Fanlore:Featured Article Archives/2021: Week 5

In fandom, meta (also meta essay) is used to describe a fan-authored piece of non-fiction writing discussing any aspect of fandom, fanworks, or the source text. This can include discussing characters and their motivations, fanfiction tropes and trends, fan activity, particular plot elements, choices by canon creators, alternate possibilities for canon and much more.

Meta can be fandom-specific, or it can be pan-fandom, commenting on fannish trends and tendencies that span fandoms and fan generations.

One definition:

Meta can be described by both intention and scope. [It can be] about fandom as a whole, a particular fandom, a particular event, a particular canon, a particular episode or aspect of something, it all counts. Fandom talking about itself or its interests in a thoughtful way is the best description we can come up with. When it comes to intention, pretty much anything that isn't fictional or conversation would count. Meta can be very long (even a series!) or it could be just a few paragraphs.

The definition, and terminology, used to describe meta has varied over time and with different fannish platforms. See Origin & Evolution of the Term.