Terminology

If you have additional terms to add to the listing here, please e-mail me.

• h/c = hurt/comfort -  Type of story in which a character suffers either physically and or emotionally, and is in some way comforted  by another.  Usually leads to a romantic involvement, but not always.
  


• PWP = Plot What Plot!While I have seen one story that claimed to be a PWP and was a comedy, the category is defined by those NC-17 het or slash stories that skip to the steamy parts...



• Round Robin - Story which has many authors. Each taking up where the last left off



• Beta Reading - Reading through someone's story to proof it for errors before it is given out for general distribution



• au = Alternate Universe - Story which departs from the official timeline of the show.  Sometimes these set the characters in times/places we haven't seen them on the show, and sometimes (like with most Clan Denial stories) just forget a season or two.
  


• Clan Denial - Largely comprised of Richie fans, the general idea for members of this group is one way or another, Richie isn't dead.  (Tribe Denial is fairly similar, though for Sentinel fans who refuse to think Blair is anything but damp after the Season finale)
  


• ath = alt.tv.highlander - The highlander newsgroup for discussing the series and the benefits of Nutella ;)
  


• athc = alt.tv.highlander.creative - The highlander newsgroup for the posting and discussion of fanfic, your isp may not yet carry it as it was created in late May of 1999, best way for you to get them to carry it is to ask your internet server provider to add it to their list of newsgroups. Until then you can check it out via Deja News at http://www.deja.com/group/alt.tv.highlander.creative .
  


• Filk - Basically a really brief dity that uses a song (usually a popular one at the time written) and either as either a joke or parody on either the song or the TV Series.
  


• Song Story - Another category of fic that is readers either love or hate. THe lyrics to a song are featured in the text of the story.
  


• FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions - the file every newbie should look for before asking a question, because most answers can be found here.  There is usually at least one of these files for every newsgroup, and many fandoms on the net.  They are usually posted at least once a month in most discussion newsgroups, if not, ask for it.
  


• X-Over = Crossover = My favorite type of fanfic.  Type of story that uses concepts and/or characters from more than one fandom.  In my opinion this genre illustrates what is so wonderful about fanfic - putting the characters in situations they couldn't be put into on the series, due to budget constraints, and other production concerns.
  


• Slash (m/m, f/f)  -  These types of stories involve in some way a relationship between two characters of the same gender.  m/m = 2 males, f/f = two females.  Slash gets it's name from the / used to indicate who the relationship is between.  Though the notation is also used to indicate relationships between male and female characters.   For example, DM/M = Duncan and Methos, and DM/A = Duncan and Amanda
  


• Gen = Het = not slash.  Okay, this is used to point out both that the story isn't slash.  And that there may be male/female relationships.  Gen is occasionally also used to denote that the story is essentially PG - General Audiences. To be safe, always assume the most adult rating.
  


• ofc = original female character
• omc = original male character
  


• immie = immortal
  


• k'immie = evil immortal. Refers to the fact that so many of the bad guys on the series have names which start with K.
  


• Seacouver - fandom inspired name for the American city which is the HL location when it's not in Paris. The city is never named, thought it's filmed in Vancouver, but internal clues make it clear the setting is intended to be in the U.S. Seattle+Vancouver= Seacouver. But Seacouver is also canon in "Valkyrie" (Season 5) DM sees an ad for the coming speech by the neo-nazi to be held at the Seacouver Civic Auditorium. It is _very_ readable on-screen.(Thanks for the correction, Emma. :) AnnF)
  


• Mary Sue - A bit infamous.  Basically a character that stands in the place of the Author.  Usually she is all knowing, too perfect, and the Red Sea would be more than happy to part for her.
  


• ROG = Really Old Guy - Methos.  :)
  


• BDSM, BD, SM,  nc n/c- ok, not many of these stories on this site, but so you know...  BD= Bondage & Discipline, SM = Sadomasochism.  nc=n/c - nonconsensual.   Basically Adult stories. These stories might really have whips and chains in them.
  

A decent enough start at least....  As always send me suggestions and feedback at
fountaam@bigfoot.com