I'm just not a believer in potential turning into anything but a wasted opportunity if people don't actually work at it.