#ao3 bookmarks

[ao3-shenanigans]

Ao3 PSA

Unless you click “Private” when making a bookmark, your bookmarks are automatically available for the authors (and other users) to see

The “Private” button can be found as shown below:

[gilbirda]

Another fandom PSA - Bookmarks

Hello everyone, I am back with yet another informative post, since I've observed some behavior that could get out of control real fast.

Again, the point is never about shaming those who have done this, but to inform and warn about how disheartening these things can be; and what can you do to avoid hurting anyone in the future.

Let's talk about bookmarks.

Looks easy enough to add a bookmark, just type some notes — maybe to remind future you what the fic was about, maybe some random thoughts of the fic, maybe the chapter where you left of — add some tags if you are that organized and slap the bookmark to a Collection if you have that.

But I want to bring attention to this little guy:

If you are going to leave a hurtful message, at least have the decency to not leave it where the author will see it.

Authors can and will see the bookmarks! I can only speak for myself but I do check the bookmarks because sometimes people get creative and have funny Notes, or their tags are hilarious.

But, sometimes, we wonder if y'all know authors can see the bookmarks, unless you set it as a Private Bookmark.

What do I mean with hurtful bookmarks? Well:

*gestures vaguely towards these*

Granted, not all are rancid takes, but some truly give weird vibes? As in, it feels like people doesn't know authors can see their Notes and bookmarks?

You can have an opinion about the story, that's completely valid, but the option of setting it to Private Bookmark is right there.

So, as a rule of thumb, if you wouldn't like someone telling your words to your face then have the courtesy of not doing the same for someone else.

Mark it as Private if you'd rather not let the author see your Notes.

For more information about Bookmarks, AO3 provides a FAQ page.

[copsecore]

LITERALLY A FUCKING TRAVESTY

[confessionconsensus]

I have two bookmarks on ao3: a novel-length found family story about overcoming mental issues through the power of friendship and good support networks that has inspired impactful real-life decisions even years down the line, and a 300 word flash fic of a mannequin pissing himself

[soft-october-night]

And the award for best AO3 bookmark comment ever goes tooooo:

[mollywog]

Ficback Friday

📚 First Bookmark 🔖

Thank you all who replied to my Ao3 bookmark question! Many of you indicated that you use bookmarks for beloved stories to revisit or for fic recs, so I thought it would be fun to start a tag game:

Rules: Share (one of) your first Ao3 bookmark(s) then tag others to join!

I picked my first non-hunger Games bookmark (since I’ve talked about my first THG bookmark many times).

I love Jane Austen’s Emma and discovered cwmilton while looking for book/2009 miniseries Emma fanfiction. ‘A Very Good List’ was the first of theirs I discovered and it’s a delight! Recommend!

Tagging all who replied to my earlier post (thank you!!): @dead-dolphins @firawren @caesarflickermans @kingedmundsroyalmurder @maidstew @dorcaloveskotlc @teafiend @those-things-we-said @margarita-secreta @youreyesholdgalaxies @mtk4fun @giedd @no-where-new-hero

Plus anyone else who would like to join!

[theficlistpodcast]

😒😒😒

[ineffablelvrs]

very curious about something

reblog for more data thank you 🫶

[terapsina]

My Dear fellow writers. PLEASE THINK ABOUT ORPHANING YOUR AO3 FICS INSTEAD OF DELETING THEM!

If for whatever reason you're thinking about deleting one (or all... or a few) of your stories - whether because you're embarrassed about the quality of an old work; or because someone from your life has found your account and you're afraid that the contents of those stories might somehow negatively affect your peace of mind or even your safety (you never know); or for literally ANY other reason under the sun - please please PLEASE consider pushing the 'orphan' button instead of the 'delete'.

There is nothing more heartbreaking for a reader than seeing this between their bookmarks.

Orphaning a work will have the same effect for you personally. Because orphaning a story removes your name from both the story AND from any replies you might have made in response to someone's comment. NOTHING will link back to you. The only difference is that the readers will still be able to read the fic they enjoyed.

And it's not very complicated to do. Just click to edit your work and then look in the upper right corner.

And once there follow these instructions.

THOUGH BE CERTAIN THAT YOU DO WANT TO COMPLETLY CUT THE LINK BETWEEN YOU AND THE STORY BECAUSE THIS IS PERMANENT. THERE IS NO WAY TO AFTERWARDS EDIT OR DELETE THE STORY.

The full information in detail about exactly what happens when you Orphan a work CAN BE FOUND HERE.

ALSO

On a slightly related note but directed more toward the readers.

Don't be the asshole who creates Collections and then puts them on private. THIS HIDES THE STORY FROM EVERYONE EXCEPT YOU AND THE AUTHOR.

Everyone else sees this:

Collections being private and hidden are meant for things like Secret Santa Fic Exchanges (not what they're actually called but you get the point) where all the fics can get revealed simultaneously.

IF YOU WANT TO SAVE STORIES BUT DON'T WANT ANYONE TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE READING YOU CAN DO THAT. You just Bookmark it and SET IT TO PRIVATE.

Your username will never appear in the lists of people who have bookmarked that story. NOT EVEN FOR THE AUTHOR OF THE STORY.

(the only thing that author will see is that that there are more bookmarks in the their statistics than on the bookmark page of the story)

IN CONCLUSION. Please don't delete your stories without at least considering orphaning them AND don't ask authors to let you add their fics to your collections only to then hide them from all other readers.

[jasonsbruce]

someone saved my fic "slipping mask" as a bookmark noting that they're all out of character and now i never want to publish anything ever again 🤠

[ao3-shenanigans]

I had no clue about bookmarking drama that came up until a post came up on my bluesky. After learning I can make comments in bookmarks, I’m sorta torn.

in one breath, I feel authors who look through the ratings are hurting themselves in a lot of ways. Instead of the addiction provided by the likes of Instagram or TikTok, they look to kudos and the comments left on bookmarks. And . . . STOP THAT. That’s bad for your mental health, bad for you to constantly do. It took me forever to learn about bookmarks and I do (apparently) have people who saved some of my stories.

but in the other, I get it. Reading someone’s miscellaneous comment that isn’t glowing review or praise hurts, but like authors who have official reviews, STOP LOOKING! No, seriously, published authors are also completely obsessed with their reviews. It’s so bad I watched someone cyber stalk a person who gave them a negative review. So, it’s an unhealthy obsession when taken too far about caring what others say.

It’s so hard not to obsess over it- the struggle is real!

[beansterpie]

I've seen a lot of polls about bookmarks but haven't personally come across this particular question (I think??), and I'm curious:

[lilbeanz]

NO BECAUSE SAME

This was literally me when I posted dsfgjkfz

[mywifeisaworm]

Accurate 💀

[alarryrec]

ao3 | E | 2/2 | 49k | a/b/o, famous!louis, nonfamous!harry

“Harry, dear,” Niall said cheerily, his arms ladened down with more boxes they’d received from their shipment earlier that day. “I promise this isn’t a prank, but Louis Tomlinson is sitting in our office.” “I know,” Harry replied, using his hip to close the drawer of the cash register. “I let him back there.” “Wait,” Niall said as he sat the boxes in his arms down on the counter and then held up his hands with his palms facing out towards Harry. “You mean to tell me that this man who you have a massive crush on is in our store right now and you’re just letting him sit back there by himself and not trying to shoot your shot?” Or, Harry is a soft alpha who owns a record store and Louis is a closeted singer omega masquerading as an alpha who randomly stumbles into Harry’s store.

p1: fake alpha

[mollywog]

I’m interested: How do you primarily use your Ao3 bookmarks?