fix-it fic
/fɪks ɪt fɪk/
CommonA fanfiction story written to correct or undo a plot event from the original source that fans hated.
Exists because of disappointment with official content. Writing or reading a fix-it fic is a way of coping with a canon event that hurt. The emotional weight of canon makes the fix-it feel meaningful.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | I cannot accept that ending. someone please send me fix-it fics. | The speaker is looking for fan-written alternatives to an unsatisfying official conclusion. | tumblr, 2023 |
| 02 | wrote a fix-it where they both survive and honestly it's better than what we got. | The speaker created their own version where the outcome is better than canon. | ao3, 2022 |
| 03 | the finale was bad enough that the entire fandom is just writing fix-it fics now. | A bad ending triggered a wave of community-created alternatives. |
Use it when
- Writing or reading fanfiction that corrects a painful or unsatisfying canon event.
- Describing a fic that gives a character a better outcome than they got in canon.
- Seeking community after being hurt by official content.
Do not use it when
- You are simply writing from a different character's perspective without changing events.
Origin and context
Emerged from online fanfiction communities as a specific genre label for stories that correct canon events. Became common on LiveJournal and later Archive of Our Own.
- First seen
- early-2000s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/fix-it-ficUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0