Etiquette Rules for Fandom.
4.) All ships are equal. Just because someone pairs someone in your OTP with someone else doesn't erase your pairing from existence. We're all just having fun matching up fictional people, so there's no reason to make anyone feel bad.
5.) Headcanons are not canon. No amount of squawking will change that. Believe what you wish, share it as much as you want, write about it if you'd like! But if it's blatantly wrong, it's more of an AU than a headcanon, and if it's proven wrong later on then there's no use in saying the creators are 'wrong'.
6.) Help beginners thrive. Everyone started somewhere, be it with fic or art or what-have-you. Mocking them for understandably below-quality works does nothing but make them sad and discourage future creativity. Who knows, maybe they'll one day write the story that becomes your favorite? Don't have anything nice to say, don't say it.
Etiquette Rules for Fandom.
6a.) There's a difference between criticism and being genuinely hurtful. A review should aim to point out what a writer did wrong, what they did right, and to provide insight on what the audience thinks. If your review basically amounts to 'this is garbage', you're not helping anyone. Why is it bad, how can they improve, and if possible, was there at least something you liked?
6b.) A negative review isn't necessarily an unhelpful review. Just because someone says a few harsh truths doesn't mean you should plug your ears and ignore them. So long as they aren't needlessly bashing you, you should always listen to criticisms and complaints. You may not agree with them, and you definitely don't need to heed all advice, but they should at least be taken into consideration.
6c.) Never leave a criticizing review on a fanfiction unless the writer has specifically asked for it. Writers are doing this for free and will decide if want that feedback.
Etiquette Rules for Fandom
7.) Do not harass the creators. The writers, artists, actors, etc. who are involved in what you like are part of the reason it exists. Meaningful dialogue and criticism can be helpful to an extent; pressuring them to make a certain ship happen or taking to Twitter to flood them with demands is unnecessary, rude, and makes us all look bad.
7a) If a creator takes a work in a direction that you don't like, they're not doing it to spite you. You can dislike the decision, but don't take it as a personal attack.
8) Your Kink Is Not My Kink (And That's Okay). People have different kinks, fetishes, and interests, many of which aren't socially acceptable or may even be considered amoral. As long as no one real is getting hurt then it is, quite frankly, none one's business. You do not have a right to demean others for having different interests, nor do you have a right to demand why another person like a certain thing. Fanfiction is a safe way for people to express themselves, and we will keep it safe.
Etiquette Rules for Fandom
8a) You do not have the right to police others or limit their freedom of expression because you are personally offended and/or triggered by something they enjoy, the same way they don't have a right to tell you you can't be offended/triggered by certain content.
8b) Fandom is not a safe space. It is up to you to create a safe space for yourself, which means blocking, blacklisting, and filtering when necessary. Do not expect, or demand, that others go out of their way to make you comfortable. It's not their responsibility to do so.
9.) Fics can violate canon however they like. Fanfiction is a creative expression of the person writing it Readers can sometimes forget that the writer on the other side of the screen is writing as a hobby, or because they had a spark of inspiration. Fanfiction is a world in which creatives c explore alternatives that excite them, and we should never stifle creativity.
(Part 2) Respect creators’ work, give thoughtful feedback, and remember: a little courtesy goes a long way in making our fandoms welcoming for everyone. #FandomEtiquette #Theomione
