The Greatest AO3 Memes for Avid Readers Who Prefer Fanfiction Over Books

Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor

Jul 27, 2026 8:30 AM EDT

When in doubt, read fanfiction.

Every reader has a favorite genre of books that really gets them going, a genre that, once they get their hands on, makes it physically impossible to put a book down. Romantasy has been a fan favorite for some people, and for others, a good mystery book is what really gets them going. Then there are those who don't really care about the genre, since their favorite thing to do is judge a book by its cover and go from there.

If you ask me, the thing I enjoy most about reading has nothing to do with a genre, and I can't even say it's actually a book. The stories that get me going are the ones found on the beautiful site called Archive of Our Own.

Fanfiction has been around for decades; it is a part of every fandom that enjoys creating art around what they love most. All it requires is the original story, and people can take it and create more of their own. A love story can happen in a million different ways, reimagined over and over again, and each is waiting for you to find in AO3. Think about it: you can watch a TV show and like the characters, but still feel like you want to get to know them even better. Then, you look up fanfiction for these characters, and you are introduced to so many new worlds in which these characters still thrive.

One of my favorite things that I get from reading fanfiction is the sense of community. Not only do I get to read some really incredible pieces of work, but I also get to tell the author how much I liked it and find others who have felt the same way. By reading another fan's reimagined story, you get to encourage them to put the time and effort into their passions, and who knows, might even encourage them to make it into a career.

This community is also the cause for the creation of the hilarious memes below, which best describe what it's like to have 'fanfiction' as your favorite genre of books.

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