Appendix H: Fandom Lexicon
Introduction
This lexicon documents the vocabulary fan communities use to describe their own practices, relationships, genres, and social dynamics. It is the "insider language" of fandom — the terms fans use when talking to each other, as distinct from the academic terminology documented in Appendix A (Glossary of Key Terms).
Learning fan vocabulary is not merely a matter of learning slang. This vocabulary is a window into how fan communities conceptualize what they do: what kinds of creative work exist, what social roles are important, what community values are named and enforced, what emotional experiences are recognized as significant. Many of these terms have no direct equivalent in mainstream cultural vocabulary; they were coined by fan communities to name things that mainstream vocabulary had not noticed.
This lexicon is organized alphabetically, followed by three special sections covering platform-specific terms, K-pop fandom vocabulary, and gaming/esports community vocabulary. Entries include:
- Term (bold), with pronunciation guidance where non-obvious
- Definition: what the term means, explained for someone new to fandom
- Example in context: one sentence showing the term in use
- Origin or predominant use: the fandom or community context where the term is most common, if applicable
A note on vocabulary currency: fan vocabulary evolves rapidly. Terms common in 2010 may be dated or ironic in 2025; new terms emerge constantly. This lexicon documents vocabulary common across multiple fandoms as of 2024–2025, but readers should expect ongoing evolution.
A
AO3 (pronounced "AO-three" or spelled out as "A-O-3") The Archive of Our Own, operated by the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW). AO3 is the largest English-language nonprofit fan fiction archive, hosting millions of fan works across hundreds of fandoms. Known for its robust tagging system, non-censorious policies, and user-driven governance structure. Example in context: "I just posted the first chapter to AO3 — link in bio." Origin: Used across all fan fiction communities; the dominant archive for most English-language media fandoms.
age-up (verb, also "aged-up" as adjective) The practice of writing characters who are canonically minors as adults in fan fiction, typically to enable romantic or sexual content. This practice is acknowledged but contested in fan communities; some communities prohibit explicit content involving aged-up characters on the grounds that the characters' underlying identities remain minor, while others accept it as a meaningful transformation. Example in context: "The tags say the characters are aged up — they're written as college students in this AU." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms.
angst (noun, adjective) Fan creative content — fiction, art, music — that centers emotional pain, suffering, grief, or internal conflict. "Angst fic" is a recognized fan fiction genre. Angst can be part of a story that ultimately resolves (comfort follows the hurt in H/C) or can leave characters in unresolved suffering ("no happy ending" fic). A cultural staple of fan creativity; the ability to produce cathartic angst is a recognized creative skill in fan communities. Example in context: "I need something with heavy angst but a hopeful ending — I can't do pure tragedy tonight." Origin: Widespread across fan fiction communities; the term adapts the English-language borrowing from German.
any% (pronounced "any percent") A speedrunning category in which the goal is to complete a game as fast as possible using any means — including glitches, sequence-breaks, and unintended mechanics — without restrictions on which portions must be completed. Any% runs often produce dramatically different gameplay from intended play. Widely used as a metaphor in gaming community humor. Example in context: "He's doing an any% run of adulting — skipped the tutorial, heading straight for the final boss." Origin: Gaming and speedrunning communities; see also Gaming/Esports Terms section.
AU (Alternate Universe; pronounced as letters "A-U") Fan fiction or fan art set in an alternate universe — a narrative world that differs from the canonical setting. AUs come in many forms: canon divergence AUs (diverge from canon at a specific point), modern AUs (set characters in a contemporary setting if the canon is historical or fantastic), coffee shop AUs (often shorthand for low-stakes domestic romantic settings), historical AUs, space AUs, etc. AUs are one of the most common and beloved fan fiction genres. Example in context: "This is an AU where Tony survived Endgame — completely different from canon from that point on." Origin: Widespread across fan fiction communities since at least the 1990s.
B
BAMF (acronym, pronounced as a word "bamf") Stands for "Bad-Ass Mother F---er." Describes a character in a story who is exceptionally powerful, competent, and cool, often used as a tag for fan fiction in which a favorite character demonstrates their full capabilities — often in contrast to how they are treated in canon. "BAMF [character]" is a common AO3 tag. Example in context: "I need some BAMF Natasha content where she gets to actually do her job." Origin: Fan fiction communities across action-genre fandoms; also a comic book sound effect (X-Men's Nightcrawler teleportation).
beta reader (also "beta," noun and verb) A person who reads fan fiction before publication to provide feedback on plot, characterization, grammar, pacing, and other elements. Beta reading is a significant form of fan community labor; betas help authors improve their work, catch errors, and develop their craft. Having a dedicated beta reader is both a practical benefit and a social relationship of trust and community. Example in context: "I'm looking for a beta for a 40k Tony/Pepper fic — slow burn, grief themes, needs someone who won't shy away from emotional content." Origin: Widespread across fan fiction communities; borrowed from software testing terminology.
BNF (Big Name Fan; pronounced as letters "B-N-F") A fan who has achieved significant community recognition and social status within a fandom — known for their creative work, their analysis, their community presence, or some combination. BNF status is informal and contested; it can be earned through prolific creative output, community organizing, early arrival in a fandom, or social capital. BNF status is a real form of community power, and the dynamics around it — including BNF favoritism, BNF drama, and the social consequences of losing BNF status — are significant community phenomena. Example in context: "She's been a BNF in this fandom for years — any fic she recommends gets hundreds of reads." Origin: Science fiction and early media fandom; widely used across modern fan communities.
board (noun) A message board or forum — an organized online discussion space with threads, replies, and topic categories. Boards were the dominant infrastructure for fan community discussion in the late 1990s and 2000s before being largely replaced by social media. Fan communities organized around specific boards (TWoP, the Bronze, alt.tv.x-files) developed distinctive cultures. Example in context: "The old TWoP boards for Buffy were legendary — the level of analysis was incredible." Origin: Online fan communities of the 1990s–2000s; now often refers nostalgically to that era.
C
canon (noun, adjective) The officially recognized "true" story of a fictional property — the events, relationships, and facts established by the original creator(s) in the source text. What counts as canon is often contested: different adaptations, different media, different creator statements may or may not be considered canonical by different fans. Canon functions as both shared reference point and constraint against which fan creativity is measured. Example in context: "In canon, they never confirmed the relationship, but the subtext was so obvious that fans treated it as practically canonical." Origin: Used across all fan fiction communities; the term adapts from biblical and theological usage.
canonverse (noun) Fan fiction set within the canonical world — using the same setting, timeline, and established events as the source text, rather than placing the characters in an alternate universe. Distinguished from AUs, which diverge from canon. Example in context: "I don't usually read canonverse fic because I prefer to see the characters outside their usual context, but this one was good enough to change my mind." Origin: Fan fiction communities.
casefic (noun, also "case fic") Fan fiction in which characters work through a case or mission — typically used for fandoms with a procedural or investigation-based source text (Sherlock Holmes, crime procedurals, superhero teams). Casefic often balances plot-driven action with character development and relationship exploration. Example in context: "This is a long casefic where the team has to go undercover — lots of tension and a slow build on the relationship." Origin: Sherlock Holmes, crime drama, and superhero fandoms.
coffeeshop AU (noun) A specific and popular type of alternate universe fan fiction in which characters are placed in the low-stakes social setting of a coffee shop — typically as employees or regulars — to enable a meet-cute, developing relationship, or domestic romance story that would not occur in the canonical setting. Coffeeshop AUs have become so ubiquitous that the term is often used as shorthand for any low-stakes domestic romantic AU. Example in context: "I know everyone mocks coffeeshop AUs but the good ones are comforting in a way nothing else quite manages." Origin: Fan fiction communities across multiple fandoms; popularized in the 2000s–2010s.
commission (noun and verb) A paid request from a fan to a fan artist for original artwork based on specific fan-requested content (characters, scenarios, styles). Commissioning fan art is a significant part of the fan economy; fan artists' commission rates, slots, and terms of service are standard community topics. The commission model is one of the primary ways fan artists can receive compensation for their labor. Example in context: "She opened commissions last week and had 30 slots filled in under an hour." Origin: Fan art communities; widespread across all fandoms with significant visual art production.
crack fic (noun, also "crackfic") Fan fiction written for humor or absurdity — typically involving implausible premises, improbable character behavior, or completely ridiculous scenarios that would never appear in canon. Crack fic embraces its own absurdity and is valued for comedic skill and commitment to the bit rather than for realism or emotional depth. Example in context: "This is pure crack — everyone is a sentient office supply, there's no explanation, and somehow it works." Origin: Fan fiction communities; the "crack" refers to being "on crack" (i.e., apparently drug-affected absurdity).
crossover (noun) Fan fiction or fan art bringing together characters from two or more separate fictional universes — placing characters from different source texts in the same story. Distinguished from AUs (which use only the source fandom's characters in a different setting) by the inclusion of characters from multiple source texts. Example in context: "The crossover potential between these two shows is insane — someone please write the fic where the casts meet." Origin: Widespread across fan fiction communities.
crackship (noun) A romantic or sexual pairing of characters who have no canonical relationship and no logical basis for a relationship — often from entirely different fictional universes. The "crack" indicates the apparent improbability of the pairing; crackships are often enjoyed with a sense of humor about their implausibility. Example in context: "I know this crackship makes no narrative sense but the fan art is excellent and now I have feelings about it." Origin: Fan fiction and fan art communities.
D
dead dove (noun, adjective; also used as a tag) Content that contains extremely dark, disturbing, or transgressive themes — suicide, extreme violence, non-consensual scenarios presented without condemnation, etc. The tag warns readers that the content does not have a redemptive framing or a happy ending. The name comes from the internet meme: "you see a box labeled 'dead dove: do not eat'; you open it and find a dead dove; you think 'I should not have opened that.'" Dead dove content is permitted in many fan communities but requires clear tagging. Example in context: "Tagged dead dove — this is a dark fic with no redemption arc, please read the tags carefully before proceeding." Origin: Fan fiction communities, popularized on AO3 circa 2019–2020.
death fic (noun, also "deathfic") Fan fiction in which a major character dies — either adapting a canonical death or creating a non-canonical death scenario. Death fic can be angst, tragedy, or H/C (grief after loss). A recognized genre that provokes strong reactions; fans often have preferences about whether they will read major-character-death fic. Example in context: "I don't usually read death fic but someone told me this one was worth the emotional damage." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms.
Discord (proper noun, used generically as a noun) The platform Discord (launched 2015) or, generically, a Discord server used for fan community purposes. Discord servers are organized around channels (separate chat rooms for different topics), roles (permissions and identity markers), and bots (automated functions). "A Discord" refers to a specific server. Example in context: "The fandom's Discord has separate channels for ships — you can mute the ones you're not interested in." Origin: Used across all fan communities that use Discord.
drabble (noun) Originally, fan fiction of exactly 100 words — a constraint-based creative form. The term has loosened in contemporary use to mean any very short fan fiction piece, often under 500 words. Drabbles are a recognized creative challenge; writing well within extreme length constraints is a distinct skill. Example in context: "She writes the most devastating drabbles — 100 words and I'm destroyed every time." Origin: Fan fiction communities; the strict 100-word definition comes from science fiction fanzine culture.
E
endgame (noun, adjective) The ultimate romantic pairing outcome for a character — the ship that fans believe should be, or that is, the final canonical relationship. "Endgame" ships are those fans believe in for the long term, rather than ships that are entertaining but not expected to be permanent. The term also refers to a canonical resolution: "they were endgame" means the couple ended up together in the source text. Example in context: "I've been an endgame shipper for this pairing since season one — I refuse to believe the writers won't pay it off." Origin: Fan fiction and shipping communities; also a reference to chess terminology.
F
fancam (noun) A fan-made video celebrating a specific person, character, or ship — typically edited together from clips of the subject set to music. Fancams are a significant form of fan creative production particularly in K-pop and celebrity fandom; high-quality fancams can go viral and introduce new fans to a subject. Example in context: "Someone posted a fancam of him at the press junket and I've watched it twelve times." Origin: K-pop fandom; now widespread across celebrity and entertainment fandoms.
fandom (noun) 1. A fan community organized around a specific text, property, person, or franchise. 2. Fan communities as a general cultural phenomenon. 3. The state of being intensely invested in a text or subject ("I'm in fandom for this show"). Example in context: "Fandom has been the most community I've found online — better than any other space I've been in." Origin: The word "fandom" dates to early science fiction fan communities (1930s–1940s).
fandom bicycle (noun) A character or person who is shipped with many other characters by many different fans — effectively "everyone rides." The term is crude but descriptive: it identifies a character who functions as a universal pairing partner across community shipping preferences. Example in context: "He's the fandom bicycle — there's good content for him shipped with literally every other major character." Origin: Fan fiction and shipping communities.
fanon (noun, adjective) Fan-established lore, character traits, or relationship dynamics that are not canonical but have become so widely accepted within a fan community that they function as common ground. Fanon develops through the accumulation of similar fan creative choices across many works; when enough fan creators treat a character as having a specific trait or backstory, that trait becomes "fanon." Example in context: "Canonically, we know almost nothing about her childhood, but fanon has fully established her backstory at this point." Origin: Fan fiction communities; a portmanteau of "fan" and "canon."
fic (noun) Fan fiction; a fan-written story based on a canonical property. Used as both noun ("I'm writing a fic") and in compounds ("long fic," "short fic," "ficrec" [fic recommendation]). Example in context: "Do you have any fic recs for this ship? I've read everything in the AO3 tag and I need more." Origin: Widespread across fan fiction communities.
fill (noun and verb) In the context of prompt memes or fill challenges: a fan fiction story written in response to a community member's prompt (a requested story scenario). Prompt memes invite community members to leave prompts; other members "fill" those prompts by writing the requested story. Example in context: "The kinkmeme has been running for a year and it's still getting new fills." Origin: Fan fiction communities; associated with prompt meme culture on LiveJournal and later sites.
fluff (noun, adjective) Light, comfortable, feel-good fan creative content — typically featuring established or developing romantic relationships in domestic, sweet, or humorous scenarios with minimal angst or conflict. Fluff is what you read when you want to feel happy and warm, not when you want to be destroyed emotionally. Example in context: "I can't handle any angst tonight — please someone give me recs for pure fluff." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms.
found family (noun, also as a tag: "found family trope") A narrative trope — extremely popular in fan fiction — in which characters who are not biologically related form deep family bonds with each other. Found family stories center on the development of these chosen-family relationships and often involve characters who have difficult or absent biological family situations finding belonging and love in their community. Example in context: "I will read any found family fic for this fandom — I need all of them to be happy together forever." Origin: Fan fiction communities; the trope predates fandom but the term "found family" as a fandom tag became common in the 2010s.
G
gen fic (also "gen"; noun) Fan fiction with no romantic or sexual content as a central focus — from "general." Gen fic centers on adventure, character development, friendship, action, or other elements without a pairing-based narrative structure. Valued by fans who prefer character-focused stories without shipping. Example in context: "This is a gen fic — it's about the team working a case together, no romantic subplot." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms; one of the oldest genre categories.
gifset (noun) A set of animated GIF images compiled into a post — typically used on Tumblr to celebrate, analyze, or express emotion about a scene, character, or moment. Gifsets are a significant form of fan creative labor and visual commentary; high-quality gifsets require video editing skill and aesthetic sense. Example in context: "Someone made a gifset of every time he touched his neck in the episode — the attention to detail in this fandom's analysis is incredible." Origin: Tumblr fan communities; the term is specific to the multi-GIF post format popularized on Tumblr.
getting together (tag, noun phrase) A fan fiction genre/trope tag indicating that the story centers on two characters developing a romantic relationship — moving from friendship, mutual pining, or casual relationship to an established romantic pairing. Distinguished from "established relationship" stories (where the characters are already together) and from "will-they/won't-they" stories (where the relationship is permanently unresolved). Example in context: "I specifically wanted a 'getting together' story, not an established relationship one — I love the tension of the build." Origin: Fan fiction communities; a standard AO3 tag.
godmodding (noun, verb; also "god-modding") In roleplaying communities: the practice of controlling another player's character without permission — writing actions, speech, or thoughts for a character you do not own. Considered a significant breach of roleplay community norms and etiquette. Also used more generally for any attempt to dominate or control a shared narrative space. Example in context: "She godmodded my character into agreeing with her plot — that's why I stopped roleplaying with her." Origin: Online roleplaying communities; widespread in text-based roleplay culture.
H
H/C (Hurt/Comfort; pronounced "H-C" or "hurt-comfort") A fan fiction genre characterized by a narrative structure in which a character is hurt, endangered, or suffering (the "hurt" phase) and subsequently comforted, cared for, or rescued (the "comfort" phase) by another character — often a romantic partner or close companion. H/C is one of the most beloved and widely produced fan fiction genres; the emotional combination of vulnerability and care resonates deeply with many fan readers. Example in context: "I need H/C content where someone finally takes care of him — he's been through too much and no one notices." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms; one of the oldest genre categories, documented in slash fanzines of the 1970s.
headcanon (noun, also as verb "to headcanon") A personal interpretation, belief, or backstory detail about a character or fictional world that is not canonically established but that an individual fan treats as true for their own engagement with the property. Headcanons can become fanon (when widely shared) or remain personal. Having strong headcanons about characters is considered evidence of deep engagement and creative thinking. Example in context: "My headcanon is that she taught herself to cook after she left home — it makes her relationship with food in canon make so much more sense." Origin: Widespread across fan communities; the term combines "head" (in your head, personal) with "canon."
het (adjective, noun) Short for "heterosexual" — used as a genre tag to indicate a romantic or sexual pairing of characters of different genders. Distinct from slash (male/male) and femslash (female/female). Example in context: "I read het, slash, and femslash — good characterization is more important to me than the pairing gender." Origin: Fan fiction communities; one of the original genre categories alongside slash and gen.
hiatus (noun) A gap between canonical releases — episodes, albums, games — during which fan communities must maintain engagement without new canonical content. Also refers to a fan creator's break from producing fan works. Hiatus periods are significant challenges for fan community cohesion. Example in context: "The fandom got through the two-year hiatus by producing an enormous amount of fanfic — the archive quadrupled." Origin: Used across fan communities; adapts the mainstream English usage.
I
idfic (noun, also "id fic" or "id!fic") Fan fiction written primarily to satisfy the author's deepest desires and emotional needs — stories that give the author (and often readers who share those needs) exactly what they want emotionally, without concern for narrative sophistication or critical approval. The term comes from Freud's "id." Idfic is not a pejorative; it is an honest acknowledgment that some fan fiction functions as wish-fulfillment or emotional processing. Example in context: "This is pure idfic — I wanted the character to be devastated and held, so that's what I wrote." Origin: Fan fiction communities; theorized by fan studies scholars including Aja Romano.
K
K-pop (noun, adjective) Korean popular music — broadly, the pop music industry centered in South Korea, characterized by polished production, choreographed performance, carefully managed idol personas, and highly organized fandom infrastructure. K-pop fandom has distinctive organizational practices (fan cafes, fansites, streaming campaigns) and vocabulary (see K-pop Fan Terms section). Example in context: "I got into K-pop through a BTS fancam in 2019 and I haven't been the same since." Origin: Widespread; the term has been used in English since the early 2000s.
kudos (noun, plural; also as verb) On Archive of Our Own: the equivalent of a "like" — a one-time, no-comment acknowledgment of appreciation for a fan work. Kudos are a form of fan community gift economy: they cost nothing and provide acknowledgment to creators. The distinction between kudos (no comment) and comment (requires engagement) reflects different levels of reader investment. Example in context: "Even if you don't have time to comment, leaving kudos means so much to writers — it takes two seconds." Origin: AO3 specifically; reflects the OTW's design choices for the archive.
L
lurker (noun) A community member who reads, views, or follows fan community activity without actively participating — without posting, commenting, or producing content. Lurking is extremely common and is not necessarily considered negative, though some communities actively encourage lurkers to participate. The lurker-to-poster ratio in most online communities is estimated at 90:10 or higher. Example in context: "I lurked in this fandom for two years before I worked up the nerve to comment on a fic." Origin: Online communities broadly; used across all fan community contexts.
lore (noun) The established backstory, history, and world-building details of a fictional property — the accumulated facts that make up the world's internal logic. Fans often engage intensively with lore: documenting it in wikis, debating its implications, and using it as a foundation for fan creative works. Example in context: "This fic is deeply lore-accurate — the author clearly read every piece of supplementary material." Origin: Gaming communities (where lore is particularly significant for world-building-heavy games); now widespread across all fandoms.
M
meta (noun, adjective) Fan-written analytical essays, arguments, and commentary about a canonical text — character analysis, thematic interpretation, critique of narrative choices, or theoretical application. Meta is a significant form of fan creative production that operates in an essayistic rather than narrative mode. The meta tradition in fan communities predates academic fan studies; some fan meta has reached scholarly quality. Example in context: "She writes the best Castiel meta — her analysis of his characterization across seasons is more rigorous than most academic TV criticism." Origin: Fan communities broadly; the term was well-established by the LiveJournal era (early 2000s).
mod (noun) A moderator — a community member who enforces community rules, manages community spaces, and handles conflict resolution. Being a mod is a form of significant fan community labor; mods are typically unpaid volunteers who invest substantial time in community governance. Example in context: "Take it to the mods — that's exactly what they're there for." Origin: Online community broadly; used across all fan community contexts. Note: in gaming contexts, "mod" also means modification (see Gaming Terms section).
multi-shipper (noun) A fan who ships multiple pairings for a character — as opposed to an OTP-focused shipper who is primarily invested in one pairing. Multi-shippers may appreciate different ships for different reasons and tend toward pluralism in shipping discourse. Example in context: "I'm a multi-shipper — I have an OTP but I can enjoy most ships for this character." Origin: Shipping communities across fandoms.
mutual (noun) A person who follows you and whom you follow back on social media — a mutual follower. On Tumblr and Twitter, "a mutual" became shorthand for a fan community acquaintance or community member with whom one has an ongoing online social relationship. "Mutuals" often develop into genuine online friendships. Example in context: "A mutual I've been following for years finally followed back and now I'm unreasonably happy." Origin: Tumblr and Twitter fan communities; the social relationship concept is central to these platforms' social structure.
O
OC (Original Character; pronounced "O-C") A character created by a fan writer that does not exist in the canonical text — an invention of the fan creator. OCs appear in fan fiction when the story requires characters that canon does not provide. The quality and reception of OCs varies significantly in fan communities; some communities are warm toward well-crafted OCs, while others are skeptical or hostile toward "self-insert" OCs (characters read as stand-ins for the author). Example in context: "The OC in this fic is actually great — she has her own arc and doesn't overshadow the canonical characters." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms.
OOC (Out of Character; pronounced "O-O-C") Fan creative content — or a creator's canonical handling of a character — that is perceived as inconsistent with an established character's personality, values, or behavior. Accusations of OOC-ness are common in fan discourse; "that was so OOC" is a significant critique. Example in context: "The characterization in that fic felt really OOC to me — she wouldn't have made that choice." Origin: Fan fiction and roleplaying communities; one of the oldest critique categories.
OTP (One True Pairing; pronounced "O-T-P") The romantic pairing that a fan considers most important, most meaningful, or most invested in — the ship they care about above all others. Having a strong OTP is associated with intense fan investment and often with significant creative output (fan fiction, fan art) focused on that pairing. Example in context: "This ship is my OTP — I have been in this fandom for eight years specifically because of them." Origin: Fan fiction and shipping communities; one of the most widely used terms in fandom vocabulary.
otaku (noun; pronounced "oh-TAK-oo") In Japanese: originally a somewhat derogatory term for someone with obsessive hobbies; now used more neutrally or positively within fan communities, especially anime and manga communities. In English, used to describe intense fans of anime, manga, and Japanese popular culture, often with a self-identifying positive connotation. Example in context: "She describes herself as an otaku and has been collecting figures for fifteen years." Origin: Japanese; widely adopted in English-language anime fan communities.
P
pining (noun, adjective; also "mutual pining") A romantic trope in which characters have feelings for each other but do not act on them — typically due to misunderstanding, self-doubt, fear of rejection, or external circumstances. Pining is one of the most beloved tropes in fan fiction; "mutual pining" (where both characters want each other but neither confesses) is particularly popular. Example in context: "Mutual pining where they're both obviously in love and everyone around them can see it except each other — yes, I will read this." Origin: Fan fiction and shipping communities; standard AO3 tag.
platonic (adjective) Fan creative content involving deep non-romantic, non-sexual connection between characters — friendship, chosen family, or intense emotional bond without romantic framing. Platonic content is significant for fans who value relationship dynamics outside of shipping; "platonic OTP" is used to describe a beloved non-romantic pairing. Example in context: "The platonic version of this relationship is actually better than any ship interpretation — they're just each other's person." Origin: Fan communities across fandoms; adapts the philosophical term.
POV (Point of View; pronounced as letters "P-O-V") The narrative perspective of a fan fiction story — whose internal experience the story is told from. "POV [character]" is a common tag indicating which character's perspective the story inhabits. Fan fiction allows readers to inhabit characters' inner lives in ways that canonical texts often do not. Example in context: "I usually prefer outsider POV — seeing the main couple through a secondary character's eyes can be so effective." Origin: Widespread in fan fiction; borrows from standard literary terminology.
proship (noun, adjective) The position that all ships — including controversial, morally complex, or problematic pairings — should be permissible as fan creative subjects, and that people should not be harassed for their shipping preferences. Proship is a contested position in fan communities; it is typically invoked as a defense of creative pluralism against what proship advocates see as excessive policing, but its critics argue that it is sometimes used to defend content that causes community harm. Example in context: "She's proship, meaning she thinks people should be able to write whatever ships they want without harassment." Origin: Fan fiction communities; emerged as a distinct position label in the 2010s in response to anti-harassment campaigns directed at shippers.
protective (adjective, used as a tag) A fan fiction trope in which a character is protective of another — defending them, caring for them, or acting as a guardian figure. "Protective [character]" is one of the most common AO3 tags. The protective trope often involves a character showing a different, more vulnerable or caring side than they display in canon. Example in context: "I need protective Natasha content where she goes feral if anyone threatens her team." Origin: Fan fiction communities across fandoms.
PWP (Plot What Plot; also "Porn Without Plot"; pronounced "P-W-P") Fan fiction in which explicit sexual content is the primary focus and narrative plot is minimal or absent. The term is both self-deprecating and accurate: PWP acknowledges that the story prioritizes the sexual content over narrative structure. Example in context: "This is tagged PWP — don't go in expecting character development, just the content." Origin: Fan fiction communities; one of the oldest genre categories.
R
rarepair (noun; also "rare pair") A ship involving characters whose pairing is unusual, uncommon, or non-obvious within a fandom — a pairing with relatively little existing fan content compared to more popular ships. Rarepair fans often celebrate the freedom from larger fandom dynamics and the challenge of building something with less existing material to draw on. Example in context: "I'm deep in the rarepair mines — there are 47 fics for this ship total and I've read all of them." Origin: Fan fiction communities; common in AO3 culture.
repost (noun and verb) Sharing another fan's creative work in a new location — potentially without credit, without permission, or in a way the creator did not intend. Reposting without credit is considered a significant ethical violation in fan communities; fan community norms typically require permission and attribution for reposting. Example in context: "She found her art reposted without credit on three different accounts — this is why the community has to be better about this." Origin: Online communities broadly; particularly significant in fan art communities.
roleplay (noun and verb; abbreviated "RP") Fan community activity in which participants embody characters and collaboratively write or perform scenarios. Roleplay can take many forms: "mun" and "muse" (player and character) roleplay on Tumblr, live-action roleplay (LARP), tabletop roleplay (TTRPG), and forum or Discord roleplay. Fan roleplay communities develop their own governance norms and practices. Example in context: "She runs a Supernatural roleplay Discord with about 200 active members." Origin: Tabletop and LARP communities; adapted by fan communities across platforms.
RPF (Real Person Fiction; pronounced "R-P-F") Fan fiction featuring real people — typically celebrities, musicians, actors, or athletes — rather than fictional characters. RPF is one of the most contested subgenres of fan fiction: some fan communities prohibit it on privacy and dignity grounds; others treat it as a valid creative practice with its own long history. K-pop RPF (particularly BTS RPF in ARMY) is one of the largest categories on AO3. Example in context: "I read K-pop RPF but I don't read RPF for actors — my personal line is about public vs. private life." Origin: Fan fiction communities; has existed since at least the 1980s in music fandoms; K-pop RPF represents a significant contemporary form.
rule 34 (noun) The internet adage that "if it exists, there is pornography of it" — meaning that fan communities have produced explicit sexual content for essentially every fictional property, character, or concept. Less a rule than an observation about the scope of fan creative production. Example in context: "Rule 34 has been verified for every animated show I've ever liked, without exception." Origin: Internet culture broadly; widely known outside of fan communities.
S
ship (noun and verb) To "ship" is to want two characters to be in a romantic or sexual relationship — to root for a pairing. As a noun, "a ship" is a specific pairing that a fan endorses. The term comes from "relationship," shortening it to the final syllable. Ships are identified by portmanteau names (Destiel from Dean/Castiel), slash notation (Steve/Tony), or ship name tags. Example in context: "I ship this pairing so hard — everything about their dynamic works for me." Origin: Online fan communities of the late 1990s; "shipping" is one of the most central activities in fan community culture.
shipper (noun) A fan who ships a particular pairing — or more broadly, a fan who is invested in the shipping aspects of fandom. Being a dedicated shipper for a pairing means producing, consuming, and advocating for fan content focused on that pairing. Example in context: "The shipper side of this fandom and the gen side don't always get along, but they're both huge." Origin: Fan communities; derives from "ship."
slash (noun, adjective) Fan fiction or fan art featuring a romantic or sexual relationship between male characters — named after the forward slash used in pairing notation (e.g., Kirk/Spock). Slash emerged in Star Trek fandom in the 1970s and remains one of the most significant and studied subgenres of fan fiction. The term now sometimes covers any queer pairing in fan fiction, though "femslash" is used specifically for female/female pairings. Example in context: "She got into fandom through slash fiction in the 90s and has been writing it ever since." Origin: Star Trek fandom, 1970s; now widely used across fan fiction communities.
smut (noun) Explicit sexual fan fiction content. The term is informal and largely non-pejorative within fan communities, used descriptively rather than critically. "Smut" is a common AO3 tag; "pure smut" indicates content in which explicit sexual content is the primary or exclusive focus. Example in context: "I need smut tagged separately so I can filter it in or out depending on my mood." Origin: Fan fiction communities; adapts the mainstream English term.
stanning (verb; "stan" as noun) Intense, devoted, and vocal fan support for a performer, character, or property. As a noun, "a stan" is a highly invested and publicly visible fan. The term comes from Eminem's 2000 song "Stan" about an obsessive fan. In contemporary usage, "stan" and "stanning" are often used positively within fan communities to describe enthusiastic support. Example in context: "I stan this band unapologetically — they've earned it." Origin: Music fan communities, from Eminem's "Stan" (2000); now widespread across all fan communities.
T
thirst tweet (noun) A social media post expressing explicit or enthusiastic sexual or aesthetic attraction to a real person (typically a celebrity). Thirst tweets are a form of fan community expression that occupies the borderline between public cultural commentary and private expression made public. Example in context: "Celebrity thirst tweets went mainstream around 2015 and now every fan community has them." Origin: Twitter fan communities; widespread from approximately 2015.
thread (noun) On Twitter/X or other social media platforms: a series of connected posts that form an extended argument, story, or collection. Fan communities use threads for: meta analysis, thirst posts, fic links, streaming guides, and community organizing. The thread format enables long-form content on character-limited platforms. Example in context: "There's a thread going around with every instance of protective behavior in the show — it's up to 47 entries." Origin: Twitter fan communities; the term comes from email/forum culture.
tinhatter (noun; also "tinhat") A fan who holds a conspiratorial belief about the real-life relationship between two celebrities — typically believing that they are secretly romantically involved and that the evidence is being suppressed. The term is pejorative within fan communities; it is used to distinguish irrational belief from evidence-based fan theory. The "tinfoil hat" conspiracy metaphor is the origin. Example in context: "The tinhatter side of that fandom has been convinced of that real-person ship for ten years despite all evidence." Origin: Fan communities; the term is a self-policing mechanism against parasocial entitlement.
trigger warning (noun; abbreviated "TW" or "CW" [content warning]) A tag or note alerting readers to the presence of potentially distressing content — trauma triggers, graphic violence, suicide, sexual assault, etc. — so that readers can make informed choices about whether to engage. The practice of content warnings developed in fan communities before it was widely adopted in other online spaces; it remains a standard community norm. Example in context: "The fic has content warnings for suicide ideation in the author's note — read the tags." Origin: Fan communities and online activist communities; spread to wider use from these origins.
trope (noun) A recurring narrative convention, character type, or plot structure that appears across many fan works. Tropes are not pejorative in fan community usage — they are recognized, valued, and often specifically sought out by readers. Fan tropes include: coffeeshop AU, hurt/comfort, pining, found family, fake dating, enemies to lovers, soulmates, and hundreds of others. Much of fan community discussion involves identifying, celebrating, and analyzing tropes. Example in context: "Fake dating is my favorite trope because the moment they realize it's not fake anymore is always perfect." Origin: Fan communities; adapts the literary/rhetorical usage.
W
wank (noun) Drama, conflict, or controversy within a fan community — particularly conflict that generates significant online attention, participation, and heat. "Fandom wank" refers to community-wide dramatic events; "shipping wank" refers to conflict between fans of different ships. The term is usually informal and slightly dismissive. Example in context: "There was major wank last week when someone posted a controversial take about the finale." Origin: Fan communities; the term was popularized by the LiveJournal community "Fandom Wank" (early 2000s), which documented and archived fandom conflict events.
wattpad (noun, proper; used generically) The Wattpad platform, or fan fiction published on it. Wattpad is a publishing platform distinct from AO3 in its community culture, interface, and content policies; it has a significant share of the fan fiction market, particularly among younger writers and readers and among non-MCU Western media fandoms. Sometimes used as a pejorative for a perceived lower standard of fan fiction quality (unfairly, critics argue). Example in context: "This fic has the energy of an early Wattpad One Direction fic and I mean that in the most affectionate way." Origin: Fan fiction communities; Wattpad launched in 2006.
whump (noun, adjective) Fan fiction or fan art that focuses on a character being in pain, suffering, or in a state of physical or emotional distress — with the focus on the hurt state itself rather than on the resolution. Whump is related to H/C but may be more extended in its suffering phase; whump enthusiasts (affectionately called "whump goblins" in some communities) specifically seek out suffering-focused content. Example in context: "She's a whump writer — every fic has someone getting hurt and the focus is on the hurt, not the recovery." Origin: Fan fiction communities; the term has become prominent particularly in the 2010s–2020s.
WIP (Work in Progress; pronounced "W-I-P" or as a word "wip") A fan fiction story that is not yet complete — still being written and posted in installments. WIPs are a significant and often anxiety-inducing category for fan readers, who must decide whether to follow a WIP as it is posted (risking the author abandoning it) or wait until it is complete. Example in context: "I'm following three WIPs right now and it's causing me real distress — I'm too invested to stop but too anxious to check for updates." Origin: Fan fiction communities; widespread.
woobie (noun) A character who is endearing precisely because of their vulnerability, suffering, and general having-everything-go-wrong — a character the fan community wants to protect, comfort, and see happy. The woobie is not a victim in a narrative sense but in an affective one: the character whose suffering generates protective feelings in fans. Example in context: "He's the ultimate woobie — every season gives him more trauma and the fandom writes comfort fic for him without stopping." Origin: Fan communities; the term may derive from a childhood comfort object ("wuby/woobie" as a soft blanket or toy).
Y
yaoi (noun, adjective; pronounced "yah-OY") A genre of Japanese manga and anime featuring romantic and sexual relationships between male characters, created primarily for a female audience. In Western fan communities, yaoi refers to this genre and to fan fiction that draws on its conventions. The term is somewhat dated in contemporary Western fandom, where "slash" or "BL" (boys' love) are more commonly used. Example in context: "Her introduction to slash was through yaoi manga before she found Western fan fiction." Origin: Japanese manga/anime culture; widely adopted in anime fan communities globally.
yuri (noun, adjective; pronounced "yoo-REE") The female-equivalent of yaoi — Japanese manga and anime featuring romantic and sexual relationships between female characters. In Western fan communities, the term refers to this genre and to fan fiction drawing on its conventions. "Femslash" is more commonly used in Western fan fiction contexts. Example in context: "The yuri fandom is smaller but incredibly dedicated — there's a lot of excellent long-form content." Origin: Japanese manga/anime culture; widely adopted in anime fan communities.
Special Section 1: Platform-Specific Terms
AO3-Specific Terms
archive lock — AO3 content visible only to registered AO3 users; authors can choose to lock their work.
bookmarks — AO3's system for readers to save and annotate fan works; public bookmarks can function as informal recommendations.
collections — Curated groups of works on AO3 organized by theme, gift exchange, or community project.
complete / incomplete — AO3 markers indicating whether a multi-chapter work is finished or ongoing (WIP).
gift exchange — A community event in which participants write fan works for assigned recipients; AO3's built-in collection tools support many gift exchanges, including the prominent Yuletide (rare fandom exchange).
hit count — AO3's public view counter for individual works; a metric of community attention that is visible on the work's page.
relationship tag — AO3's standardized tagging for pairings, distinguishing "/" (romantic/sexual) from "&" (platonic).
tag wrangling — The volunteer work of organizing, merging, and standardizing AO3's tagging system; tag wranglers are a significant category of OTW volunteer labor.
Tumblr-Specific Terms
dash / the dash — Tumblr's primary feed, showing posts from accounts you follow and tagged content you follow; where Tumblr fan community life primarily occurs.
hellsite — An affectionate nickname for Tumblr, acknowledging both its dysfunctional features and its community's attachment to it.
note count — The accumulated total of reblogs, likes, and comments on a Tumblr post; high note counts indicate viral spread.
reblog chain — A Tumblr post that has accumulated commentary through the reblog process, showing a conversation or escalating humor across multiple users' additions.
sideblog — A secondary Tumblr blog attached to a primary account; many fans maintain fandom-specific sideblogs to keep their fan content separate from other interests.
Twitter/X-Specific Terms
QRT (Quote Retweet) — Sharing another post while adding your own commentary; used in fan community for analysis, response, and viral commentary chains.
ratio'd — When a post receives significantly more replies/QRTs than likes, indicating the post is controversial or widely disagreed with.
subtweet — A post that refers to a person, ship, or community debate without naming it directly; common in fan shipping discourse.
Twitter fandom — The specific culture of fan community activity on Twitter, characterized by real-time collective response, trending events, and the viral spread of fancams and GIFs.
Discord-Specific Terms
bot — An automated service in a Discord server that performs functions like music playback, role assignment, or content moderation.
channel — A specific discussion space within a Discord server, organized by topic; servers typically have multiple channels.
DM / PM — Direct Message / Private Message; private one-on-one communication outside of server channels.
nitro — Discord's paid subscription service, which enables custom emotes, better upload limits, and other features; some fan community members purchase Nitro to enhance their community participation.
ping — To directly notify someone in a Discord server through mention (@user); also used as a verb. Fan community servers often have norms about when pinging is appropriate.
role — A Discord server designation that assigns permissions, identity markers, and channel access to specific members; fan community servers often use roles for ship preferences, content comfort levels, and community positions.
Reddit-Specific Terms
OP (Original Poster) — The person who originally posted the content being discussed in a thread.
saved / crossposted — Archiving a post for personal reference or sharing it in multiple subreddits.
subreddit — A specific community within Reddit organized around a topic; fan communities organize into subreddits (r/MCU, r/Supernatural, etc.).
upvote / downvote — Reddit's community-governed content sorting mechanism; controversial fan opinions often receive significant downvotes.
Special Section 2: K-Pop Fan Terms
bias — A fan's favorite member of a K-pop group — the member they are most invested in and attracted to. Having a bias is standard in K-pop fan culture; "bias wrecker" refers to a member who threatens to displace your bias.
comeback — A K-pop group's return to promotional activity after a period without new releases — typically including new music, music videos, and scheduled appearances. Comebacks are the central events around which K-pop fan community activity organizes.
fancafe — Official fan community platforms operated by K-pop entertainment companies, particularly popular in South Korea; fancafe membership is a form of official fan recognition and provides access to exclusive content. Naver fancafe and Weverse are primary fancafe platforms.
fansign — A small-scale event in which K-pop fans can meet idol group members in person, often won through album purchase lotteries. Fansign events are among the most valued fan experiences in K-pop culture and are the subject of significant fan organizational activity.
fansite — A fan-operated social media account dedicated to documenting a specific K-pop idol through high-quality photography and video. Fan site operators invest significant resources in their documentation work; see Document 7 in Appendix E for a representative fan site photography policy.
idol — A K-pop entertainer who is the focus of fan community attachment — typically a member of a group. The "idol" system in Korean entertainment involves specific parasocial relationship frameworks designed into the performer-fan relationship.
lightstick — An official, brand-specific illuminated device sold by K-pop entertainment companies for fan use at concerts, producing synchronized light shows. Lightsticks are a significant piece of fan material culture; each group has a distinctive lightstick design.
maknae — The youngest member of a K-pop group, a recognized social role with associated fan community narratives and affection.
Melon — A major South Korean digital music streaming platform, with its charts (Melon Chart) being significant metrics for K-pop commercial success; fan streaming campaigns often target Melon specifically.
MV — Music video; the primary visual format of K-pop comebacks and a central text for fan community analysis, GIF production, and fancam editing.
sasaeng (pronounced "sah-SENG") — An extremely invasive K-pop fan who stalks, surveil, or attempts to physically approach idols in ways that violate their privacy and safety. Sasaeng behavior is widely condemned within fan communities including ARMY. The term is important for distinguishing dedicated fan behavior from abusive behavior.
skz / army / ahgase / carat — Fandom names: SKZ = Stray Kids fandom; ARMY = BTS fandom (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth); Ahgase = GOT7 fandom; Carat = SEVENTEEN fandom. Each K-pop group has an official fandom name.
Weverse — A fan community platform operated by HYBE (BTS's entertainment company) that provides direct communication between artists and fans; posting on Weverse is a form of authorized parasocial communication.
Special Section 3: Gaming/Esports Terms
achievement hunter — A player who focuses on earning in-game achievements or trophies, often as a form of completionism and community recognition.
any% — A speedrunning category where the goal is to complete the game as fast as possible using any means; contrast with "100%" (complete everything) or "glitchless" (no glitches allowed).
clipping / clip — Recording and sharing a memorable gaming moment; clips are a major form of gaming fan content on Twitch and YouTube.
emotes — Animated expressions used in Twitch chat by subscribers; specific emotes (PogChamp, KEKW, OMEGALUL) develop into community-specific expressions with layered meanings.
GDQ (Games Done Quick) — Semi-annual charity speedrunning marathon events (Awesome Games Done Quick and Summer Games Done Quick) that have become major fan community events. GDQ represents the fan community organizing its expertise (speedrunning) for charitable purposes.
glitch — An unintended game mechanic exploited by speedrunners and other players; discovering and categorizing glitches is a significant form of fan community knowledge production.
grief / griefing — Deliberate harassment of other players within a game — sabotaging teammates, interfering with others' gameplay, creating distressing experiences. Griefing is a major community governance challenge in gaming communities.
let's play — A genre of gaming video content in which a player records and comments on their gameplay, often with personality-driven narration; Let's Plays are the parasocial backbone of YouTube gaming culture.
mod (in gaming contexts) — A modification to a game made by fans, ranging from small changes to complete overhauls. Fan modding is a significant form of fan creative labor; some games (Minecraft, Skyrim, The Sims) have enormous mod communities.
meta (in gaming contexts) — The current optimal strategies, character builds, or playstyles in a competitive game. "The meta" changes with game patches and community analysis; tracking and debating the meta is a significant form of gaming fan community engagement.
no-clip — Moving through walls and other surfaces using unintended game mechanics; a type of glitch.
rogue / roguelike / roguelite — Game genre terms derived from the 1980 game Rogue; roguelikes feature procedurally generated content and permadeath. These genre terms originated in fan communities before being adopted commercially.
speedrun — Completing a game as fast as possible, often using sophisticated techniques. Speedrunning communities develop extensive knowledge of game mechanics and constitute significant fan creative communities. Speedruns are documented, categorized, and archived as a form of fan knowledge production.
sub — On Twitch: a subscription to a streamer's channel; subscribers pay monthly fees in exchange for emotes, ad-free viewing, and implicit social membership in the streamer's community. The sub relationship is the primary economic unit of the parasocial streaming economy.
tier list — A ranking of characters, items, or strategies in a game from best (S-tier) to worst (D or F-tier); creating and debating tier lists is a significant form of gaming community discussion.
Twitch chat — The real-time chat alongside Twitch streams; Twitch chat has developed its own culture, vocabulary (emotes, memes), and community practices that are distinct from other online fan community spaces.
End of Appendix H