i’m a long-time fic writer, reader and amateur ao3 anthropologist. i find the social complexities of ao3 both fascinating and massively angst-inducing, and i tend to overthink every aspect of it.
i decided recently that i may as well embrace the overthinking, write these thoughts down and give them a place of their own. it’s been a comfort to discover that there are others for whom these thoughts resonate. apparently there are many fellow overthinkers here.
(if you’d like to share your own ao3 angst or anxieties, please feel free to post them in the postbox via the ask function, anonymously if that’s easier. not sure if i’ll be able to help but i’ll probably definitely be able to commiserate).
A little bit of blog housekeeping:
I don’t generally follow people or reblog. it’s not personal, I just can’t handle Tumblr anxiety on top of ao3 anxiety
I usually post once a day, tops
Anonymous asks are always welcome (although it might take me a few days to reply because I like to overthink consider things properly)
Thursdays are reserved for Hot Take Thursday, where I share one mildly controversial fandom opinion, immediately get nervous about it, and then remind myself that it’s ok to have opinions. other perspectives are always appreciated.
the mild heartache of leaving a kudos on chapter 1 and then discovering, five chapters later, that the story has taken so unexpected and problematic a turn that you find yourself staring at your own pseudonym like:
I would like the record to show that I did not know where this was going.
So I've finished a fic for the first time ever and am already writing the sequel to it. The problem is, is that I'm tying up loose ends so fast in my story that I'm running out of conflicts lol. Should I rewrite my story and stretch out the take downs of things going wrong, or should I just accept my short sequel? I'm honestly pretty happy with how it's going so far, I'm 10 chapters deep in.
Hey @sunflowergames23 First of all, congratulations on finishing your first fic! That’s a great achievement 🌟
Thanks for your message. If I’m understanding correctly, you’re asking whether you should go back and rewrite the original story to leave more unresolved problems for the sequel? (Please correct me if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick!)
These are just my thoughts so feel free to take with a pinch of salt… but personally, if you’re already 10 chapters into the sequel (which sounds like a pretty decent amount!) and you’re happy with how it’s going, I probably wouldn’t rewrite the first story.
One thing I’ve realised as a reader is that I experience completed fics differently from works in progress. Once a story is marked complete, I tend to assume that’s the version that will remain. That’s the version I enjoyed and have given kudos and bookmarks and comments to.
That’s not to say authors can’t edit typos, fix mistakes or make small tweaks. I do that tons. It’s their work and they’re absolutely entitled to do whatever they like with it. I think part of what makes ao3 interesting is that it’s both a publishing platform and an archive. A fic can feel like a living document from the author’s perspective, while feeling like a completed story from the reader’s.
I also think there’s also a difference between editing and rewriting. Fixing typos or smoothing awkward sentences still feels like the same story. Rewriting major scenes, adding new scenes, altering character arcs or the plot etc. can start to feel more like a new edition of the work.
(This happened to one of my favourite fics, and it felt a little bit jarring because I didn’t just read the fic, I also commented on each chapter, kudosed it, and formed memories around it. It was a bit disorientating to come back and find comments discussing scenes that no longer existed or emotional beats that had been substantially rewritten. My favourite line had disappeared 😭 The rewrites continued, and now it feels less like the story has been edited and more like it has been replaced…
maybe I’ll have to write a separate post about this and develop these thoughts more…)
All that to say, if you’re already happy with the original fic, I don’t think you should feel pressured to rewrite it just because you’re worried you’ve tied things up too efficiently. Not every sequel needs to be longer than the first fic. Sometimes the conflict has genuinely been resolved, and that’s a sign the story did what it set out to do.
If you’re enjoying the sequel and it’s heading towards a shorter ending than you expected, I’d trust that instinct. Stories don’t have to justify their length, they just have to tell the story they came to tell.
Hope this helps a bit. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to think more about this, the whole topic is really interesting. Feel free to push back on anything I’ve said.
(And if anyone reading this would like to add their two pennies worth, please do so).
I feel a little torn about reading "too much" in the same category I'm writing for. It's relatively niche, so I'd like to support new authors who don't have much engagement (my works also don't have much atm), yet at the same time, I feel many insecurities: what if they do it so much better and I'm discouraged? what if I encounter an idea that sounds too similar to mine? What if I subconsciously take over an idea I read somewhere else?
Hi gentle anon, thanks for sharing this. I’m sure many people will be able to relate. I totally can!
(i’m going to write some of my thoughts in bullet points if that’s ok because it helps me organise my thoughts better)
what if they do it so much better and I'm discouraged?
I’ve totally had that feeling where I read someone’s fic and it’s so amazing that I’m just like, “Well, I’m never going to be able to write something that good like ever, so I might as well not even try, and also, why would others even want to read my lesser version when they have something so much better already?”
I think that’s probably a form of imposter syndrome, even famous published authors get it. It seems to be one of those things that a lot of writers experience.
But here’s the thing: you, gentle person behind this anon, are unique. There is no one else in the whole world like you. No one who notices the same things you notice, cares about the same details you care about, or tells stories in quite the same way.
That means that only you are uniquely qualified to tell your version of an idea. Your story is a unique expression of you.
And gradually you will find people who resonate with the things you write about and how you write about them, and you’ll hopefully have connection and feel seen.
2. what if I encounter an idea that sounds too similar to mine?
With the similarities thing, yeah that could potentially happen. There are only so many ideas in the world, and think when you write for a small or niche fandom or category, it’s inevitable you’l have similar ideas.
Have you heard of the Two Cakes thing? (someone’s done a cartoon below)
💬 367 🔁 85577 ❤️ 172235 · I assure you: somebody, somewhere, is on the exact same wavelength as you are.
It’s the idea that a writer spends ages making a cake (i.e a story), only to discover somebody else has already made one. The writer is sad because they think nobody will want theirs, and that it’s unnecessary.
Meanwhile the happy readers are standing there going:
“Wow, two cakes!”
Your fic isn’t going to be a carbon copy of somebody else’s. You’ll tell it differently, focus on different moments. Different details will matter to you. The story will be shaped by your experiences, your interests and the particular things you love about the characters.
But I do get it though, it’s a bit awkward when you find someone has already written a fic with the same idea as you, and you don’t want to look like you’ve nicked their idea. Let’s walk it through -
So you read a fic that happens to be exploring the same idea that you’re already writing about. You could leave a comment on their fic, along the lines of:
“I’ve actually been thinking about the same idea myself and am working on a fic about it at the moment, so it was really great to stumble across this and see someone else’s take on it.”
Then, when posting your own fic, you could maybe mention a little of the backstory in your author’s note - what drew you to the idea, why you wanted to write it, what inspired you to explore it. (Not as proof of anything, but because readers often enjoy hearing where a story came from).
You could even give the other fic a shout-out by saying something in your author’s note like -
“While I was writing this, I happened to come across a fic by [author] that explored a similar idea from a different angle. If this premise interests you, I’d recommend checking it out.”
That way you’re acknowledging the existence of their fic, giving credit where it’s due, and being transparent about having seen it, without implying that it was the source of your own story.
3. What if I subconsciously take over an idea I read somewhere else?
To be honest, at some point you probably will.
I think the longer you spend in fandom, the more stories, headcanons, meta posts, fan art, conversations and stray discord observations you absorb. After a while it becomes almost impossible to trace where every individual thought or idea came from. (And we’re all writing stories inspired by the same source material anyway).
Most ideas are more like conversations that lots of people are having at once. Two writers can independently arrive at very similar concepts, or encounter the same idea and take it in completely different directions.
A healthy fandom ecosystem doesn’t thrive despite people building on each other’s ideas - it thrives because of it. Fanfiction is full of writers riffing on the same episodes, character dynamics, prompts, headcanons, and “what if?” questions. That’s part of what makes fandom fun - being influenced by other fans. I don’t think the goal is perfect creative isolation. Rather, it’s to engage honestly, create in good faith (and using the “inspired by”function on ao3 when you’re able to) and contribute something of your own to the conversation.
Just some additional thoughts to what you shared overall -
Some people love reading in their fandom while they write because it energises them and makes them feel connected to the community. Other people need a bit more distance because comparison or accidental influence stresses them out.
I think it’s less about what you’re “supposed” to do and more about working out what helps you stay excited about your own story.
(I have ebbs and flows where sometimes i have really low self-esteem, and I can’t read other people’s fics without feeling rubbish about myself or annoyed. And then I feel really guilty for not reading or leaving a comment. But i have to remind myself - there will be other people to encourage that writer, it’s not all down to me. Fandom is a community. Sometimes the kindest thing I can do - for myself and for everyone else - is take a step back from reading fics, and then return when I’m in a better place to genuinely enjoy what other people have made).
Neither of the above approaches are wrong. They’re just different ways of making sure you can keep creating and writing.
A closing thought - i think it’s great that you’re part of this niche category. A healthy fandom needs pollinators in order to grow and thrive - people moving through the ecosystem, carrying ideas, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives, and helping conversations and communities stay alive and connected. 🐝 🌸🌱
So don’t underestimate the value of what you bring simply by being there. You deserve to be there, and to contribute your fics and your versions of ideas. I think this little niche corner of your fandom is very lucky to have you.
Hope this helps a bit. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to think more about this interesting topic! Feel free to push back, or if i’ve misunderstood things.
(And if anyone reading this has anything to add, please do).
receive a short comment on my fic from a new commenter
am about to reply politely when i see the commenter’s icon
IT IS MY EX-BLORBO FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FANDOM!!!!!!!
become very excited and nostalgic.
but should i mention this in my reply?
or would that be taking too great a liberty?
(after all, this author-reader interaction is based on a shared appreciation of this current fandom. i do not wish to introduce a level of familiarity that has not yet been mutually established)
when authors take down a fic from AO3, file off the serial numbers and sell it as original fiction, it has the same emotional energy as somebody asking for a hand-made gift back after they discover it’s worth something 😔
receive a short comment on my fic from a new commenter
am about to reply politely when i see the commenter’s icon
IT IS MY EX-BLORBO FROM AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FANDOM!!!!!!!
become very excited and nostalgic.
but should i mention this in my reply?
or would that be taking too great a liberty?
(after all, this author-reader interaction is based on a shared appreciation of this current fandom. i do not wish to introduce a level of familiarity that has not yet been mutually established)
The AO3 relationship tagging option is very anxiety-inducing because it’s either:
Character A & Character B
(friendship, platonic)
or
Character A / Character B
(romantic/sexual)
but what if my fic exists in that third liminal space where there is growing Awareness and attraction between characters who are still technically friends?
How about a third symbol to represent this? Perhaps a tilde could be used.
Character A ~ Character B
(on their way but not quite there yet)
(this came out of a conversation in the comments on a previous post about an author threatening to stop updating a fic because of lack of engagement)
So there’s this idea that fic writers should write for themselves and not care too much about stats or engagement,
and i totally get the sentiment behind that. if writing becomes entirely about stats and external validation, something important does get lost - creative freedom and joy, conviction in your own writing
but i also think:
“i write for myself, but i post for others.”
because posting fic is not only self-expression. it’s social. ao3 is called an archive, but emotionally it often functions as a community space.
people post for connection, for participation, for others to bear witness to their pain and trauma and grief,
and i don’t think most people are asking to be admired so much as acknowledged. there’s something deeply human about wanting another person to encounter something that mattered to you and go:
“ok, yeah, I see what you were trying to say. I see you.”
especially because fanfic is often people processing very real feelings through fictional characters at a safe distance, one step removed,
and then uploading that deeply personal thing into a shared archive and hoping somebody else might connect with it.
And i think that’s why it hurts so much when you summon up the courage and post a fic into the void and you get nothing back,
i’m sorry i replied to your perfectly normal comment with an alarming amount of personal information, emotional oversharing and unsolicited behind-the-scenes details about my fic.
if you have already written your entire fic, please do not post one chapter a week for 10 consecutive weeks.
fandom time moves faster than real time. 10 weeks is practically a lifetime in fandom terms. by chapter 7 i may belong to another fandom altogether.
and even if i don’t, the human mind was not designed to sustain narrative continuity across these kinds of timescales. i can barely remember my own name from week to week.
so please, gentle author, i entreat you, post the entire fic at once.
