Reader-Insert

:Not to be confused with Self-Insertion.
 is a type of fanfiction that is typically written in 2nd person Point of View by using you and your pronouns. The protagonist is always the reader, or "you," and is usually paired with one of the canon characters. "Reader-insert" is typically written with a hyphen. It is also sometimes known as Canon X Reader, or CanonXReader. Imagines are also a version of reader-insert, inserting the reader using second person pronouns into short-form "imagine if..." scenarios, and pairing the reader with a canon character or real person.
A comparable type of stories in Japanese-language fandoms is , also called or for short. Stories in this genre almost always feature romance between a female protagonist who is assumed to be the reader, and a male canon character.
There is a certain stigma among some content creators and content consumers centered around self-shipping media, with many fans expressing their distaste for the genre (see Criticism and Support). Despite this negativity, reader-inserts continue to be widely created and enjoyed.
==History==
Reader-inserts can be traced back to at least the early 2000s, where fanfics written in this style were popular on Quizilla and FanFiction.net, however some of the earliest reader insert fanfiction is dated to 1999 on FFN for the Star Trek fandom.The Archive for Self Inserts and Original Characters, Fanfiction.net. Oct 27, 2014 (Accessed 1/22/2022)After the First Death, Fanfiction.net. Apr 30, 1999 (Accessed 1/22/2022) Then in 2005, Fanfiction.net placed a ban on reader-insert and self-insert fanficion (see 2005 Ban on Choose Your Own Adventure Fic/Self-Insertion Fic/2nd Person Point of View Fic). 
As anime and manga fandoms became more popular in general a lot of fans started to create and consume Reader-Insert works. Some of these stories can still be found on archive.org. Other reader-insert stories from FFN persist despite the reader-insert ban, such as the Reader Insert community created in 2012 which hosts mainly anime reader-inserts from between 2010 and 2015.If you enjoy reader insert fanfictions this is the right place to you! Reader Insert community, Fanfiction.net. Aug 6, 2012 (Accessed 1/22/2022) They also had a strong presence on DeviantART, but during the 2010s became less common on DeviantART as the website began culling smut/NSFW works. Armin X Reader - I'd never do that part 5 by ExtraStatus at AO3 Their removal from the website may in part have been due to underage authors or underaged characters, which presumably would violate the DeviantART TOS. The Lemontalia DeviantART group, a community for Lemon-rated Hetalia fics, had many of them, but was shut down. Both Lemontalia groups are GONE? by BTT-DA-ACCT, Dec 27, 2012 at DeviantArt
Imagines, a subgenre of reader-insert works, are believed to originate on Tumblr and there are early appearances of reader-insert imagines in 2010. This genre may have been popularised by 1D fandom during the early 2010s. 
"Reader" is not often a choice within the search options of fanfic archives, even when reader-inserts aren't against the TOS of the archive. This may make finding reader-inserts on some websites difficult. AO3 has a Reader-Insert tag, as well as both Reader and You character tags (though these also include canonical characters called "Reader" or "You"). According to toastystats, Reader was amongst the character tags with the most works added in 2021.See: by toastystats (destinationtoast) Relationship tags involving the reader are typically formatted as [canon character]/Reader or [canon character]/You. For example, in the Smile for Me fandom tag on AO3 the second most popular relationship is "Dr. Boris Habit/Reader."Smile For Me (Video Game), Archive of Our own. (Accessed 1/21/2022) Other popular sites for Reader-Insert works include Wattpad (which has numerous dedicated tags for Reader-Insert ficsSome of the tags used include Reader-Insert, Readerinsert, readerxcharacter, Reader, xreader and x-reader.), Quotev, and Tumblr.
==Literary Conventions==
 fic is usually F/M (Female/Male), with the reader assumed to be female. However, they exist across a broad range of genders and personal identities. Details about the reader-protagonist are often either kept vague, or filled in with placeholders. This is to allow the reader to more easily project themself onto the main character of the fic. These placeholders are often single-letter abbreviations for words with a slash between the letters. There are no standard conventions for abbreviations; each author either makes up their own or imitates the ones used in fics they enjoyed. Some works avoid using any abbreviations and only address the reader through pronouns, titles, or nicknames, for example Sundrop/Moondrop/Reader from Five Nights at Freddy's Security Breach nicknaming the reader-insert "Sunshine" or "Starlight" instead of Y/N or M/C. Browser plugins such as InteractiveFics and Java userscripts exist to replace these abbreviations with the appropriate name or detail.
Abbreviations can include:
*Y/N for "your name,"Two by timeladyofletters: Sam Winchester/Reader at AO3 or _______ or [Name] for the reader's name
*(F/n) for "first name"
*(L/n) for "last name": more common in Japanese fandoms Reader x Yuki: Achluophobia by xReaderBuddyz at FF.net
*MC or M/C for "Main Character," less common than Y/N.Reader-insert fanfiction readers/writers, what does MC stand for? Reddit. Jun 17, 2020 (Accessed 4/15/2022)
*(h/c) and (e/c) for "hair color" and "eye color"
Writing to avoid describing the reader-protagonist's physical attributes requires careful attention to language. For example, describing the reader as 'turning red' may not be applicable for readers with different skin tones. Reader-insert fics of explicit nature may also take measures to avoid describing the genitalia of the reader, particularly when writing penetrative sex.
On quiz sites such as Quotev, a popular format for Reader-Insert fics is Seven Minutes in Heaven (or twenty, or an hour, or seven minutes in Hell, etc.), where the "results" of the fic are a short reader-insert fic.Search results for "Seven Minutes in Heaven" on Quotev Other formats include "what (fandom) characters think of you" quizzes, and "which character is your boyfriend" or "your (fandom) life" quizzes.
==Criticism and Support==
Like Mary Sue and self insert fic, some fans consider reader-insert fics immature and ill-conceived, especially when they follow the plot "you meet (sexy hero) and he falls in love with you." Even people who enjoy the genre sometimes express that they wish there were less of a focus on sex.ThriceCharming, Reader-Insert fics: yea or nay? Posted 19 Nov 2016. (Accessed 17 July 2018.)
Many readers do not like second person POV, because it feels "intrusive"Kelekona, Does anyone really like self-inserts? Posted 28 Feb 2016. (Accessed 17 July 2018.), or because they're being asked to identify with things they'd never do. tkannelid, Does anyone really like self-inserts? Posted 28 Feb 2016. (Accessed 17 July 2018.)PPPSSC, Reader-Insert fics: yea or nay? Posted 20 Nov 2016. (Accessed 17 July 2018.)
Other fans find reader-inserts "unobtrusive and less annoying than first person to read"LadyRimouski, Does anyone really like self-inserts? Posted 28 Feb 2016. (Accessed 17 July 2018.) or easier to relate to than OCs. One fan explains:
Other comments:
There has also been criticism that reader-inserts that are supposed to be universally relatable often make unconscious assumptions about the reader being white, which can alienate readers of colour.
==Example Fandoms==
These fandoms contain a great deal of Reader insert fic: 
* Homestuck -- where it merges nicely with the 2nd-person POV of canon
* Attack on Titan
* Ouran High School Host Club
* Supernatural
* Achievement Hunter RPF
* Assassin's Creed
* Undertale -- such as Sans/Reader, Papyrus/Reader, and Grillby/Reader 
* Stranger Things
* YouTube RPF -- common in MCYT communities, where readers are often a part of the YouTuber/Streamer's chat or fanbase
* Encanto
* The Exophilia Community -- both in original works and in fandoms with monsters, such as Undertale
* Bandom -- credited as helping popularize imagines on Tumblr in 2010, particularly the One Direction fandom
* Five Nights at Freddy's -- The second most popular AO3 relationship tag for FNAF is Sun (Five Nights at Freddy's)/Reader
* Genshin Impact
* Honkai: Star Rail
* Jujutsu Kaisen
* Baldur's Gate III -- the reader usually takes role as the player character Tav
* Hetalia: Axis Powers
* Hazbin Hotel
* Obey Me!
* My Hero Academia
* Bungou Stray Dogs
* Gintama
* Dungeon Meshi
* Project Sekai Colorful Stage
* Marvel Cinematic Universe
* DC Extended Universe
* Arcane
* Mouthwashing
==Example Fanfiction==
*After the First Death -- Star Trek, no pairing, Apr 30, 1999. One of the first reader-insert fanfics that remain archived on the FFN community "The Archive for Self Inserts and Original Characters."
*Fix Your Attitude -- Star Wars, Kylo Ren/Reader, Sept 5, 2016. This fic saw a resurgence in popularity in 2020, 2-3 years after the fics completion. This engagement came from a (presumably) new generation of fans who had discovered the story through Tik Tok. 
*Rough Day -- Star Wars The Mandalorian, Mando/Reader and Din Djarin/Reader, Aug 1, 2021. Searching the Reader-Insert tag on AO3, this is the reader-insert fanfic with the most kudos (2800) as of Jan 22, 2022.
*7 Minutes -- Attack on Titan, Eren/Reader, undated. Originally on AO3, 7 Minutes was deleted by the author due to the backlash that accompanied its popularity. Fans can be seen asking for copies of it on Reddit,Hey! Can someone tell me where I could read “7 minutes” (the eren fanfic)?? Reddit. Jan 18, 2021 (Accessed 1/22/2022) where a Reddit user credits the author as attackonfic.
==Meta & Further Reading==
* X Reader, Reddit discussion of Canon X Reader fics (2015)
* Reader-Inserts: A Guide & Background by DarthSuki (2018)
==See also==
* Works tagged "reader-insert" on AO3.
* Works tagged "reader-insert" on DeviantArt.
*all-reader-inserts a DeviantART group for reader-inserts
* Works tagged "reader-insert" on Wattpad.
* a multifandom FanFiction.net community for reader-inserts despite them being banned on the site. Most fics archived here are for anime fandom, and the earliest fic here is from 2010.
* Fuck No Reader Inserts - a critique blog
==Notes==
==References==
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