As a result of Wattpad's purchase by South Korean company Naver in January [EDIT: as of 04 April 2024, Wattpad using an AI system to flag "suspect" fics resulting in yet another purge) and authors here complaining about stories and accounts being deleted as a result, I've decided to compile this guide to the Archive of Our Own for Wattpad users who want an alternative site that will not delete their fics without warning.
So, who am I?
Online name is Brambleshadow, over 21 years of age, US-American. Involved in online fandom since 2008. I've been using the Archive of Our Own myself since 2011, having migrated there after suffering from the FanFiction.net purge of 2010. I didn't get a Wattpad account until 2013, and I've been using this site mostly as yet another archive for my own fanworks. With the buyout and fics/accounts being deleted, I've seen this sort of thing before and I know how it ends, so all of my fic updates are solely going to be on AO3 from now on.
So, let's get into it.
YOU ARE READING
A Wattpad User's Guide to AO3
RandomTutorial/Guide for Wattpad users who are migrating to AO3, have never used it before, and/or are unfamiliar with the culture/etiquette on AO3. Written by a Fandom Old who has been using the Archive of Our Own since 2011.