Glossary of Fan Fiction-Related Terms
For a much more complete collection of definitions, check out The Fanfiction Glossary. (If you can't get the cached version of TFG to work, try Wikipedia or Fanlore).
But for the total 'fic newbies, here are some basic terms to get you started.
AU - Alternate Universe - The fic is placed in a setting that is outside of the canon-based storyline. A story can start out canon, then change, usually after the events of a particular episode.
Beta reader - A person who edits a fic before it is published (like a beta tester).
Canon - Refers to a character, plotline, event, or pairing that happened in the original source material. For example, in the universe of the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the pairing of Buffy/Angel is considered canon.
Crossover Fic - Places the characters, events, setting, and/or plotline from two or more 'verses into a single story.
Drabble - A fic of exactly 100 words; however, it is also often used to refer to very short fan fiction stories. A double drabble is 200 words long.
Fic - Abbreviation for fan fiction.
Mary Sue (or Gary Stu) - Character, often a thinly veiled version of the author, who is perfect - beautiful, smart, has the skills needed to save the day - and usually ends up in a love affair with one of the characters.
Non-Con, NSW - Non-consensual and Not Safe For Work.
OTP - One True Pairing. This implies that the author and/or the fandom community believe that two people in a fictional world should only be linked to each other, romantically speaking.
Profic - Published fiction, published and paid. (Some would simply call this "fiction").
PWP - Plot?What plot? or Porn Without Plot.
Retcon - Retroactive Continuity - When the author pretends a prior plotline didn't happen, or writes a new event to replace something that happened earlier in the story. Sometimes this appears in the form of time travel, or something that allows the author to "cheat" and change a plotline without re-writing the entire story.
RPF - Real Person Fic - Fic written about the real people behind the fictional universe, such as the actors in a TV show.
Shipper - Abbreviation for relationship. This implies the story will revolve around a particular relationship pairing.
Slash - A fic that involves a relationship between two characters of the same gender. M/M, F/F.
Squick(ed) - To be disturbed by something in a fic (or in life) at a personal gut level.
Song Fic - A fic that revolves around the lyrics to a particular song.
'Verse - Abbreviated form of universe. Refers to the world in which the story is set.
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