Archive of Our Own (AO3) is a popular website for fan-written fiction, but it’s not the only game in town. There are a number of other websites that offer similar features, and some of them even have their own unique advantages. The best AO3 alternatives will help you continue reading when it is down!
Because of a DDoS assault, Archive of Our Own is presently unavailable. On Downdetector on Monday afternoon, more than 4,000 users in the US reported issues. The claimed issues were mostly caused by the website itself.
There are a few reasons why people might be looking for AO3 alternatives. Some people may not like the AO3 tagging system, while others may be looking for a site with a more active community. Still, others may be looking for a site that allows for more explicit content.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best AO3 alternatives. We’ll discuss their features, their pros and cons, and who they’re best suited for.
What are the best AO3 alternatives?
AO3 is down right now, and many users from all around the world are reporting outages. But what if your preferences are different? You might wish to investigate several platforms that provide various features, communities, or content.
Perhaps you wish to help newer or smaller sites that are developing and getting better. Maybe you simply prefer having more alternatives and variety when reading fanfiction.
This post is for you if that applies to you. We’ll expose you to a few of the top AO3 substitutes so you can check them out and have fun. These are platforms with unique benefits and strengths as well as drawbacks and difficulties. We’ll contrast them to AO3 and see what they have to offer fans of fanfiction.
Here are the best AO3 alternatives that we will explain deeply in the upcoming parts of our article:
- Wattpad
- Tumblr
- Fanfiction.net
- Commaful
- Quotev
- DevianArt
- Webnovel
Wattpad
A popular platform for self-published authors is Wattpad. It also features a sizable collection of fan literature. Because of its vibrant community and emphasis on user-generated content, Wattpad is well known.
The website Wattpad allows both new and seasoned authors to publish their works. It is perhaps both the most well-known fanfiction website and the largest writing community on the internet. Wattpad provides a lot of stuff (both original and fanfiction), however, the majority of the writing is subpar.
Wattpad places more emphasis on how you convey the narrative than on how you write it. And the most well-liked fan fiction features dramatic, action-packed plots. The search feature, though, is quite awkward. Particularly with fanfiction, it might be challenging to locate works that you enjoy.
Tumblr
The primary uses of Tumblr are as a social networking and microblogging platform. Additionally, you can read many types of fanfiction. The website offers a fantastic chance to interact with the entire fandom, making it one of the best AO3 alternatives that you can try out.
Utilizing the search feature, you may quickly uncover memes, fan fiction, and fan art. It is also an excellent way to advertise your fanfictions in order to increase traffic and raise the profile of your writing. This website has a large readership from every fandom and a ton of community features.
Fanfiction.net
One of the first and biggest fanfiction platforms is FanFiction.net. Since its launch in 1998, it has hosted more than 2 million stories from more than 30.000 fandoms. A variety of genres are covered on FanFiction.net, including anime, books, comics, games, movies, TV series, and more.
Fanfiction fans may find FanFiction.net to be more appealing than AO3 due to the benefits it has over the latter. It is simpler and cleaner than AO3, for instance, making it easier to use and explore.
Additionally, compared to AO3, it offers a more vibrant and active community where you can engage with other authors and readers through reviews, forums, polls, challenges, and competitions.
Commaful
The largest multi-media fiction website in the world, Commaful, offers free access to tens of thousands of stories. The website includes stunning designs and graphics.
This gorgeous picture-book format is used for all stories shared on Commaful. The stories look amazing and truly come to life in a new way. The best chat system is also found there.
AO3 not working: DDoS and its threats to online communities
Commaful has a very tiny library of works when compared to other websites. Nevertheless, Commaful articles are read by millions of people worldwide and that is the main reason why it made it to our best AO3 alternatives list.
Quotev
Millions of people utilize the creative platform Quotev. It boasts a sizable following of ardent supporters, a fantastic chat system, and robust forum features.
The website offers quizzes in addition to fanfictions and covers a wide range of topics, including original works.
DevianArt
DeviantArt is a website where people may share their artwork, videos, and photos. Additionally, it has a fantastic fan art and illustration community. A lot of imaginative fanfiction, fan art, fan comics, and other works are available.
One of the most enjoyable, lovely, and well-designed websites is this one. This website provides a variety of tools for adding photographs and styling your postings.
Webnovel
The world’s largest web novel community is called Webnovel. It is a global online reading community with a huge selection of fantastic books, comics, and fanfiction.
The website hosted 3 million writers, more than 200 content categories, and more than 10 million digital works. Additionally, the website is beautifully created, which will make reading a pleasure for you.
Featured image credit: Amelia Bartlett on Unsplash
