Writing: Abbreviations

 If you've ever read a fanfiction, there is a change that the author has used some abbreviations. And I can't be the only one who doesn't know all those meanings😆. So here are the abbreviations + their meanings I've found.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N = Author's Notes ~ when the author wants to create an aside to explain something. Most of the time, these notes are placed at the beginning or end of the chapter and are used to explain everything from research they've done to create the chapter, to apologizing for the long wait between chapters, to stating when they believe they'll update again, etc.

ETA = Editing Turn Around ~ this refers to a note to indicate the author has added or corrected something in their writing after it was already posted and made public. Can be fixing a missed spelling error, or a complete change of text.

f/f = Female/Female ~ refers to a homosexual relationship involving two women.

m/f = Male/Female ~ refers to a heterosexual relationship involving a man and a woman.

m/m = Male/Male ~ refers to a homosexual relationship involving two men.

OC = Original Character ~ refers to a non-canon character created by the author that is featured prominently in the story. May be male or female, and either a major or minor character in comparison to the canon characters.

OFC = Original Female Character ~ refers to a female character created by the author that is featured prominently in the story.

OMC = Original Male Character ~ refers to a male character created by the author that is featured prominently in the story.

OTP = One True Pairing ~ refers to an author's preferred relationship pairing between certain characters within a fandom. Fans may have many pairings they support, even multiple OTP's in a single fandom for different sets of characters.

POV = Point of View ~ refers to stories written from a certain character's perspective, in which the readers experience everything within that story the same way the character does without any insight into the thoughts or motivations of the other characters. Unless the POV is omniscient, in which case the reader is aware of every characters' thoughts because they experience the story from all perspectives. Can be either a minor character, a crossover character, or an original character.

R&R = Read & Review ~ refers to a plea by the author begging readers to click on their story and write a review or comment. Usually only seen by young eager authors. Its success as a plea to elicit feedback is questionable.

TBC = To Be Continued ~ refers to the fact that the story is incomplete and a new chapter is yet to be written. It generally indicates the author's awareness of its incomplete state and willingness to attempt to do so.

TW = Trigger Warning ~ refers to anything seen, read, or experienced that can cause a negative reaction within a trauma survivor's psyche, such as flashbacks or extreme anxiety due to exposure to something which triggers the memory of the traumatic event to replay within their minds. Authors should, out of respect to survivors, provide story warnings for the most common triggers (ex: abuse, rape, self-harm, suicide, etc.) to prevent blindsiding their readers with unexpected suffering. Oftentimes, just the advanced knowledge alone is enough to override the trigger itself so that it does not adversely affect the reader if they are prepared for it ahead of time.

WIP = Work-In-Progress ~ refers to the fact that the story is not yet completely written, but is actively undergoing updates and revisions. Some WIP's are updated frequently, even on regular schedules, while others are more slow as inspiration strikes. Stories may go months or even years between updates, but if the author has not explicitly stated that it has been abandoned or discontinued, the chance still exists that it will be updated. Authors usually welcome readers showing continued interest in their WIP's, but please do not harass an author to complete an unfinished story as that is merely rude.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope this helped you.