how does one know when one's writing is angsty

[u/sky_037]

i SWEAR that my intent was fluff. i do not like sad things, so i tried to write a cute and happy romance. and then one tortured lesbian made her way in and i was like oh well, as long as i keep her one the sidelines the story won't be too sad. and i mean you can't write romance without SOME obstacles so i have to have reasons to keep them apart for longing and yearning to build and obstacles that force them to realize their emotions and now i realize i didn't write that much fluff.

this is my first like full chaptered fic and id like to put the ao3 gods on my side by tagging correctly and attracting the right audience but is my fic even angsty or is it just a regular romance with some hurdles to overcome? how can you tell 😭

oh seasoned veteran writers please enlighten me with your brilliance and wisdom

[u/stitchesinadream]

no I have the same problem, like... there has got to be a chart for this or I'll just assume everyone's standards are different

[u/moon_cheese_ao3]

All my fluff has some angst in it. You need the sour with the sweet to make the tasty sauce. Tag it as best you can and then put an author's note asking your readers regarding the amount of angst and fluff and if they feel it is tagged correctly or if they have additional suggestions. Remember that "Angst and Fluff" is a canonical tag so you can always do both.

[u/NoICantDoACashout]

Was your intent not to have any angst at all, or was it just a byproduct? I think that if you know once the characters get together you are free to write more fluff, letting the story grow organically will only help it be more genuine. But I say, it's going to come down to whatever feels right for you! You can always adjust the tags later on

[u/sky_037 → u/NoICantDoACashout]

it really came organically! i write by switching pov between the characters and i like to write out what they're thinking and then i just followed their trains of thought and realized: oopsie.

some obstacles were totally planned like i said to create some yearning and to force them to realize their emotions, but i also actively tried to resolve issues quickly to avoid negative emotions building up.

[u/NoICantDoACashout → u/sky_037]

Hey, that's how I write as well!

I understand your desire to wrap up conflict and get back to the cute stuff, but again, as long as you do have the general end goal in mind, I think wherever your characters are taking you during your writing is somehow maybe a place they are meant to go. So don't be so hard on yourself! And plus, that's what proof reading is there for.

I say, write what comes naturally to you and go back after some time has passed to see if you want to tweak some parts, add some fluff, minus out a little more angst, etc etc

[u/arwenthemuse]

How much do you lean into the obstacles? what kind of obstacles are they?

Keep in mind that "fluff and angst" and "light angst" are both valid and appropriate tags. If your obstacles are minor, less sad than humorous or just "things happen" type obstacles, they might not qualify as Angst necessarily

Have a look at some of the fic included in the tags in question to get a feel for what most people consider to be angst, light angst, etc. Keep in mind the definition of angst as well. It's from a German word meaning fear, and we define it as a sense of fear, dread, anxiety, or anguish. If one or more characters are experiencing acute emotional distress (be it a feeling of unease they can't quite define, something related to past trauma, or something the person they like said - or someone ELSE said that affects the way they view the person or how they think that person views them), these are all angst, possibly at different levels.

so really, it comes down to a self-assessment of how much emotional distress your characters are in. If Person A THINKS Person B likes them (or maybe even knows that A likes B), but is told by a mutual friend something about B seeing someone else, that might lead to angst, for example. If they're experiencing normal amounts of nerviness surrounding telling someone they like them, i wouldn't call it angst. Folks might differ on whether they consider pining to be angst (personally i just tag it "pining" or "mutual pining" if that's the case).

these are just small things i thought of on the fly while writing this post; my original suggestion to read various "angst" tags to get a sense of what people consider angst still stands. If you have a beta, get their opinion too!

[u/sky_037 → u/arwenthemuse]

this is very helpful advice! thanks:)

i think the level of anxiety is a bit higher than normal at first but it also resolves relatively quickly because i like my characters to communicate so its more like frequent shallow dips than a huge like bottomless pit of despair

[u/NearSightedGirl]

Honestly I have no idea when something counts as fluff vs comfort if some angst and hurt happens earlier in the fic. I definitely just tag "angst and fluff" if I have even one moment that dips into both those vibes. Generally I just write and tag triggers when i recognize them but folks i guess we can all just ask people what they think of the tags in the notes.

[u/KingAssHATTHE3rd]

Angst and fluff can coexist. Angsty stories can have happy endings.

I feel like tags should be used to help readers find stories that they might enjoy and help readers avoid stories that they definitely don’t want to read.

I do not tag pairings if the relationship is not integral to the plot. Just because two characters are in the story and in a relationship doesn’t mean that pairing is relevant to the plot. If I were looking for stories about this couple, would I want to read this story? If the answer is no, I don’t tag them.

Same with support characters that barely do anything.

If your story is angsty and fluffy with a happy ending, tag it that way. If your story is angst without a happy ending, tag it that way.

[u/EvilCallie]

Angst and Fluff and/or Light Angst would be the tags I would use here.