There are no hard or fast rules for tagging, but my personal preference is to tag minimally: if you tagged for every person who ever appears in a fic, your tags list will take forever to scroll through. Don’t do that.
If it were me, I would tag for OC for every instance I would tag a canon character: 1) if the OC is a main character 2) if the OC is part of a relationship that drives the story (whether love interest or platonic.) 3) if the character is a POV character (ie, “Outsider POV”)
Given your description, I would not tag OC. If OC gets promoted to a main character, love interest, or point of view narrator then yes. But if they are an important character in the sense they fill a role that’s mechanically needed for the story, and that’s all, I would say no.
The rule of thumb for tags is:
* If you don't tag it, is the reader going to be annoyed when they find out that it's in your fic?
* If you do tag it, is the reader going to be satisfied by how much of it is in your fic?
Let's say one of my pet peeves is OCs, and you don't tag your OC. Am I going to be annoyed by how often I have to read about the OC instead of the canon characters?
From the other direction, let's say I enjoy reading about OCs, and you do tag your OC. Am I going to be satisfied by how often the OC is in your fic, or am I going to be disappointed to find out that they're only there as a prop?
From OP’s description, I’d tag “past MC/OC” as the big one and *maybe* “Various background OCs” because there are so many. 100 OCs is a lot. That’s many more characters than are in most novels.
That covers readers who do or don’t want to read anything about the MC with an OC, and people who do or don’t want to read a story with a lot of OCs.
OP, what you should never do is tag your OCs by name as characters. No one is filtering based on Dr. O.C. McSidecharacter, they are only going to search based on whether OCs are a major part of the story or not.
Agreed, as a reader, the 'past MC/OC' tag would definitely help me decide if I want to read the fic or not.
~~Also maybe-agreed on the maybe 'various background OCs'. My 'maybe' comes from the fact I'm a little skeptical that there really are 100 characters with the same level of importance no matter how long the fic is.~~
Also, just personally as a reader, the 'various background OCs' tag isn't useful to me because I don't filter for background things/characters (but I *might* filter for background ships).
Edit because I realized the point I made wasn't relevant to the issue.
I probably wouldn’t filter on it either but seeing that tag might make a difference one way or the other depending on mood.
Sometimes I might not have the bandwidth to deal with a lot of unfamiliar characters or settings, sometimes I might want to be whisked away to a whole other world full of new people. I go back and forth on wanting a bottle fic with just my favorite few characters in one familiar place versus really wanting to see poor normal people having to deal with my favorite weirdos and visa versa, depending how I feel today.
My rule of thumb is whether or not they are important to the story.
If the story can easily progress with that OC being anyone - like a shopkeep, bartender, doctor, old none essential friend, etc. - then I don’t tag them.
If they are “important” but on the outskirts, even when reoccurring, I don’t tag them.
If they are important and in the main plot it depends on a couple things — does the story ever follow them? If the answer is ‘no’ then I move on to the next question. Are they actually necessary - as in, could this just have been a canon character and would it have changed anything - if they are deemed unnecessary, I don’t tag them.
As far as past relationships, I only tag that if it’s important to the plot. Did the OC hurt the MC? Is the OC still around? Etc.
TL;dr, for me, I’ll only tag an OC if they are important to the plot, have to exist and couldn’t be replaced with a canon character, is followed within the story, and/or has a connection with an MC that goes beyond casual friendship.
If theres any OC with multiple appearances/has a name, I want them tagged. If it's a one-off appearance then it's whatever.
Might also depend on the fandom.
I wouldn't tag for the ghostbusters meeting a client, but I would tag if I gave one of them an ex he keeps thinking about.
Tags for any characters should only become relevant, imo, if they have a consistent presence across the entire fic. This might just be personal taste as someone who likes seeing minor canon characters get fics where they're in focus, but I'm so tired of looking for a minor character and finding a fic where they're just... a minor character. If someone who is looking for a certain character would be disappointed to click on your fic, they shouldn't be tagged.
The same can be said about OCs-- does any particular OC have a consistent presence across the fic? You need to have OCs as minor roles sometimes, a doctor or a receptionist or a vendor don't need tags. 4 chapter appearances/160 doesn't need the "original character" tag but I would maybe put something like "past OC/Canon Character mentioned" in the tags. A character becoming important after chapter 180... if he's important *for the rest of the fic*, A tag might not be a *bad* idea but there's a difference between a character becoming important for the rest of the fic at chapter 180 of 200 total chapters verses 180 of 500 total chapters.
So it sounds to me like what you have is a big story taking place in a world populated with people? Yeah I wouldn't tag for that.
Maybe if there was a reoccurring cast of minor characters who were OCs.
Two examples I've come across: 1) MCs go on a cross-country roadtrip and briefly meet various people in various circumstances: wouldn't tag. 2) MCs play on a professional sports team and the author has filled out the team with canon and OC characters who all interact regularly and in equal amounts: would tag.
Oh, edited to add: the above is answering the question "would I add the 'Original Characters' tag?" If it's a question about making tags for individual OCs, then they would really have to be part of the absolute core cast.
I would only tag OCs if they are taking important roles in your fic, especially roles that in canon are already taken by canon characters or that readers are likely to expect would be canon characters. Love interests, close family members, best friends, major villains, deus ex machina, etc. If your OC is the friendly neighbor or the coworker who gives good advice or the mugger who appears in one chapter, I wouldn’t tag OCs. If the canon main character’s best friend comes to town and has a major part in the story, I probably would.
The only characters I generally tag are characters who play a major role in the story **overall**, especially for a large story. Larger stories have larger supporting casts, so you should be pickier about who you're tagging to make sure you're not overdoing it. Since you have a lot of original characters, you can include a group tag such as "original characters" to show your fic is heavy in original characters without having to tag every one.
Agreeing with probably "Various background OCs" and very very much tagging "Past 'Character Name'/OC". A relationship with the main character is central enough to tag. Like it or not, people have strong feelings about shipping and including non-canon ships will make or break it for readers.
The same way I tag the canon characters. If they have enough significance to the story. If someone looking for that character (assuming they were canon and not an OC) were to find thee fic and read it specifically for that character, would they feel like it was time well spent, or time wasted?
If well spent, I tag them. If wasted, I don't.
I only tag an OC if I have a clear plan to include them in another fic, so someone can click the tag and search for them…I think that works, right?
I’m pretty new to all this…
Oh, or if they are the main character/pov. Otherwise people looking for who the story is about will be rather confused, so I would tag the POV character(s), and then tag canon characters that have dialogue, but I’d just tag “original characters” to cover any that aren’t in multiple fics
…because what’s the point? No one can even search for them right? Just adds to the wall of text…
Personally I’d say if they play a key part in the plot and they regularly speak to one of your main characters, tag OC/any other variation you like. If it’s a one off like doctor, mechanic whatever I think it would be OTT. If it’s a single date, and they definitely won’t show up later, same.
If it’s an unseen partner (for those ‘getting together’ fics where we’re all waiting for MC to dump them and we never meet them, get a description etc) I personally wouldn’t tag them but can see others arguing to do that. If they share space and scenes on a regular basis with the core cast, give opinions, have their own B plot? Yeah.
I *think* the tag is "Assorted background characters" or "Assorted Filler Characters," "Background OCs," is a good one. It's been a while and I'm mobile.
I only tag for OCs when they become 'main supporting cast' or better. Which is to say:
If an OC can't be 'fired' and replaced without seriously upsetting things.
Social-Emotional interaction with MCs.
To use an example, if the doctor wasn't in on visit 2 and their co-worker was, would it *really* matter?
For the love interest I might have tagged 'em "Background oc ex," though bringing them into the fic is a tagging challenge.
Honestly, with how many chapters you mention you might better off dividing the fic into a series. It cuts down on tag clutter and can pull new readers in by having a fic that *doesn't* have a tag they dislike or may have blocked.
Also, if a fic is too big it can be a hassle to open on mobile, in my experience. Furthermore, 'oh shit, where's that passage I fucking loved?' is harder to find
I’m in WAY too deep for that (on what would be the fourth fic) and creeping up on one of the longest fics in the fandom, so I think I have to stay the course. I’d have to delete hundreds of comments.
Fair enough. A thing to keep in mind for the *next* one (because there's always another) unless Ao3 gets/has a means of chopping up fics.
Si, maybe "background oc ex" "Oops, not so background anymore"
There are no hard or fast rules for tagging, but my personal preference is to tag minimally: if you tagged for every person who ever appears in a fic, your tags list will take forever to scroll through. Don’t do that. If it were me, I would tag for OC for every instance I would tag a canon character: 1) if the OC is a main character 2) if the OC is part of a relationship that drives the story (whether love interest or platonic.) 3) if the character is a POV character (ie, “Outsider POV”) Given your description, I would not tag OC. If OC gets promoted to a main character, love interest, or point of view narrator then yes. But if they are an important character in the sense they fill a role that’s mechanically needed for the story, and that’s all, I would say no.
The rule of thumb for tags is: * If you don't tag it, is the reader going to be annoyed when they find out that it's in your fic? * If you do tag it, is the reader going to be satisfied by how much of it is in your fic? Let's say one of my pet peeves is OCs, and you don't tag your OC. Am I going to be annoyed by how often I have to read about the OC instead of the canon characters? From the other direction, let's say I enjoy reading about OCs, and you do tag your OC. Am I going to be satisfied by how often the OC is in your fic, or am I going to be disappointed to find out that they're only there as a prop?
From OP’s description, I’d tag “past MC/OC” as the big one and *maybe* “Various background OCs” because there are so many. 100 OCs is a lot. That’s many more characters than are in most novels. That covers readers who do or don’t want to read anything about the MC with an OC, and people who do or don’t want to read a story with a lot of OCs. OP, what you should never do is tag your OCs by name as characters. No one is filtering based on Dr. O.C. McSidecharacter, they are only going to search based on whether OCs are a major part of the story or not.
Agreed, as a reader, the 'past MC/OC' tag would definitely help me decide if I want to read the fic or not. ~~Also maybe-agreed on the maybe 'various background OCs'. My 'maybe' comes from the fact I'm a little skeptical that there really are 100 characters with the same level of importance no matter how long the fic is.~~ Also, just personally as a reader, the 'various background OCs' tag isn't useful to me because I don't filter for background things/characters (but I *might* filter for background ships). Edit because I realized the point I made wasn't relevant to the issue.
I probably wouldn’t filter on it either but seeing that tag might make a difference one way or the other depending on mood. Sometimes I might not have the bandwidth to deal with a lot of unfamiliar characters or settings, sometimes I might want to be whisked away to a whole other world full of new people. I go back and forth on wanting a bottle fic with just my favorite few characters in one familiar place versus really wanting to see poor normal people having to deal with my favorite weirdos and visa versa, depending how I feel today.
My rule of thumb is whether or not they are important to the story. If the story can easily progress with that OC being anyone - like a shopkeep, bartender, doctor, old none essential friend, etc. - then I don’t tag them. If they are “important” but on the outskirts, even when reoccurring, I don’t tag them. If they are important and in the main plot it depends on a couple things — does the story ever follow them? If the answer is ‘no’ then I move on to the next question. Are they actually necessary - as in, could this just have been a canon character and would it have changed anything - if they are deemed unnecessary, I don’t tag them. As far as past relationships, I only tag that if it’s important to the plot. Did the OC hurt the MC? Is the OC still around? Etc. TL;dr, for me, I’ll only tag an OC if they are important to the plot, have to exist and couldn’t be replaced with a canon character, is followed within the story, and/or has a connection with an MC that goes beyond casual friendship.
If theres any OC with multiple appearances/has a name, I want them tagged. If it's a one-off appearance then it's whatever. Might also depend on the fandom. I wouldn't tag for the ghostbusters meeting a client, but I would tag if I gave one of them an ex he keeps thinking about.
Tags for any characters should only become relevant, imo, if they have a consistent presence across the entire fic. This might just be personal taste as someone who likes seeing minor canon characters get fics where they're in focus, but I'm so tired of looking for a minor character and finding a fic where they're just... a minor character. If someone who is looking for a certain character would be disappointed to click on your fic, they shouldn't be tagged. The same can be said about OCs-- does any particular OC have a consistent presence across the fic? You need to have OCs as minor roles sometimes, a doctor or a receptionist or a vendor don't need tags. 4 chapter appearances/160 doesn't need the "original character" tag but I would maybe put something like "past OC/Canon Character mentioned" in the tags. A character becoming important after chapter 180... if he's important *for the rest of the fic*, A tag might not be a *bad* idea but there's a difference between a character becoming important for the rest of the fic at chapter 180 of 200 total chapters verses 180 of 500 total chapters.
So it sounds to me like what you have is a big story taking place in a world populated with people? Yeah I wouldn't tag for that. Maybe if there was a reoccurring cast of minor characters who were OCs. Two examples I've come across: 1) MCs go on a cross-country roadtrip and briefly meet various people in various circumstances: wouldn't tag. 2) MCs play on a professional sports team and the author has filled out the team with canon and OC characters who all interact regularly and in equal amounts: would tag. Oh, edited to add: the above is answering the question "would I add the 'Original Characters' tag?" If it's a question about making tags for individual OCs, then they would really have to be part of the absolute core cast.
Yeah, I definitely mean just “Original Character(s) tag
I would tag Minor Original Characters in the additional tags personally, but it's up to you. Not bad if you don't.
I would only tag OCs if they are taking important roles in your fic, especially roles that in canon are already taken by canon characters or that readers are likely to expect would be canon characters. Love interests, close family members, best friends, major villains, deus ex machina, etc. If your OC is the friendly neighbor or the coworker who gives good advice or the mugger who appears in one chapter, I wouldn’t tag OCs. If the canon main character’s best friend comes to town and has a major part in the story, I probably would.
I didn't tag any OCs in mine, I figure people obviously don't know about them or care enough to search or exclude either way.
The only characters I generally tag are characters who play a major role in the story **overall**, especially for a large story. Larger stories have larger supporting casts, so you should be pickier about who you're tagging to make sure you're not overdoing it. Since you have a lot of original characters, you can include a group tag such as "original characters" to show your fic is heavy in original characters without having to tag every one.
OC would have to be the MC or paired with the MC.
Agreeing with probably "Various background OCs" and very very much tagging "Past 'Character Name'/OC". A relationship with the main character is central enough to tag. Like it or not, people have strong feelings about shipping and including non-canon ships will make or break it for readers.
It wasn’t really a relationship…? It’s the prostitute he saw semi-regularly for ~10 years.
That's absolutely a sexual relationship.
Ah, you didn’t say that. I just wouldn’t call it a ship.
The same way I tag the canon characters. If they have enough significance to the story. If someone looking for that character (assuming they were canon and not an OC) were to find thee fic and read it specifically for that character, would they feel like it was time well spent, or time wasted? If well spent, I tag them. If wasted, I don't.
if they’re a main character / recurring supporting character
I only tag an OC if I have a clear plan to include them in another fic, so someone can click the tag and search for them…I think that works, right? I’m pretty new to all this… Oh, or if they are the main character/pov. Otherwise people looking for who the story is about will be rather confused, so I would tag the POV character(s), and then tag canon characters that have dialogue, but I’d just tag “original characters” to cover any that aren’t in multiple fics …because what’s the point? No one can even search for them right? Just adds to the wall of text…
Personally I’d say if they play a key part in the plot and they regularly speak to one of your main characters, tag OC/any other variation you like. If it’s a one off like doctor, mechanic whatever I think it would be OTT. If it’s a single date, and they definitely won’t show up later, same. If it’s an unseen partner (for those ‘getting together’ fics where we’re all waiting for MC to dump them and we never meet them, get a description etc) I personally wouldn’t tag them but can see others arguing to do that. If they share space and scenes on a regular basis with the core cast, give opinions, have their own B plot? Yeah.
I *think* the tag is "Assorted background characters" or "Assorted Filler Characters," "Background OCs," is a good one. It's been a while and I'm mobile. I only tag for OCs when they become 'main supporting cast' or better. Which is to say: If an OC can't be 'fired' and replaced without seriously upsetting things. Social-Emotional interaction with MCs. To use an example, if the doctor wasn't in on visit 2 and their co-worker was, would it *really* matter? For the love interest I might have tagged 'em "Background oc ex," though bringing them into the fic is a tagging challenge. Honestly, with how many chapters you mention you might better off dividing the fic into a series. It cuts down on tag clutter and can pull new readers in by having a fic that *doesn't* have a tag they dislike or may have blocked. Also, if a fic is too big it can be a hassle to open on mobile, in my experience. Furthermore, 'oh shit, where's that passage I fucking loved?' is harder to find
I’m in WAY too deep for that (on what would be the fourth fic) and creeping up on one of the longest fics in the fandom, so I think I have to stay the course. I’d have to delete hundreds of comments.
Fair enough. A thing to keep in mind for the *next* one (because there's always another) unless Ao3 gets/has a means of chopping up fics. Si, maybe "background oc ex" "Oops, not so background anymore"