Comment on What We're Doing for #IFD2026

  1. givemefluffplsNOW Sun 08 Feb 2026 09:34AM UTC

    So basically anything that cannon divergence is an AU
    And I had one more question about this event
    What did the hey sweetheart thing means
    I am just kinda slow i have been on ao3 for like 2 months till now

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    1. Hakvrei Sun 08 Feb 2026 10:48AM UTC

      Yes, essentially.

      I looked into it and the Hey Sweetheart event is a multi-fandom event where you write a fic with someone using the word "sweetheart" as a pet name for their love interest. It has to be used as a pet name and more than once to count. Once done, they encourage you to post it to their collection and on social media using their tags. You can click on the link provided in the newspost for more details about it.

      And don't worry, AO3 can be difficult to navigate at first. We all have to start somewhere, you know? 💗💚

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      1. givemefluffplsNOW Sun 08 Feb 2026 03:12PM UTC

        Ohhh okay
        Thank you soooo much 💗💗💗
        This was extremely useful

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    3. luka_gayybriel Sun 08 Feb 2026 09:27PM UTC

      im pretty sure that if it doesnt impact the plot but diverges slightly from canon then it still counts as a headcanon and not an au (dont quote me on that lol)

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      1. Hakvrei Sun 08 Feb 2026 10:28PM UTC

        I'm going to paste the same Fanlore description (and another one) that I posted in a previous comment:

        Alternate Universe (often abbreviated as "AU") is a descriptor used to characterize fanworks which change one or more elements of the source work's canon.

        The term AU covers a wide range of divergence from the original canon, from universes where only a tiny tweak has occurred to diverge it from the canon to AUs that are so different as to border on origfic - sometimes called "radical AUs". Some fans question the merits of calling these works fanfiction, arguing that they are so unrecognisable as to be effectively original. Another argument is that all fanworks are by their nature AUs, as they will inevitably differ from the canon in some way, shape or form

        Fanlore classifies what you described as a Canon AU, which goes as follows:

        "Canon AU" has two common definitions:

        1. an AU that originates within the commercial source work itself.
        2. a fanwork AU that diverges relatively narrowly from that of its source work.

        A headcanon more has to do with a personal interpretation of a character or something in canon. Examples would be sexual orientation, things a character does in their free-time, or a function of something in canon that isn't fully explained. Whereas an AU is more of a divergence of the plot and not something that's an interpretation.

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      2. givemefluffplsNOW Wed 11 Feb 2026 12:13PM UTC

        okies
        thanks for the advice
        (i wont quote you on that😁😁)

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