About Archive of Our Own
Archive of Our Own is a non-profit, fan-built archive for fan fiction and other fan works. It is run by the Organization for Transformative Works and provides a space for creators to preserve and share work connected to fandom. The archive combines a collection of creative contributions with tools for describing and finding them, rather than organising the experience primarily around a fast-moving social feed.
Fan Works and Discovery
Creators can publish works associated with characters, settings and subjects that interest them. Tags and descriptive information help readers search for particular fandoms, themes or types of work. Ratings and content warnings provide additional context for choosing what to read. Detailed descriptions make discovery more specific, while the archive format helps works remain accessible beyond the moment in which they were first shared.
Creators and Reader Response
Readers can leave comments and other feedback to acknowledge a work or discuss what they enjoyed. Creators decide how to present their contributions within the archive’s policies. Different fandom interests and creative approaches give the archive a varied community, with conversations built around shared enthusiasm for particular works. Readers can follow favourite creators and explore related works through the archive’s connected descriptions and tags.
Exploring Fan Creativity
Archive of Our Own suits readers of fan fiction, creators of fan works and people interested in transformative storytelling. Detailed tags provide routes into specific fandoms, themes and creative approaches, making it possible to explore a closely defined interest or discover something new. For contributors, the archive offers a lasting home for their work. Readers and creators can connect through comments and shared enthusiasm, giving individual stories a place within a wider collection of fan creativity.