The first thing you should do if you think a fanfic has vanished is...
- Check if it's already on the list If so, you only need to contact me if you think you have new information.
- Search Google and Bing (The "Please double-check that it's plugged in, sir." step.)
- Search Fanfiction.net, MediaMiner, and FicWad using their internal search engines. (They don't index well)
- Check a RAAC (
rec.arts.anime.creative) archive [1] [2]. - If it's a Ranma ½ Lemon, check StFan's Ranma ½ Lemon Story Archive (NSFW).
If you cannot find the fic through any of those links, it is a candidate for being hosted here and you should contact me. If you found the fic but it was difficult, I may still link it via the Moved section.
What Counts As "Crippled"?
A crippled fic is any story which originally used a mix of the following elements to flavor the reading experience but is now only available in a more basic form:
- Background colors, fonts, and other formatting
- Art (fan- or otherwise)
- Sidestories (especially fan-contributed ones)
You can request that a fic be considered, but status will be judged on a case-by-case basis so I don't end up hosting every little story that included a scribble or neon-pink polka-dot background with yellow text.
Reporting a vanished fic...
First, check the previous definitions to make sure that the fic is eligible for this site.
If it does qualify, feel free to report it.
If you'd like to help speed the process up, here's a list of places which do count as vanished which I turn to when trying to find fanished fics to add to the site:
-
Fanfiction.net:
- FictionHunt
- This bundle contains almost every Fanfiction.net fic from ID# 1 to ID# 10,000,000, grouped by fandom. You can download individual pieces in Zip format using the "Show All" link under "Download Options".
-
FiMFiction.net:
- FiMFetch
- Fimfarchive (possibly earlier versions of the bundle)
- The Wayback Machine
-
GeoCities:
-
Other:
- The Wayback Machine
- If the fic is old enough, it may have been posted to the FFML (Fan Fiction Mailing List). There is no unified archive of its entire history, but you can check these partial archives:
- If it's a Ranma ½ fanfic and you're not sure where it was originally hosted, check the Wayback Machine's copy of Rakhal Stormwarden's Penultimate Ranma Fanfic Index
- If you can think of any other places which should be on this list, by all means, please tell me.
Note: This list is not a substitute for getting me involved. Experience and cunning aside, I can also put the fic on the Wanted list where someone who keeps a private archive of their favorite fics may see it.