A Fanfiction Glossary

A Glossary for the Fanfiction Reading Newbie

You've joined a mailing list, you've perused an archive, you are interested in the fan-written fiction for the series you follow obsessively. But what are these people talking about? You need a Fanfiction Glossary!

Here's a quick course in the lingo. (In this article, I will refer to the television show, movie or novel that fanfic is based on as The Source, simple to keep from having to type 'television show, movie or novel' over and over.)

Canon

The original source material from which all fanfic flows. For episodic television, the canon would be the episodes as aired. Any novelizations and other material from the creator or authorized by the creator, such as comics and spin-offs, are 'secondary canon'.

A particular piece of fanfiction can conform to canon, or not, at the discretion of the author.

Canon becomes problematic in very large universes with internally inconsistent canon. An example of this is in Star Trek; original series Klingons were essentially humans with long stringy hair. The furrowed foreheads were introduced in Next Generation to make the Klingons look more visibly alien, but which set up canon-inconsistency with original series Klingons.

AU and AR

Alternate Universe and Alternate Reality. These designate fanfictions that alter canon in specific ways. If Obi Wan is working at a Starbucks in Poughkeepsie, you've entered an Alternate Reality. If it is after the events on Naboo and Qui Gon is still alive, you have entered an Alternate Universe, which split off from the canonical universe at the point of Qui Gon's canonical death, but everything else is the same. (It is worth noting that in some fandoms' fanfic glossaries, these designations are entirely reverese. No one knows why.)

Gen

The story that is labelled 'gen' is 'for general audiences'. It typically, but not always, follows source canon rigorously. A tale such as might be expected to be seen on network television.

Het

An erotic piece of fanfic that posits a romantic relationship between a male and female character from source. While the characters might be romantically involved in the source material, a het fanfic will, more than likely, spare no details of their sexual relationship.

Slash

An erotic piece of fanfic that posits a romantic relationship between two male characters from the source. Since gay relationships are typically few and far between in source material, these are almost always uncanonical. There is even debate in the 'slash community' whether a story about a canonical gay relationship (such as between the characters Brian and Justin on Queer as Folk) can even be considered 'slash'.

The original slash pairing was Kirk and Spock, denoted Kirk/Spock or K/S. The term derives from the character '/' - if you put this character between two names or initials, you have 'slashed' the pair together.

Marysue

Marysue is a much maligned Original Character (OC) that the fanfic author inserts in her story to serve as her avatar. Marysue gets to do all the things the author would like to do, fly the starship, get the hot guy, save the day, etc. If you are reading a fanfic with a non-canonical character who is perfect and whom all the canonical characters love and admire, you are probably reading about a Marysue. (Male versions are variously called Marty Lou and Bobby Lou and other male cognomens, although Marysues are almost always women.)

OTP

One True Pairing. If a source features male and female protagonists, such as Muldar and Scully, they are usually the One True Pairing. All other pairings are considered, by the OTPers, to be false. This leads to flame wars between the OTPers and advocates of minority pairings. Much fun.

Shipper

From X-Files fandom; a viewer who wants the main characters to become romantically involved, or develop a relationship. Hence, 'shipper'. Usage has spread to other fandoms.

Noromo

No Romance! Viewers who feel that a romance between the main characters would just kill all the tension and dynamics. Shippers and NoRoMoers are deadly enemies. Also much fun.

Different fandoms have developed terminologies unique to their canonical material and will have a Fanfiction Glossary specific to their source, whether written or unwritten. In doubt on usage of a term, ask.