AO3 Celebrates 15 Million Fanworks

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2025-05-18 17:31:56 UTC

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15 Million Fanworks on AO3

We are incredibly excited to announce that AO3 now has over 15 million fanworks! Last year in May we celebrated 13 million works on the site. Two million new works in one year is an incredible achievement. And to think it took more than four years to reach one million works when AO3 was first founded!

We would not be here without your love for fandom, your dedication, and your ceaseless enthusiasm and creativity. Kudos to all of you! However you choose to contribute to fandom, you are invaluable to our community.

In keeping with the spirit of the occasion, comment below your favourite ways of engaging with fandom. Are you a creator? Do you translate works? Create podfics? Run exchanges? Are you an avid commenter on other people's works? What do you enjoy most about how you engage with fandom?

Thank you for 15 million fanworks, and here's to many more to come!

The Organization for Transformative Works is the non-profit parent organization of multiple projects including Archive of Our Own, Fanlore, Open Doors, Transformative Works and Cultures, and OTW Legal Advocacy. We are a fan-run, entirely donor-supported organization staffed by volunteers. Find out more about us on our website.

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coot Sun 18 May 2025 05:45PM UTC

Hurrrraaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! (。＾▽＾) I like to swap & talk about fanfiction IRL... with the right people of course! 💛

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1. MysteriousMihai Sun 18 May 2025 10:34PM UTC
  
  You really do know people in real life you can talk to about fanfiction? Now, I absolutely don't wish to sound like I'm slightly envious, but ... well ... ;)
  
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2. 1. coot Tue 20 May 2025 05:23AM UTC
    
    Granted it's only like, two human people! When it's not them, it's reading to dogs... and the ducks at the park... But still, living things!
    Time to cast a spell... 🧙‍♂️ swish-swish-swish, may lish fandom-flourish-fish soon squish MysteriousMihai! ✨🐟🙏
    
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  2. 1. MysteriousMihai Tue 20 May 2025 11:54AM UTC
      
      At least, two human people is two more than I have. ;)
      This being said, I have to idea as to why it's suddenly smelling like sulphur in here, but I'm gonna read my latest fic to my cat and the fish in the pond now. :)
      
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Metallicity Sun 18 May 2025 06:23PM UTC

I wonder what measure is being used here. Searching with restricted works included, I see <14.9 million, and <13 million without restricted works. Including deleted works would increase the number way too much, so maybe it's counting works in unreleased collections?

Last Edited Sun 18 May 2025 06:25PM UTC

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1. MysteriousMihai Sun 18 May 2025 06:59PM UTC
  
  That has occurred to me the last time already. My theory is that due to unposted drafts, since they are already database entries with an assigned work ID; but just remain invisible for us until they get posted, the hidden figure is higher than the total number displayed when you press enter with the search bar left blank. Deleted works don't count in either figure.
  I could be wrong, but it's the only explanation that comes into my mind.
  
  Last Edited Sun 18 May 2025 07:06PM UTC
  
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2. 1. Metallicity Sun 18 May 2025 09:24PM UTC
    
    It seems they're going by whatever count is on the frontpage (when not logged in), which is currently just over 15 million, so that means it's possible to check what the actual code is doing there. As best I can tell, it's just counting how many works are "posted", which I believe would be false for drafts but true for works in unrevealed collections.
    
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  2. 1. MysteriousMihai Sun 18 May 2025 09:38PM UTC
      
      Ah, yes, that could make sense. Works in unrevealed collections might not show up in the search, where I normally get the number from, so the number of results when just pressing enter (technically searching for all works posted) will be lower. Never thought about that, actually ...
      
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amoeve Sun 18 May 2025 06:24PM UTC

What an absolutely incredible milestone to have reached. I remember when the notion of an independent place was being discussed on LiveJournal after Strikethrough, and it is so incredible and awe-inspiring to see what a juggernaut the Archive has become.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to every single volunteer whose time and energy goes into the Archive. And congratulations to every single fan creator whose work is one of the 15 million.

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Writer_fennec Sun 18 May 2025 06:27PM UTC

We finally reacherd an average of one MILLION works a year! Thanks to all the writers who made this possible, you passion and your writing are priceless!

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DarchangelSkye Sun 18 May 2025 06:41PM UTC

the irony of if the big 15M was a non-fanwork...

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1. napdragon Mon 19 May 2025 02:16PM UTC
  
  oh there's definitely at least a few thousands of those
  but ultimately they won't make much of a difference, with the rate works are published at we should have 15m actual fanworks very soon
  
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2. Psyga315 Wed 21 May 2025 12:57AM UTC
  
  Or AI generated for that matter.
  
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MysteriousMihai Sun 18 May 2025 06:53PM UTC

15 million is a figure that makes me feel like I'm but a small fish in a huge pond ... :D I joined the site only in August last year after a ten-year hiatus (God, how did I even survive that ...?), and my total contributions so far sum up to a miraculous amount of ... 13 works. Hey, it's not much, but it's honest work. ;)
How I engage with fandom? Well, there's just that one talent I happen to be gifted with, so ... ;) Coming from a rather niche-like fandom, however, does give me the advantage that I actually can keep track on what my fellows are doing. :) This being said, checking my history, I do make use of the opportunity to broaden my horizon to levels I clearly wouldn't have anticipated back when all I looked for was a new home for my old stuff. :D
To have the final question answered, too: it may shock some people, so please don't faint, but I also actually enjoy what I'm doing. It does help. ;)
To the next 15 million! :) And, again, cheers to all volunteers for keeping AO3 awesome!

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1. Yonia_Blooms Sun 18 May 2025 10:10PM UTC
  
  Hey, I only joined AO3 in early February of this year. I'm pretty new to fan-fic writing, also. It's all in good-natured fun, no matter how long we've been here!
  I agree about small fandoms; I love recognizing and supporting what most of my fellow writers are working on too. :)
  
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2. 1. MysteriousMihai Sun 18 May 2025 10:30PM UTC
    
    Hey, so you're new to fanfic writing as a whole, not just to the site? The latter would be the case with me; I must have started around 2007 or so, but I've had a longer break and needed some place to go when I wanted to start over again, so that's how I've ended up here. Though, even if you had started only yesterday, at the end of the day, it's the fun part that matters. :) Oh, and as a general rule, the longer you'll stay around, the more awesome it gets. :D
    
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  2. 1. Yonia_Blooms Sun 18 May 2025 10:36PM UTC
      
      I'm new to both fan-fiction and AO3; just started this year! Being here for three months now, I concur; it is pretty awesome here! The best part is the non-judgemental and open-minded community. There are simply too many ideas swirling around in my brain to not let free! :D
      
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    2. 1. MysteriousMihai Sun 18 May 2025 11:00PM UTC
        
        In that case, welcome to the dark side! :D Jokes aside, if there's any good place to unleash whatever may be haunting one's brain, it's most certainly here. :) Being part of a community where thinking outside the box is actually encouraged and welcomed is indeed something that's very likely to keep me around for a while. Definitely worth the time in the invite queue.
        
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  3. Account Deleted Wed 21 May 2025 06:26PM UTC
    
    same joined in feb!
    
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panicingatthewrongdisco Sun 18 May 2025 07:37PM UTC

HURRAH! I can't believe how much effort some people can put into their fics, and still have time to do normal people things, like sleep for example. Sadly I have contributed nothing, but congrats to every one who did, even if it was just one!!!<3

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willowthesxmp Sun 18 May 2025 07:47PM UTC

that’s wonderful!!! 15 million works is a lot!

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anotherutfan Sun 18 May 2025 07:55PM UTC

i personally like putting encouraging comments and kudos on many many fics. definitely that avid commenter.
i also like putting headcanons down in the comments too

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1. HerdOfTurtles Tue 20 May 2025 12:31PM UTC
  
  you are a vital species in the fandom ecosystem
  
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2. 1. anotherutfan Tue 20 May 2025 01:43PM UTC
    
    thank you :)
    
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Diamond_Dusty Sun 18 May 2025 08:13PM UTC

I'm doing my part! (Obsessively creating tragic yaoi out of obscure media for myself)

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artsyspikedhair Sun 18 May 2025 08:44PM UTC

I'm both a creator and a commenter and I've inspired some people who had "fics" requesting possible fic suggestions to make prompt memes instead which is nice, like instead of just having their effort removed they then have somewhere else people can go to suggest fic ideas. I participate in a lot of Whump events and monthly challenges and love seeing my works in collections; it's kinda addictive. I've also contributed to more than just the number of fics under my username because I've orphaned a few fics

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F0r3verzz Sun 18 May 2025 08:44PM UTC

15 MILLION WORKS!!!!! I LOVEEE commenting on fics (⁎˃ᴗ˂⁎) its just a better way of showing love for it rather then just leaving kudos. I also tell my friends about it because why not (＾ω＾)

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CosmicMarauder Sun 18 May 2025 08:50PM UTC

heres to more!
my favourite ways to share and celebrate fanworks are commenting on others posts, and secondly I have written my own! glad to be part of the 15mil, and congrats to everyone else who is too!!!

Last Edited Sun 18 May 2025 08:53PM UTC

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MAO_Sauce Sun 18 May 2025 09:09PM UTC

Glad to do my duty o7

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WhimsicalMetanoia Sun 18 May 2025 09:12PM UTC

Congratulations! It feels like yesterday that we hit the 5 million mark (hard to believe that was in 2019!) <3

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1. AW1115 Sun 18 May 2025 09:58PM UTC
  
  6 years.......
  
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2. loraeli Mon 19 May 2025 09:12AM UTC
  
  wait seriously?
  
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3. 1. WhimsicalMetanoia Mon 19 May 2025 01:41PM UTC
    
    Yup, there was an announcement and everything, I don't remember what month but definitely 2019.
    
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4. Otore Tue 20 May 2025 10:49AM UTC
  
  Wow that is so crazy. As an ao3 newcomer I shouldn't be the one to say this but this site has come a long way.
  
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Jiangyin Sun 18 May 2025 09:43PM UTC

I engage with fandom as both a creator and a reader. I mainly write Hanson band RPF, and I've also written for Supernatural, Firefly, the Lifeline series of mobile games, Welcome To Night Vale, and the band 30 Seconds To Mars. My favourite fandoms to read in are Supernatural, Sherlock, Doctor Who, The Hunger Games and Welcome To Night Vale. I started here at AO3 on April first 2010, less than a year after open beta started, and I wouldn't trade the last 15 years for anything. Here's to the next million fanworks and beyond 🥰

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aspiringWatcher Sun 18 May 2025 09:57PM UTC

Woohoo! Here's to another milestone

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1. coot Tue 20 May 2025 05:28AM UTC
  
  Lovely icon, by the way!ヾ(•ω•`)o
  
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2. 1. aspiringWatcher Tue 20 May 2025 02:19PM UTC
    
    Ah, thank you very much, it's an old acquaintance's work.
    
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AW1115 Sun 18 May 2025 09:58PM UTC

yeahhhhhhhhh!!!!🤗congratulation!!!!!!

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Otaku_girl Sun 18 May 2025 10:01PM UTC

Such an amazing achievement 💙

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Yonia_Blooms Sun 18 May 2025 10:04PM UTC

That is so cool that we have over 15 MILLION fan-works here!
I enjoy writing silly short stories for a relatively small and niche fandom that deserves a lot more love (Cult of the Lamb!). I just like chatting with everybody in that fandom, and I've made some cool friends there too. I also got into drawing fan-art, too. :)

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