Websites
What is AU?
Alternate Universe - Refers to a story in which there is a major plot, setting, or character deviation from the original canon.
100 Bonus points if you can name 3 common types of AUs!
What is an OTP?
One True Pairing, your favorite ship!
What is an A/N?
Author's Note, often set at the beginning of a fanfiction to include a disclaimer that they do not own the characters. However, some authors will include an A/N in the middle of a fic in parentheses to explain a writing choice.
What is profic?
Ex in a sentence: "This fanfiction writer turned profic."
What is a newer platform that is used for fanfiction, but also for blogging?
Tumblr
What is fix-it fic?
Fix-it fic is a type of alternate universe story in which the author attempts to "correct" or rewrite something to "fix" the canon story -- most often to change a character death, make two characters end up together, or cover plot holes.
What is a Mary Sue / Gary Stu?
A term originating in the 1970s to describe a character that is a form of an author self-insert or wish fulfillment. These characters are often extremely skilled without training, have ultra-unique traits, and little flaws -- often upstaging the main protagonist.
This term is often hijacked by misogynists to say that women characters are too powerful (i.e. Rey from Star Wars.)
100 bonus points if you know the fandom this term originated with!
What does it mean to beta a work?
A beta is someone who reads, edits, and gives feedback on a work before it is posted online.
What does "!" mean?
Hint: Often used in tags for fanfiction in this format, "adjective!noun".
Refers to a short form expressing a particular trait for a character in a story. Can also be used to describe certain types of fanfiction/
Ex: In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, fans often referred to Harry as "CAPSLOCK!Harry" because he shouted so much. Or fics that use an angsty characterization of Harry will tag it as "Dark!Harry".
What is a newer fanfiction website that also features original fiction, and has had multiple works turned into mainstream publications? (Hint: one of them is After by Anna Todd.)
Wattpad
What is crackfic?
What does OOC / IC mean?
IC = In character
What does "filing off the serial numbers" of a fanfiction mean?
Filing off the serial numbers is when a fanfiction authors changes character names & major plot points of a work to try and get it published traditionally. (Ex: After by Anna Todd.)
What is a BNF?
Big Name Fan, often someone who is a prominent contributor to fandom.
Ex: Author Cassandra Clare was a BNF in the Harry Potter fandom in the early 2000s.
What is a fanfiction website that was recently nominated for a 2019 Hugo Award, a prestigious award in the sci-fi/fantasy literature world?
Archive of Our Own!
What is a drabble?
Technically this refers to a story that is exactly 100 words in length, although it's commonly used to refer to any short fanfiction pieces under 500 words.
(Extra 50 bonus points if the answer was 100 exact words.)
What is an OC?
An original character created by an author that is used in a fanfiction with canon characters.
What does it mean when a work is "Jossed" or "Kripked"?
Jossed: Refers to stories/headcanons/ideas that become an alternate universe after the canon material goes down a different path than what fans expected. Ex: a sudden character death means that certain fics are now AU. Originates from creator Joss Whedon, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame.
Kripked: The exact opposite! Refers to stories/headcanons/ideas that become canon because the source material went down the same path. Originates from Eric Kripke of Supernatural fame.
What is "TPTB"?
TPTB = The Powers That Be
Refers to a work's creators, whoever controls the canon narrative -- showrunners, authors, etc.
100 bonus points if you know the fandom it originated with!
What website/organization is a non-profit dedicated to protecting all kids of fanworks? (Hint: they're the parent organization for Fanlore.wiki)
The Organization for Transformative Works
What is a oneshot?
A oneshot is a fanfiction that is a single story that is unconnected to any other fanfiction series. They are already completely written before being posted to a site, as opposed to being posted serially. Oneshots are normally short in length, although they do not necessarily have to be.
Also called "stand alone" fic.
What is the difference between "headcanon" and "fanon"?
A headcanon is something that a fan imagines is true or a personal belief about a work. Can be extremely varied, for example it could about something as small as a characters favorite food!
Fanon is a common plot or character element that was NOT established in the original source material, but is generally accepted by fans to be true. A headcanon could become so popular that it becomes fanon.
What is a "Big Bang"?
Big Bang: Refers to a special event where authors sign up to write a fanfiction and then fanartists create work based on it. Often fandom, ship, or character specific.
What is a faction?
Hint: Often associated with flag-waving.
A faction is a part of a fandom that supports a certain idea about a work (like a preferred ship or type of character).