What AO3 Tag Am I?

Take this quiz to find out!

Fanfiction is a time-honored way for fans to celebrate their passions, and one of the most popular fanfic sites is Archive of Our Own, or AO3. Users can tag their fanfics to categorize them—and there are hundreds (probably more) of different tags on the site.

But which AO3 tag speaks to you most? Answer a few questions, and we'll give you an AO3 tag that matches your personality!

An image of the AO3 (Archive of Our Own) logo.

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Questions Overview

1. Tell us: what do you love most about fanfiction?
  1. The sense of community that I get from a fandom.
  2. The freedom to explore (or deviate from) a story any way I want.
  3. I get to see my OTP fall in love a thousand different ways.
  4. The ability to rewrite an unsatisfying ending.
  5. The way it expands existing worlds that I already adore.
  6. The way it makes me feel like I'm a part of the story.
2. Pick a romantic trope that you just can't get enough of:
  1. Friends to lovers
  2. Enemies to lovers
  3. Slow burn
  4. Fake relationship
  5. Forbidden love
  6. Secret identity
  7. From different worlds
  8. Forced proximity
3. What kinds of endings do you look for in a fanfic?
  1. Satisfying. They can be happy or sad, as long as they make sense.
  2. Complex. I want a big twist that totally catches me by surprise!
  3. Tragic. Give me all the feelings!
  4. Happy. I'm here for a good time, not a sad time!
  5. Honestly? Funny. I want to end the story with a laugh!
4. Which of these moments in a fanfic has the biggest emotional impact on you?
  1. One character breaks down and bares their heart to another.
  2. Two characters realize they're in love, quietly yearning for each other.
  3. A character must make an agonizing, life-changing decision.
  4. A dramatic betrayal shakes a character to their core.
  5. Characters help one another heal from past traumas.
  6. An underdog succeeds against all odds.
  7. A group of misfits becomes a found family.
  8. A struggling character gets a second chance at life.
5. Which of these proverbs speaks to you the most?
  1. "A beautiful thing is never perfect."
  2. "If you can't live longer, live deeper."
  3. "Change yourself and fortune will change."
  4. "It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
  5. "When love reigns, the impossible may be attained."
  6. "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."
6. Which of these literary themes do you enjoy the most?
  1. Redemption
  2. Revenge
  3. Coming of age
  4. Love and sacrifice
  5. Good versus evil
  6. The hero's journey
  7. Survival
  8. Fate versus free will
7. If you were a fanfic, what would your vibe be?
  1. I'd be a long fic—100k words and counting!
  2. I'd be a one-shot—self-contained and satisfying.
  3. I'd be a drabble—short, sweet, and snappy.
  4. I'd be a songfic—lyrical and thoughtful.
  5. I'd be a WIP fic—still in progress, but readers are hungry for more.
  6. I'd be a crossover fic—shaking things up for fun!
  7. I'd be a crack fic—chaotic but impossible to stop reading.
8. What scenarios do you love seeing your favorite characters in?
  1. I like seeing them suffer. (What? It's good storytelling!)
  2. I like seeing them in the sweetest, sappiest situations imaginable.
  3. I like seeing how they'd act in a world other than their own.
  4. I like "what if" scenarios that explore different possibilities.
9. Finally, which of the following words best describes you?
  1. Compassionate
  2. Charismatic
  3. Clever
  4. Honest
  5. Strong-willed
  6. Independent
  7. Adaptable
  8. Generous

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What does my AO3 tag say about me?

There are way too many AO3 tags to actually count, but we've done our best to pull from the most popular (and notorious) of them. So, how can an AO3 tag reflect your personality? Well, here's what each of your possible results means:


You're the "Fluff" tag!
What the tag means: On AO3, "fluff" fics are cute, lighthearted, feel-good stories.

What it says about you: You are pure sunshine: sweet, sensitive, and full of optimism! No matter what comes your way, you make it through with your unstoppable "glass half-full" outlook on life. More than that, you probably understand that real life is hard enough...so why spend time being sad or stressed when you're reading fanfiction, too? You just want everyone to be happy—and really, what could be nicer than that?

You're the "Angst" tag!
What the tag means: "Angst" fics contain lots of emotional turmoil, sadness, and mental anguish.

What it says about you: You aren't deterred by hardship—you thrive on it! In fact, you might be a bit of a glutton for punishment (but hey, at least you have a thick skin). You value things like emotional depth and complexity, and you embrace opportunities to explore your emotions, even if they aren't positive ones. In that way, we'd say you're pretty emotionally intelligent, strong-willed, and thoughtful.

You're the "Hurt/Comfort" tag!
What the tag means: In hurt/comfort fics, characters experience physical or emotional pain, and subsequently receive support and comfort from others.

What it says about you: You are the perfect fusion of fluff and angst: you don't mind a challenge, so long as there's a heartwarming conclusion! You also really value your relationships, from the friendly to the romantic—and you treat them all with the utmost care and compassion. You love offering support and advice to the people you love, especially because you know they'd do the same for you in a heartbeat.

You're the "Alternate Universe" tag!
What the tag means: "Alternate universe" (AU) fics take place in a different timeline or setting that deviates from the source material.

What it says about you: Imagination is your middle name—you can dream up a hundred different story ideas in an afternoon (and a hundred more by the next day). You're probably prone to daydreaming, and we'd bet you're pretty creative, too. In terms of fanfic, you probably enjoy alternate universes: taking fictional characters out of their worlds and placing them into totally new scenarios. It appeals to your imaginative nature!

You're the "Not Beta Read" tag!
What the tag means: "Not beta read" fics haven't been reviewed for errors by a beta-reader (basically a proofreader).

What it says about you: You're outspoken and totally unfiltered. You say what comes to your mind, and you mean it with every fiber of your being; you aren't going to apologize for speaking your mind! You're the kind of person who'd totally ad-lib a speech or a presentation and more or less nail it (although you might give everyone a disclaimer ahead of time, just in case). Even so, you're really articulate for someone who thinks and speaks on the fly!

You're the "Friendship" tag!
What the tag means: "Friendship" fics focus more on themes of friendship and camaraderie than romantic relationships.

What it says about you: You're everybody's friend! You're probably a social butterfly, with friends everywhere. We'd also bet that you're the focal point of your friend group—the glue that holds it together. You also value your friendships a great deal, and you'd never let anything (even a romantic relationship) disrupt them. Besides, whether or not you're in a relationship, you definitely don't need one! You've got more than enough enriching relationships in your life, anyway.

You're the "Relationship(s)" tag!
What the tag means: The "relationship(s)" tag indicates different romantic pairings or character dynamics within a fic.

What it says about you: You're a romantic to your very core. You love the idea of love, and you love reading about it, too! You're also really charming and charismatic, and you enjoy getting to know people. Even if socializing isn't always a breeze, you have a natural magnetism that helps you make connections. Whether or not you're in a relationship, that might be something you want (or, at least, companionship of some kind in your life).

You're the "Crack" tag!
What the tag means: The "crack" tag refers to fics that are funny, chaotic, or downright absurd.

What it says about you: You're everyone's favorite silly goose. You love cracking jokes—and you're good at it. Sure, you have a bit of a chaotic streak, too, but that just means you keep people on their toes (and shake things up when life starts getting dull). You embrace everything goofy and whimsical, and you're great at finding the funny side to a situation. People probably rely on you to lighten up the mood—and you always come through!

You're the "Reader-Insert" tag!
What the tag means: "Reader-insert" fics are written with the main character intended to be the reader themselves.

What it says about you: You have big "main character" energy, and you wish everyone else did, too! You radiate confidence and authenticity, and you accept yourself exactly as you are. You're also a master of seizing the day, taking life by the horns, living in the moment—whatever you want to call it, you do it. You like to feel in control of your life, and you want other people to feel empowered in the same way. You rock!

You're the "Domestic" tag!
What the tag means: "Domestic" fics focus on characters in their regular, everyday lives (often featuring established couples).

What it says about you: You're someone who romanticizes the little things in life that other people overlook. Even daily routines aren't humdrum when you're doing them, because you understand that the little things are what matter most! You can find joy in just about anything, and you have a gift for helping others do the same. You're also quite family-oriented, spending as much time with your loved ones as you can!

You're the "Original Character(s)" tag!
What the tag means: Fics with "original character(s)" contain characters that don't exist in the source material; they were invented by the fanfic writer.

What it says about you: You march to the beat of your own drum. You're a little quirky and offbeat—but in a good way, we promise! You're also really independent, adventurous, and strong-willed; you know who you are, and you don't feel the need to conform to anyone else's expectations or ideals. You aren't afraid to take a risk or two, even if it doesn't work out in the end, because you know that even the act of trying is better than nothing. Go, you!

You're the "Fix-It" tag!
What the tag means: A "fix-it" fic changes canon events from the source material that the fanfic writer found unsatisfying, "fixing" plot holes or bad endings.

What it says about you: You're one smart cookie. You know how to analyze a problem and find the solution, even when others are still scratching their heads. You're proactive, too: you'd rather solve an issue instead of sit around complaining about it! And you aren't one to wait around or procrastinate; if something needs to be done, you'll be the one to get your hands dirty and do it. We'd bet that people rely on you as a problem-solver (and, in terms of fanfiction, a happy ending-maker).

Want to learn more?

To learn more about Archive of Our Own (and its tags), check out the following resources:

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