PSA for Fanfic Authors: Tag and Rate Responsibly. Seriously.
Sorry for the rage-posting but I just saw something that really pissed me off, and I will not stand by while someone (willfully?) ignores the tagging system on AO3. So here goes:
If your story contains rape, non-con, sexual coercion, or abusive relationships, it is not a Teen-rated fic. I don’t care how “artistic,” “symbolic,” or “off-screen” you think it is - it doesn’t magically make it appropriate for younger audiences. You tag that thing properly. You rate it appropriately. You warn your readers. End of discussion.
Fanfiction isn’t just you shouting into the void. It’s a *shared* space - and that means you have a responsibility to the people reading your work. When a reader clicks on a Teen-rated fic, they’re not signing up for trauma triggers, rape scenes, or power-play garbage you tried to dress up as “emotional subtext.” They’re trusting you not to blindside them.
And here’s the kicker - if you can label one fic Explicit for “rough sex” and another Mature for “cunnilingus,” then you absolutely know how to use the tagging and rating system. So the moment you slap rape/non-con on a Teen-rated fic? That’s not an accident. That’s willful negligence. That’s “I don’t care what happens to my readers” energy.
If there’s a single shred of doubt in your head - rate it higher. Always. Because it’s better to over-tag than to have someone relive trauma because you wanted to be clever or mysterious.
AO3 gave us warnings, tags, and ratings for a reason. They’re not suggestions. They’re the digital version of consent. And if you can’t handle the idea of giving your readers informed consent, maybe you shouldn’t be writing those kinds of scenes in the first place.
Fanfiction runs on trust. You break that - by misrating, by hiding content, by pretending you’re the exception - and you’re not edgy, you’re just careless. And honestly? I’ve had enough of careless.
