#ao3 tips

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

people who write their fics directly onto archive of our own site do not fear death by the way

in all seriousness, please always keep backups of your works, write them somewhere else (google doc is a good choice) then copy and paste onto ao3 when you're done, because ao3 itself does not automatically save your works for you, meaning you can lose all of your progress

[doctoralhashimi]

it's come to my attention that not enough people are aware of ao3's otp:true function, and if I'm going to evangelize about one thing, it's going to be this, so: searching "otp:true" under filters > search within results lets you filter results so that fics tagged solely with the main ship show up!

before:

after:

happy scrolling!

[baggnshield]

downloading a fic when ao3 dies (when you have the link)

looks like ao3 is down again and i was in the middle of a multi chapter fic when it died on me.

and if that happens to you, this is what you can do to download the fic:

copy paste https://download.archiveofourown.org/downloads/00000000/fic.html in your browser url

replace the pink bit with the number right after /works (that's the work id)

for instance, in https://archiveofourown.org/works/44970790/chapters/113154673 the highlighted bit (44970790) would be the number you swap for the 0s

the download link will look like https://download.archiveofourown.org/downloads/44970790/fic.html

if you want the fic to be downloaded as an epub instead, use .epub at the end of that link

it should start downloading on your device

i'm sure a bunch of people know this and use it but in case you don't, hope this helps

[booksandpaperss]

psa that there’s no reason to be shy or nervous abt commenting bc if an author genuinely did not want comments they would simply disable commenting on their end. if you have the capability to comment that means they’re welcome and that you should <3

[hepalien]

Hey rarepair shippers, I'm about to change your lives.

The AO3 Primary Ship Search add-on for Firefox (it's called AO3 First Tag Search for Chrome) adds this little checkbox to the AO3 advanced search page

And if you check the box, the search only returns fics where the pairing you entered is the first one tagged. This is better than the otp:true operator imo because it will show fics with secondary/background pairings too as long as your preferred ship is the main one.

You can even use the add-on in Firefox or Kiwi browser on Android mobile.

Have fun 😘

(more ao3 tips here)

[zirconpetals]

How to lock your fanfiction on ao3 in bulk

First go to your Profile

Scroll down until you see the "Edit my works" button

After clicking it you'll end up in the "Edit Multiple Works" section

Choose the works you want to lock. You can pick all of them or just the specific ones. Then click the "Edit" button.

Scroll down until the "Privacy" section. "Visibility" would have "Only show to registered users" option. This is what you need to choose to lock the fics.

You can change other stuff if you want, like maybe add comment moderation.

Click "Update All Works" to save.

There you go!

[fryingthepanwithapplesauce]

okay guys

AO3 ADD-ONS!!!!!!!!!

a guide by a newbie who knows nothing about code. please feel free to correct me and/or provide your own resources.

so if you're here at all you've likely heard of site skins on AO3. this is going to be your main "modifying medium" and the method that allows you to stay vanilla. the two other things I'll be talking about are bookmarklets, based in your bookmarks, and user scripts which you need an extension and sometimes a different browser to use. (BUT THEY'RE TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!!)

I'll be, in order, doing a quick explanation, helpful resources and a list of each kind of add-on. This is made by someone on a tablet, but a combination of common sense and provided resources should make doing this stuff on other devices fairly easy.

IF LIST ITEMS DO NOT HAVE CREDIT LISTED, I EITHER FORGOT, DON'T KNOW THE CREATOR, OR THE LINK IS TO THE CREATOR'S POST/WORK.

LIST ITEMS ARE LINKED ON THE COLORED TEXT

Site Skins!

What are they?

Site skins are the vanilla method of changing how your AO3 looks. Going to your dashboard and then skins [you need an account to use skins], you can see a list of your skins and public ones. The most popular, and likely the only skins you've seen before, primarily change the appearance of AO3. However, there is another kind of site skin that I've decided to call 'functional skins'. Functional skins differ from decorative skins in that they change things beyond font and color. My primary examples are perma-blocking tags, shortening blurb tags and adding a scroll bar, and replacing the (rating, relationships, etc.) icons with writing providing the same information.

To create a functional site skin, simply create a new skin and copy and paste your code below the CSS header! (the skin upon creation should automatically be set to a site skin with the CSS code box.)

To use a functional site skin in conjunction with a decorative site skin, set the F skin as the D's parent skin under "Advanced" in the D skin editor. If it doesn't immediately work, try flipping the parent chain around. If that doesn't work, your decorative skin might somehow block the function. (this is sadly the case with one of my functional skins.)

Resources

The best resources I can give you for site skins are Tumblr users @ao3commentoftheday and @ao3skin ! (sorry for the tag!!) Not only do they have a lot of decorative skins, they also both have functional skins!

The List

- warnings/rating/etc icons in text form

(I never really memorized the icon meanings so this is both easier for me to understand and is still colorful! I did change the text color to be lighter to work with my dark theme, though)

- shortens tag section and adds tag scroller

li.blurb .tags {

max-height: 7.5em;

overflow-y: auto;

}

(genuinely don't know where I found this one nor the link to it so here; very useful in preventing tag walls while browsing)

- perma-blocks tags (you won't have to filter them!)

(SO SOS SO SO SO AWESOME! haven't finished my list yet since it's (in my opinion) a bit tedious but definitely worth it and not all that difficult)

- rainbow text!!!

(very pretty! works with my decorative skin, too!)

- changes the color of links you've visited

(neat, but doesn't work with my deco skin :[ wanna try to figure out why!)

- my current decorative skin :]

(it glowy!!!!! prebby!!!!! need I say more)

Bookmarklets!

What are they?

Bookmarklets are bookmarks! But with javascript and therefore funky functions. Genuinely don't know how to explain them, nor how to free hand but the javascript from my understanding goes certain places in the bookmark's URL.

Resources

Again, I know nothing about javascript and therefore.... can only provide you a couple handy bookmarklets myself!

The List

- replaces y/n with specified name

(what it says on the tin! haven't tried this one out since I don't read y/n docs but it seemed helpful.)

- saved filters

(I should NOT need to explain why this one is awesome. seriously guys it's awesome)

- saved filters specifically filtering out smut tags

javascript:(function(){const%20urlWithFilters="https://archiveofourown.org/works?commit=Sort+and+Filter&work_search%5Bsort_column%5D=revised_at&work_search%5Bother_tag_names%5D=&exclude_work_search%5Barchive_warning_ids%5D%5B%5D=19&exclude_work_search%5Barchive_warning_ids%5D%5B%5D=20&work_search%5Bexcluded_tag_names%5D=Smut%2CEventual+Smut%2CShameless+Smut%2CMild+Smut%2CSex%2CAnal+Sex%2COral+Sex%2CUnderage+Sex%2CVaginal+Sex%2CRough+Sex%2CSex+Toys%2CGay+Sex%2CRobot+Sex%2CPorn%2CPlot+What+Plot%2FPorn+Without+Plot%2CPorn+with+Feelings%2CPorn+With+Plot%2CIdentity+Porn%2CAngst+and+Porn%2CMasturbation%2CPraise+Kink%2CDaddy+Kink%2CSize+Kink%2CBreeding+Kink%2CBlood+Kink%2CMommy+Kink%2CVoice+Kink%2CExplicit+Sexual+Content%2CImplied+Sexual+Content%2CSexual+Tension%2CSexual+Content%2CUnresolved+Sexual+Tension%2CMild+Sexual+Content%2CNon-Explicit+Sex%2CImplied%2FReferenced+Sex%2CSemi-Public+Sex%2CPublic+Sex%2CPenis+In+Vagina+Sex%2CLesbian+Sex%2CUnderage+Sex+-+Freeform%2CShower+Sex%2CDrunk+Sex%2CPegging%2CRimming&work_search%5Bcrossover%5D=&work_search%5Bcomplete%5D=&work_search%5Bwords_from%5D=&work_search%5Bwords_to%5D=&work_search%5Bdate_from%5D=&work_search%5Bdate_to%5D=&work_search%5Bquery%5D=&work_search%5Blanguage_id%5D=&tag_id=Spider-Man+-+All+Media+Types%22;if(urlWithFilters){const%20filterParams=new%20URL(urlWithFilters).searchParams;const%20page=window.location.pathname.slice(0,-1).split(%22/%22).pop().replace(%22s%22,%22%22);if(window.location.hostname==%22archiveofourown.org%22&&(page==%22work%22||page==%22bookmark%22)){const%20filters=new%20URLSearchParams(window.location.search);for(let[key,value]of%20filterParams){if(value.length){if(!key.includes(page)&&(key.includes(%22clude_%22)||key.includes(%22lang%22)||(key.includes(%22sort_%22)&&(value==%22revised_at%22||value==%22bookmarkable_date%22))||(key.includes(%22_tag%22)&&!key.includes(%22mark_tag%22))||(key.includes(%22query%22)&&!key.includes(%22mark_query%22)))){key=key.replace(/(work_search|bookmark_search)/,page+%22_search%22);key=key.includes(%22bookmarkable_query%22)?key.replace(%22bookmarkable_%22,%22%22):key.replace(%22query%22,%22bookmarkable_query%22);value=value==%22revised_at%22?%22bookmarkable_date%22:value.replace(%22bookmarkable_date%22,%22revised_at%22);}if(!filters.getAll(key).includes(value)&&key.includes(page+%22_search%22)){if(filters.get(key)==null||filters.get(key)==%22%22||((key.includes(%22rec%22)||key.includes(%22_notes%22))&&filters.get(key)==0)||(key.includes(%22sort_%22)&&(filters.get(key)==%22revised_at%22||(key.includes(%22mark_%22)&&filters.get(key)==%22created_at%22)))){filters.set(key,value);}else%20if(!(key.startsWith(page)||(key.startsWith(%22include_%22)&&key.includes(%22rating_ids%22)))){filters.append(key,value);}else%20if(key.includes(%22_tag_names%22)){filters.set(key,filters.get(key)+%22,%22+value);}else%20if(key.includes(%22query%22)){filters.set(key,filters.get(key)+%22%20%22+value);}}}}if(%22?%22+filters.toString()!=window.location.search){window.location.search=filters.toString();}}}})();

(This is my personal use of the last one listed! this is not an exhaustive filtering out but it's that many more that you won't have to type out next time. COPY AND PASTE THE TEXT ABOVE INTO AN EMPTY BOOKMARK'S URL TO USE!)

User Scripts!

What are they?

User scripts are where it gets spicy. They're outside the site, so can modify it beyond appearance, add new features and generally do stuff the other options can't.

To use a user script, you need a script manager extension, and some browsers don't support extensions (cough CHROME cough). Fear not, though! It's easy to download other browsers and find compatible script managers.

Resources

A good basic guide to scripts! Greasy Fork

A good, fairly universal script manager! Tampermonkey (search for downloading on your current browser)

A list of AO3-specific user scripts! Greasy Fork

The List

- adds Marked for Later button to work blurbs while browsing and on the home page/top of the screen

- recommends fics based on certain tag combos in a work

- adds download button to work blurbs while browsing

- allows filtering bookmarks by length

- assigns length to works and compares them to a list of published novels' lengths

- removes kudos button when you've already left kudos

- floaty reviewer box! for writing comments as you read

- when browsing, collapses blurbs of works that are later than part 1 in a series

- rearrange the tag order when editing works and bookmarks

- puts a badge in the menu when you have unread inbox stuff

- easy interface for formatting comments with HTML

- style editor, blacklist, bookmarks that mark your exact place, good all-in-one

(you can disable functions you don't want/need for this one ↑)

- score calculators based on kudos/hits ratio and chapters and a more complicated "engagement score"

(I more use these scores out of curiosity than anything)

Enfin!

Thank you for reading my guide! I don't usually do stuff like this but I suspect I'm hyperfixated. I'm very tired, worked pretty hard on this and it's currently past midnight for me so if this was helpful please share it!!!! All credit due to the respective creators in here.

[peachesbloominspring]

Level up your writing skills in English - Dialogue Punctuation

A guide for those whose first language is not English (pro tips at the end)

Well, this is maybe the most that the new authors struggle with. As any other language, English also has its own rules for dialogues and I bet you could find them on the net as well, but if you want it short - here I am.

First things first, we use ‘’ and “” for dialogues in English and never ‘—‘ or ‘–‘ or spaces or just ‘start new line’. We need to indicate the people are speaking. ‘’ - for thoughts and “” - for speaking.

‘I was dancing with him.’ - I understand it’s in the character’s head.

“I was dancing with him.” - I understand the character says it out loud.

The next part is punctuation. I know, a lot of you maybe struggle with all these commas and no commas at the end, at the beginning, dialogue tags and stuff, but, believe me, it’s not as hard as it seems. So, what is important to remember is that we use commas with things that we do with our mouth or verbally and full stops with actions.

“It was quite interesting,” she said.

Look, comma is inside the “” and ‘said’ is something she does with her mouth or verbally.

“It was not so easy.” She moved closer to the table.

Look, full stops is inside the “” and ‘she’ is written in the capital, because ‘she moved closer to the table’ is not something she could do with her mouth or verbally.

Also, do not forget to start each character’s speaking from the new line, so it doesn’t look like a mess.

“I came here from the north.” He put his gloves on the table.

“Me too,” she agreed.

Look, 2 characters speaking, each of them having their own line. Also, notice that the first one is doing action, which is why there’s a full stop at the end, and the second one is agreeing - which is something we could do with our mouth or verbally and - which is why we have comma at the end.

The other thing to remember is that ‘…’ is not interrupting. It’s about the words slowly fading as the character speaks. If you want to show that the person was interrupted - use ‘—‘.

“I wasn’t sure whether to go…” Jake answered.

Look, there’s no comma or full stop at the end of “” and I understand that Jake’s voice becomes quieter and quieter as he speaks, showing that he’s really unsure of what to do next.

“I wasn’t sure wheth—“

“I will tell you!” she shouted.

Look, there’s no comma or full stop at the end of “” and I understand that the character is interrupted. Also, take a look at the second line: there’s an exclamation mark inside “”, but she is written with the small letter - yes, because shouted is something you do with your mouth or verbally.

One more thing: if your sentence finished with ! or ? there’s no need to add a full stop or comma at the end or after “”, ‘’.

That’s it for beginners. Practice with those above to sharpen your writing skills. Yes, you may think it’s too easy and want more, but believe me - I’m also using the rules above and rarely use the rules I’m gonna tell next in my own writing. Make small things look good first and then go to bigger things.

Well, my fellows, who are professionals in writing dialogues and the tips above were like a baby talk to you, fasten your seatbelts, you’re gonna find out some more tricks (I hope).

Okay, first things first, ‘’ and “” could be interchangeable. If you want to write thoughts in “” - you’re welcome, but don’t forget your choice for the rest of the story, so the readers are not messed up with what’s thought and what’s word:

“I was dreaming,” he thought.

And

‘I was dreaming,’ he thought.

Are both fine.

Next, using dialogue tags or actions before the words themselves:

Jake answered quietly, “What if I got it wrong?”

She pressed her hand to his chest. “It can’t be.”

It’s also okay. Just mind the punctuation: commas are for dialogue tags (mouth or verbally) and full stops for actions.

Depending on what you choose for your story, we use ‘’ inside “” and “” inside ‘’:

“I was surprised by ‘his’ behavior,” she stated.

If you have prolonged dialogue tag or action with dialogue tag, the tag should always come directly to the sentence (it’s easier to avoid any extra punctuation drama):

He answered quietly, smiling, “Of course.”

Julie laughed and asked, “What’s that?”

“I want this,” she replied, walking down the street.

There’s a difference when the words are interrupted by dialogue tag or action:

“We’d rather,” Jake said and lifted his arm, “win this auction.”

“I’ll never”—she pressed her finger to his chest—“let you do this!”

But personally I never use this rule, cause it’s just hard to punctuate and I believe that non-English readers may find it too hard to understand.

Well, that’s all for now, thanks for reading and I hope that was useful! <3