sometimes i wonder if some authors understand that 'creator chose not to use archive warnings' really means 'heavy content inside but want it to be revealed with the plot' to a reader and not 'uhhh wasn't sure what box to tick'

i see it a lot, particularly with people who tick both 'chose not to warn' and 'no warnings apply,' which sends a very mixed message that can stop people clicking into their fics entirely. chose not to warn is basically 'here there be monsters; go at your own risk.'

i think it's a very important archive warning to have, but when used incorrectly it can hurt exposure needlessly. what it says is 'one or more of the big four content warnings is in here, so if any of them squick you, don't click.' so some people simply won't (a good thing!)

but if your fic doesn't actually contain any of the warning content, you're raising a wall between cautious readers who want nothing to do with themes such as r*pe/non-con, graphic violence, underage, major character death. basically, use it with great gravity!

ALSO! the archive warnings are excludable from searches, which means if you've misclassified your fics, some people won't even see them to realise it's a mistake. correct tags and warnings are your absolute best friend on ao3.

this thread was brought to you by my sudden fear that people are doing themselves dirty without realising it