Archive FAQ > Tagging

What is the purpose of this section?

The purpose of this section is not to tell you how to tag your own works. It is an explanation of the guidelines that the site's wranglers follow. You are not expected to follow it; it is here to explain why a tag may have been edited or reformatted to fit site guidelines.

How does your tagging policy differ from Ao3's?

Primarily: Tags are canonized based on their usefulness in filtering. We have a 'canonization-first' policy, where if a tag could be seen as useful, it will be canonized. We are determining usefulness off of a normal distribution of the umbrella tag: if that tag, or a synonym, would be useful to even one of the next 99.7% of fics for the characters or the umbrella tag, it will be canonized. If a tag is so specific that it's not likely to be used again, it will not be canonized.

Examples:

  • Lesbian [character] → canon, very likely to be used again at some point

  • Lesbian space pirate from the Edwardian era [character] → not canon. based as fuck, but very unlikely to be used again, unless there's something in canon that would make this more likely

  • Vampire Angst → canon, I could definitely see multiple people writing vampire angst

  • vampire unicorns jousting to the death → not canon. again, awesome as fuck. if you guys want to write enough of this that it's worth canonizing, be my guest. BUT it is not likely to be written enough times that people would want to filter for it.

A quick note: there may not be a synonym that fits every warning shoved into one tag. As a general rule, a list of 3 warnings is about the maximum I would reasonably keep in one tag. But also consider just listing the warnings individually. Additionally, this means that sometimes something will be synned to the best-fitting tag, which won't always be an exact match. If you are worried about avoiding certain content, please read the tags themselves.

Another big difference is that we will edit tags. Specifically, I, Jar, the head tag wrangler, can edit tags. So can Brennan, the site's dev (hi Brennan!) although he largely leaves tagging to me. Tags will not be edited in ways where the meaning becomes unclear— anything that gives information beyond what a 'properly formatted' tag would will be synned to a new canonical tag.

Times a tag can be edited: it's in the wrong category, typos, name order is wrong in a relationship, formatting is incorrect, use of acronyms like OC or AU instead of writing out the words, name tags need aliases, tags are overly ambiguous and need to be more specific.

Your tags are to describe your story. Their primary function is filtering, not self-expression. While they will largely be left untouched if possible, they fundamentally are a part of the archive, and can be edited if necessary or convenient. Their meaning will not be changed, but phrasing may.

Tags will never be changed from one language to another, only synned to English. Also, if your tags changing bothers you, you can always change them back. "talk-style" tags are not banned (even if they are discouraged due to creating difficulties for the already-small wrangling team) and the new tag will just be made a synonym.

Lastly: there will be specific tags in the relationship and characters sections for past relationships, mentioned characters, temporary relationships, etc. If you put these in freeforms, they'll get changed and synned, for filtering purposes. (I'll probably start working on this over the weekend).

Some final notes: Please be considerate to the wrangling team. If something doesn't apply to filtering works, put it in the notes or the summary. This isn't banned, just discouraged. And of course it's okay to clarify information within the tags, such as adding adjectives or explaining why a tag is there. The issue begins with tags like "author sucks at tagging" or "don't read this lol" as well as giving a plot summary of the fic.

I'm bringing attention to this largely because we recently had an issue where a fic was tagged describing violent events in unnecessary detail. While I have no issue with darkfic, the summary should go in the summary. When something is put in the tagging field, it means the wranglers will be seeing it and typically thinking of how to categorize that tag. While you should warnings, just writing fucked up stuff in the tags is inconsiderate. For example:

  • first kisses → a functional tag, that doesn't go into summarizing events

  • A kisses B for the first time on the beach and then they get together → this is a summary. It is difficult to categorize and not likely to be broadly useful. Additionally, instead of just categorizing the story, it tells the wranglers about the events of it.

I used a SFW example, but this is an important distinction with NSFW fics and dark fics. Please tag warnings, but please refrain from including summaries of sexual, dark, or gory content in the tags. If your tags are graphic enough your fic may be deleted entirely, or your fic may be even moved to a draft or taken down (with you being notified). Again, please tag what occurs in your fic, but do not do it as a summary of those things happening. You can do it in the summary, you can do it in the author's notes, you can even write it in the fic itself if you want. But because tags are a tracked database of metadata, and not a place to store writing, we don't want descriptions of gore or sex acts. 

What are ambiguous tags?

A tag is ambiguous when it can mean different things to different people. This can include different meanings between different fandoms, as well as confusion on which of several meanings is intended. There are no hard rules on what makes a tag ambiguous, but generally, if the meaning is unclear, it is ambiguous.

Ambiguous Characters

Because characters often share names with other characters, it's very easy for a tag to be ambiguous. This is a short guide to what is and isn't an ambiguous character, with examples.

  • James → ambiguous. This could refer to so many characters. As an author, nobody will be able to find your work if they're filtering for the character you are trying to tag, because this tag gives next to no information. Readers almost never filter by these, and two characters that happen to share a first name do not have enough similarities that it makes sense for them to be under an umbrella tag.

  • James (fandom) → this is better! If your fandom only has one character with their first name, this is a perfectly acceptable tag, and if the canonical already exists for that character, it will become a synonym. The issue is when the fandom has 2 or more characters with the same first name.

    • For example: Cassie (DC) most likely refers to Cassie Sandsmark, but Cassandra Cain is also called Cassie. Cassandra (DC) could refer to either.

  • If your fandom has two characters with the same first name, there has to be more specificity to make it clear who you're talking about.

    • To go with that example: Cassie (Wonder Girl) and Cassie (Batgirl) are not ambiguous, although identities come with their own issues. Also, they're not formatted correctly, so they will be edited if either is the first tag for the character.

    • Additionally, it will be assumed that you intend what's in parentheses as the fandom— to actually tag with the mantle, scroll to the alias section. Again, it doesn't have to be properly formatted, but you would have to make it clear that you intend the alias. Something like "batgirl cass" isn't ambiguous and has a clear mantle.

  • You also cannot tag just a last name. Or just a middle name, or just a nickname. A first name and a last name is fine, and only needs a fandom if another character has the same first name and last name. A first name and a last initial is not. A last name and a first initial is also not.

    • Ex. if you're trying to tag zenin maki, we would accept "maki jjk," "maki (jujutsu kaisen)," "maki zenin," or "zenin maki," but not something like "maki z," "zenin m," "zenin," and definitely not "maki."

    • Tagging zenin as a character would be made a synonym of "zenin clan," which means that while the tag would be filterable, it would be the wrong filter. However, "zenin twins" would be a metatag of Maki Zenin and Mai Zenin, but "zenin m" still is too vague to make it a subtag. And, of course, any of those would likely need a specification of the fandom.

  • When a character has an alias, our system will be similar to Squidgeworld's system. Additionally, there will be an umbrella tag for the alias, because characters sharing a mantle tend to be closely enough related that it would make sense for it to be filterable.

    • The character's main tag follows the usual "Firstname "nickname" Middlename Lastname (Fandom)" format

    • Any secret identities will be made into subtags, with one identity each. Additionally, the name can be shorter for these, as they're inherently less ambiguous. There can be no tag under a mantle where it is unclear which character the tag is about, unless the tag is clearly intended to be for multiple characters.

      • Ex. "Steph Brown | Batgirl" would be a subtag of both "Stephanie "Steph" Brown (DC Comics)" and "Batgirl (DC - All Media Types)."

    • If an identity has only been used by one character, our protocol is to make it synonymous to their name, and make sure the fandom is specified. However, more names have gotten use by many characters than you may think:

      • Some you would expect, like Green Arrow, Batman, Robin, Black Canary, Superboy, Superman, Supergirl, Superwoman, or Wonder Girl.

      • Others less people know of. Multiple characters have been Speedy, Red Arrow, Red Hood, Aquaman, Catwoman, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Red Robin, etc.

    • We will be assuming multiple characters have used any given mantle as the default, both out of caution and out of a logistical inability to check 80+ years of comics.

    • Before a character's name is known, if they use a mantle, something else will be used to specify which they are, such as year of appearance or the plot arc where they first appeared.

  • Generally speaking, if a character's canonical name is not known, the media where they appeared will be used with a short description.

    • Ex. "thief" is ambiguous. "diamond thief, [show] season [x] episode [y]" is not.

Ambiguous Freeforms

  • Freeforms that are not fandom specific tend to be more flexible around needing a specifier. Issues here pop up with acronyms, words that mean multiple unrelated things, and character names used in freeforms. In fact, in freeforms, tags that are too specific can have meaning added that makes them less useful.

    • In those cases, the tag itself will not be changed, but it may not be canonized.

  • For acronyms— the vast majority of acronyms mean multiple things.

    • "FTM" means both "female to male" & "first time mom." To tag it, the official versions would be "FTM | Female to Male" and "FTM | First Time Mom." Versions that aren't that but still are specific enough to be useful could be something like "ftm trans," "tboy ftm," or "ftm mom."

    • Similarly, "MLM" means both "men loving men" and "multiple level marketing." The official versions would be "MLM | Men Loving Men" or "MLM - Multiple Level Marketing." Unofficial unambiguous versions could be something like "gay mlm," "slash mlm," or "mlm scheme."

  • Words that mean several unrelated things:

    • "Bears" could refer to either the animal or the queer subculture. To avoid issues, you must specify. The official tags would be "Bears (Subculture)" and "Bears (Animal)."

    • "Football" can refer to either American football or Association football. While these are both sports, "football" still is not a particularly useful tag for people looking for the specific sport that they call football, and the metatag of "Team Sports" sufficiently covers the similarity between the two.

      • As a footnote: the unintentional crossover of these two examples would be tagged "Bears (American Football Team)."

  • When a freeform involves a character, the same rules for characters apply— although the standard for freeforms will be to use the name that the character is most commonly called, and middle names are not necessary.

    • A freeform for Stephanie Brown could just use the name Steph Brown, for example.

Ambiguous Relationships

  • As long as one character isn't ambiguous, and they share a fandom, the relationship isn't ambiguous.

  • If both would be ambiguous, specify the fandom after.

    • If two characters from the same fandom have the same first name, you would have to either use their last name or find some other way to specify which one it is.

  • Something like "Firstname/Firstname" is ambiguous, and needs a fandom or a last name.

  • Mantles in relationships are unclear, and it needs to be specified which characters are involved.

  • If you are writing a crossover ship, neither character can be ambiguous.

Ambiguous Fandoms

  • Acronyms won't be used in official fandom names. They can be made synonyms of the official fandom name, as long as it's specified what it stands for.

    • Ex. "COD" is unclear. "COD - call of duty" is not.

  • If it's one commonly-used word, include the media type and the year(s) it was ongoing.

  • Books need the author's name to be listed somewhere in the tag. Otherwise they will be considered ambiguous.

How should original characters be tagged?

"Firstname Lastname (Original Character)" is preferred but using the site's generic original character tags is completely fine as well.

Also, you can add adjectives to the (original character) section if you want people to be able to find your fic better. Ex: Firstname Lastname (Original Female Witch Character) would go under both Original Female Character(s) and Original Witch Character(s), but without telling us directly, the wrangling team won't know to sort them like that.

What Are Some Examples of How To Tag Alternate Universe Fics?

  • Alternate Universe - Humans, No Powers, Not Idols, Modern, or anything along those lines - almost always a setting change

    • Even if you could argue that it's potentially set in the same universe, it takes the characters from canon and moves them to a new setting/context.

    • The exception is if they somehow become human or lose their powers, or if its only certain characters that are human or don't have powers. These would be modified canon because the base of the AU is canon conditions, which are then changed.

    • Modern with powers is still a setting change.

  • Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Timeline, Time Travel - always modified canon. By their very nature, they start with the canon universe, and branch out.

  • Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Vampires, Ghosts, Fae - These can be either. It won't be hard to tell which, but in current fandom, these are often used alongside other AUs

    • Soulmate AUs tend to be based on canon, but there are plenty that take place within a setting change.

    • If you're tagging two AUs, even if one is a setting change and one is a modifier within that new setting, they are both considered a setting change.

    • Similarly, vampires or fae can be a setting change— but it's also very common to insert paranormal or fantastical elements to the canon setting, which would be modified canon.

  • Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Pirates, Coffee Shop, Royalty, Historical, Robots, etc - These are typically a setting change, but not always.

    • Coffee shop AUs are usually a setting change, but it's entirely possible to make an AU where a character who's canonically a high schooler works at a coffee shop in their free time, or where an adult quits adventuring and sets up a coffee shop in a canonical city. These would either be a form of canon divergence (so modified canon), or possibly not an AU at all if it's post-canon.

    • Similarly, a traditional fantasy AU puts the characters in a fantasy universe, which is a setting change— but that tag may also be used on a fic that incorporates fantasy elements into the canon universe, which would be modified canon.

  • Isekais are their own category. You would probably use the setting change version of the AU they're going into, plus the isekai tag, but this is up to your discretion. Same with fusions and crossovers.

    • Generally: if the fic is, 'what if these two universes took place at the same time' that would be a modified canon AU.

    • If the fic is 'what if this character was isekaid into the other universe,' it would depend. If the focus is on the character as a change to the new universe, that would be modified canon. If the focus is on the character adapting to the new universe, that would likely be a setting change.

    • If the fic is something like a Percy Jackson AU, where the characters are adapted to the setting of another media, that is a fusion and almost always a setting change.

    • If the crossover does not fit into any of these categories, we advise you use your best judgment of which fits better.

What If The Alternate Universe Comes From Canon?

If a fic is set in an alternate universe that comes directly from canon, such as the high school AU for Alien Stage or the Absolute Universe in DC Comics, this would actually be a separate fandom and not another freeform tag at all. Furthermore, AUs of these 'fandom-type AUs' would have both the fandom tagged as the larger AU, and then further specifications would use the rules above. There is no need to tag Alternate Universe if the alternate universe directly comes from canon. Crossovers of 2+ AUs from within the same canon can have whichever canons feel most relevant to the author tagged, but be aware that this will mean it may be filtered out when an author attempts to exclude crossovers. All AUs shown in canon will be under the umbrella of the original work's fandom, and thus will be shown under search results for the original work.