In roleplay, a fandom is the book, show, film, game or other source your characters come from. Fandom roleplay means writing canon characters, or original characters set in that world, alongside other fans.
This guide explains the words fandom roleplayers use, the types of fandom character on RPL, and how to find people in your fandom.
Fandom words you'll see
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Canon | What actually happens in the source material. |
| Fanon | Ideas so popular in fan writing that people mistake them for canon. |
| Headcanon | Your personal take on something canon never covered. |
| Canon point | The moment in the story your character is taken from. |
| AU (alternate universe) | Canon characters in a different setting or situation: modern AU, coffee shop AU, "what if they never met". |
| Canon divergent | The story follows canon until a certain point, then something changes. |
| Crossover | Characters from two or more fandoms meet. |
| OC | An original character, created by you, sometimes set inside a fandom's world. |
| Multi-fandom | A writer, site or character that covers several fandoms. |
The RPL Compendium has many more roleplay terms.
Character types on RPL
When you create a character, you choose a character type. For fandom roleplay, these matter most:
- Strictly Canon: written as close to the source as possible.
- Loosely Canon: recognisably the canon character, with your own interpretation.
- Canon Divergent: canon until a turning point, then your own path.
- Canon Adjacent: an original character woven into a canon world or family.
- Original Character: entirely yours.
- Multi-Muse: one profile for several characters. See Understanding Multi-Muses.
Character Type Definitions goes into more detail.
Fandoms on RPL
- Your author profile has a Fandoms field: list the fandoms you write in, separated by commas. Write "Original" if you write original characters.
- Each character has their own Fandoms field, so partners can find them by fandom.
- Search lets you find characters in a fandom, then filter by the role or relationship status you're looking for.
- Public Explore lists every fandom our characters come from.
Use the fandom's full, common name so searches find you, for example "Harry Potter" rather than "HP". If a fandom has several versions, like a book series and a TV adaptation, say which one in your bio.
Fandom etiquette
- Share canon characters. On a multi-fandom site, several people may write the same character. That's normal, and every version is valid. See How to Roleplay a Canon Character.
- State your canon point and your AU in your bio, so partners know what your character knows.
- Use spoiler warnings for recent releases. A fold-out (
<details>) in your bio or post works well. - Don't police other people's takes. Fanon and headcanons vary. If you don't enjoy someone's version, you don't have to write with them.
- Keep fandom wars out. Disagreements about ships or characters belong in OOC chat, not in other people's threads.
Original characters in a fandom
OCs in canon worlds are a big part of fandom roleplay, and they work best when they fit the world without taking it over. Give them a reason to be there, connections that make sense, and goals of their own. Run them through The Mary Sue Test before introducing them to canon characters.
Looking for someone in your fandom to write with? How to Find a Roleplay Partner covers searching and writing a request.