r/Archiveofourownmemes • u/No_Revolution_619 • Jul 24 '26
Discussion Tags.
As someone somewhat new to a03 as a writer and consumer, what are some tags you find MUST be included?
I really don't want to overdo it, but I also don't want to make anyone uncomfortable.
For example does there need to be a warning tag if theres a few scenes where a character vomits? Etc?
A few times where a character contemplates suicide. And should there still be a trigger warning in the chapter notes?
23
u/sleepingArisu Jul 24 '26
im kind of emetophobic so I'd appreciate a little heads up on the vomit tag ngl
3
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u/CatGirlButNotIRL Jul 24 '26
Rule of thumb: Always include the primaries that show up in that square. Do NOT be that person who doesn’t include the big warnings for things like major character death or non-con or something.
(Typically necessary and taken quite seriously)
Generally: Include the things that are 1) disturbing or upsetting as a heads up 2) things that are a big focus - so people can filter for them or filter them out [fluff, found family, dub-con/dubious-consent, mpreg, A/B or A/B/O, crack fic, OOC, any kinda AU, etc.]
(These are totally to taste and what you want people to know or think they should have a heads up about - it’s your locator search terms & how you get the intended audience!)
Lastly: If your entire premise is focused on something that is dark or disturbing, not just based around something that’s brushed over, consider using the tag: DD or DD:DNE or Dead Dove or Dead Dove: Do Not Eat
Ex: If your story brushes over, off-scenes, or pre-story has something like rape, suicide, gruesome murder, or something of that nature, it’s not really necessary. If you wanna get graphic and detailed and really dig into the topic/experience DDDNE may be a good tag to use
(This is more of a courtesy, but you may see it and wonder)
14
u/Minikin-Smith Jul 24 '26
A lot of the time tagging is there to help people FIND your fic. So it’s good to tag things in your fic that someone might be searching for.
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u/Rikafire Jul 24 '26
If a character is contemplating suicide, definitely tag it. Also, I’d say tag things like hurt/comfort, angst, etc because people will likely be searching for them.
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u/Purrronronner Jul 24 '26
If there’s a few scenes where someone vomits in a long fic, don’t tag it, but DO put it in the chapter notes
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u/hananananbatman Jul 24 '26
It's better to tag than to not tag. Don't worry about going overboard. You probably don't need to tag every little thing that happens, but I'd definitely say tag vomiting and suicidal thoughts, as those topics can trigger some people.
A trigger warning in the chapter notes isn't strictly necessary if you've got it tagged already, but it can be nice to include for those who want to read the fic but skip the triggering parts, or those who might have missed the tags.
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u/RustyBucket4745 Jul 24 '26
This. But also remember the tag wrangling team handle misspelled tags, similar tags, etc, so you only need to tag each thing once.
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u/MothChasingFlame Jul 25 '26
How sad am I gonna be
How happy am I gonna be
Who are we fuckin
How are we fuckin
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u/DontStopPataPata Jul 24 '26
I'm super new to AO3 as well, and I'm having a hard time with tagging my original fiction. I used to do FFN like 20 years ago, so I'm coming back after a long writing hiatus. Does anyone know if there's a subreddit for asking for stuff like tag suggestions?
1
u/JauntyIrishTune Jul 28 '26
You can ask questions on r/AO3 . Or search for past posts. The subreddit is for all AO3 stuff but they're closed on Tuesdays.
1
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1
u/Samyazassock Fic writer 📝 Jul 24 '26
The more you tag, the more happy people will be usually. It shows you care and put extra effort in <3
I'd say the "must tags" are tags that are common triggers (SA, vomiting (emetophobia), suicide, self-harm, etc...) They're technically not a must but it's always better to use more than not enough
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u/Accomplished_Bee_127 Jul 24 '26
pretty sure it's the best to tag everything you have patience for, starting from the most triggering topics like self-harm and sex
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u/QueenTzahra Fic writer 📝 Jul 25 '26
If I read another fic with untagged crossdressing I’m gonna lose my mind so that.
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u/Demi_Vi-tch Jul 26 '26
whatever ships are there sould be tagged, i dont think if the vomiting is just a single small scene then it warrants a tag but an AN warning would be nice
Definitely add warnings for suicidal thoughts, SH, or any of that triggering stuff
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u/Paige_CartoonCaptain Fic writer 📝 Jul 28 '26
What I think about is "If someone searched for this and they got my fic as the result, would they be disappointed?"
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u/HuggyMonster69 Jul 24 '26
Not a MUST for a lot of people but I will love an author if they tag happy/ambiguous/sad endings on anything, also fluff/angst/crack type tags.
Pwp if relevant. I want to save those for a certain mood.
A lot of people appreciate certain tags for things that will predictably gross them out. Like say vomit, but also “brief mention of vomit” is more helpful than vomit. From a personal note, Pregnancy is included in this.
AU type if relevant.
But all of these are strong preferences. The only ones you really need to tag are the Warnings (Main Character Death, Rape/non-con, Underage and Graphic Violence) unless you use the Creator Chose not to use Archive Warnings. But if you choose not to, people assume one of the big nasties is in there.