Aadler’s Recommended Buffy Links

Fan Fiction Sites
	Slayer’s Fanfic Archive	This was the first major Buffy fanfiction site, and for quite a while was the one to which all others aspired. It was also the largest, with a huge author selection, including some fine names and excellent stories. Programming difficulties — and a change of ownership — kept it in stasis for years, but now it’s back to full activity. The new site interface allows an author most of the personalized story entry/editing capabilities first available with Fanfiction.net; the previous collection of stories is being gradually reinstated, and there are many new authors. A good community site, and still a good place to look for decent fic.
	Sunnydale Slayers	A smaller, high-quality site. The ratio of really good stories is higher than at SFA, because the site managers only post from a small pool of known writers. Some fine fiction to be found here (and mine, too, now, but that’s beside the point). Plus, while you’re at it, don’t fail to check out their Angel Annex.
	the Better Buffy Fiction Archive	The BetterBuffyFics mailing list operates like a book club, wherein the members recommend their own favorite stories and authors; as the title indicates, the list is dedicated to finding quality work (and one of the rules is that members can’t recommend their own stories). After more than two years of operation, the list moderators decided to set up an archive site, and the initial stories on that site were selected by popular vote of the list members. The archive files are straight text — no formatting whatsoever, which saves on server space but could affect how some stories are read — and the list’s tastes are substantially different from my own, especially in the predominance of Buffy/Spike stories chosen. However, given that this site began with a determination to find and share the BEST Buffyfic, it’s definitely worth checking out. Many of the authors will be familiar, and the calibre of the stories is well above the average. Give it a shot.
	BFA (the Buffy Fiction Archive)	Yet another in the series of sites attempting to fill the gap left by the long inactivity of the Slayer’s Fanfic Archive, the similarly-named BFA shows more promise than most of being able to pull it off. Their posting interface clearly has quite a bit of thought behind it, though I haven’t checked to see how well it works, and only completed stories are accepted (a major step that I believe all archives should follow). Most telling is the search engine that serves as the main — if not only — access to the stories themselves. A highly detailed behemoth, it allows selection by multiple criteria, including genre, rating, characters, pairings, author, title, and keywords. Still building a constituency, this site has already passed the point of being one to watch; now the only question is how far it will go.
	Ignis Verbis (A Fire of Words)	Graphically beautiful and thematically well-organized, this site was developed to collect the best Buffyfic available, and while I may not always agree with the site owner’s tastes, there is no denying the quality of the stories archived here. You’ll still have to keep looking to find something you really like, but you’ll be starting from a good source pool.
	the Darker Side of Sunnydale	As its name indicates, darker stories are the theme of this site. I can handle the occasional noir piece, but the’re like anchovies: I get tired of them quickly when I have several in a row. My own preferences aside, this serves as home to some top-quality fics and authors; my first exposure to Dreamsmith was through tDSoS, so it’s not to be ignored or underestimated.
	Eterniata Eros [Unbound]	This site is oriented toward “adult” material, an area that usually holds little appeal for me. Many extremely good writers can be found here, however. I name no favorites, leaving that to individual tastes.
	FanFiction.net	My initial review of this site was less than favorable, and with some reason. This is an enormous collection of fanfic, dealing with almost every genre one could name, though Buffy is the largest single subheading in the “TV Shows” section. Presumably to save server space, the formatting and layout are bare-bones basic; worse, the quality of submissions starts at illiterate and works its way up. Major names like Yahtzee maintain a presence at this site, so there is quality work to be found here, but with literally thousands of stories to wade through, locating the good ones can be a serious headache. On the other hand, it’s a great find if you’re looking for a place to post your work and retain some control. The file upload page seems to work without a glitch, with an edit/update section for anyone wishing to correct, add to or alter such of his/her material as is already on file. The setup encourages feedback (“reviews”) from the readers, and as any earnest ficcer knows, that is no small consideration. After more than a year of turning my nose up at this site, I now have copies of my own stories posted there. As a fanfic collection, this is a hodgepodge to be sifted carefully; as a community resource, it fills much of the purpose once served so ably by the Slayer’s Fanfic Archive.
	Sonja Marie’s Buffy Fanfiction Links	Not really a fanfiction site in itself, this page carries a collection of links to fanfic sites that is probably the largest on the web. There are some general site categories, but the sheer mass of information here makes this a resource to be mined. If you’re an insatiable (or compulsive) Buffy fanfic reader, this one will keep you busy for awhile.
Resource and Community Sites
	Buffy the Vampire Slayer Official Site	Finally, with the advent of Season Six, UPN has posted a site to replace the now-defunct WB official Buffy page. As a brand-new offering, it will have to be evaluated over time, but appears to be a good beginning.
	Sonja Marie’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer Links Index	The larger site from which Sonja Marie’s Buffy fanfiction links site (above) is derived, this is a collection of links to various Buffy sites that a serious fan is sure to find of interest or use. Buffyguide.com says there are more than 5,000 links to be found here, and I believe it.
	The Buffy Cross and Stake	Once hosted by Slayer.simplenet.com, this site contains a decent episode summary section and links to other resources. Worth a look at least.
	the Council of Watchers	This site calls itself “The definitive resource for episode reviews, rankings, and ratings of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.” Whether or not it lives up to that billing, it’s definitely worth investigating. The graphic design is nice, site organization is relatively clean, and the writing in most of the segments is more than acceptable. I’ll be checking this site on a regular basis from now on.
Posting Boards
	UPN’s Buffy Posting Board	The WB’s posting board was at one time the single richest source of online discussion and rumors regarding Buffy facts and opinions, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that the UPN replacement will operate in much the same way. Though still in the process of building a constituency and history, this is nonetheless a place to watch.
	BtVS Writer’s Guild Message Board	This site has sadly diminished since its inception. The posting board for the BtVS Writer’s Guild, it carried some highly intelligent observation and discussion; several of the regulars from the SFA Posting Board (now defunct) also frequented the Writer’s Forum, though not always under the same names, and the actual-in-practice discussion focus was geared more toward fanfiction and less toward episode review or speculation about the direction the series was taking. It was never as well known as the other posting boards, however, and traffic faded after the first flush of discovery; furthermore, the home site (and posting board) recently relocated, and all previous posts were lost in the process. A shame, because quality was quite high and the citizenry of good calibre.
	Buffyguide.com Forums	Buffyguide.com actually has six posting boards available, plus a chat section, and this link goes to the Forums page. Though I haven’t had a chance to check these out myself, the excellence of Buffyguide.com’s other work makes this automatically worth a look.
Award Sites
	Note: My personal interest is in fanfic only, so 1) I don’t profile sites with no — or severely limited — fanfic categories, and 2) my reviews of such sites pay no attention to their non-fanfic offerings. Just so you know.
	Disclaimer: I’ve received awards from some of the sites listed below. I try not to play favorites because of that, but in any case you’ve been notified.
	Undead Awards	If not the first of the major Buffyfic awards, certainly the first I ever heard of. The most recent word is that they’ve closed; while this may change, the likelihood is that this institution has fallen victim to the vicissitudes of Real Life. Shudder.
	Noir Awards	Once dispensed from the Addictive Stigmata site, these are now strictly recommendations, though because of their past status they still carry weight. Oriented toward the darker side of darkfic, they focus on stories so extreme that the darkness almost overshadows the quality. Since that same tendency is strongly pronounced in fan response, it can be considered fairly representative of Buffy fanfic even if you don’t particularly care for it (and I don’t).
	Halo Awards	This is one of the newest set of awards to carry any genuine prestige, and deserves it. A great deal of care and thought have gone into formulating how Halos are handed out. To begin with, the decision in each category is made by a panel of judges, rather than by popular vote: not a guarantor of objectivity, but certainly an aid. Additionally, there are several rules for the individual categories: no author may be nominated more than once per category; no story may be nominated in more than three categories; no author may be nominated in any category which he/she won in the previous season’s awards; and no author may win in more than one category per season. This can produce some interesting results, but the intent is to give new fiction a chance against some of the established favorites. However one may feel about the announced winners, the list of Halo nominees is an excellent place to begin when seeking Buffy fiction of the highest order.
	All or Nothing Awards	This site caught my notice because of graphics that are beautifully stylish and periodically updated, a variety of categories for which awards are given, and the requisite panel of judges. (It also initially excluded slash submissions, which is fine with me, but may not stand up under negative peer response.) Still making itself known in fan circles, it could be one to watch.
	Pure Bliss	Widely recognized in many areas as one of the best new award sites, Pure Bliss has more different categories for fanfic than any other site I’ve ever seen. It also allows for multiple submissions of a single story in different categories (not always a good thing). Consequently, the number of submissions and authors isn’t actually as large as it first appears … but give it time, I have no doubt that this one will grow.
	SBA	The “Schmuck Bait Twisty Plot Award for Fanfic Excellence” (presented by the Schmuck Bait site) is far from being a big-league, prestigious award. The sponsoring site is relatively obscure, and presentation apparently done on an unabashedly subjective basis. I mention it here for two reasons. First, the site’s recommendations list includes many of my own favorite stories, including “I-55”, “Beats a Cruel December”, and “techsupport@demon.com”. Second, the site owner bestowed on me the first fanfic award(s) I myself ever received. Sincere thanks, and keep encouraging the authors. There’s never enough of that.
	Scooby Awards	These awards were offered by the “Very Suave, Very Not Pathetic Slayerette Site” (http://slayerette.org/), and could be seen as the direct opposite of the Halo. No central award information can be found, the categories were haphazard (and apparently created on the spot), and the meaning of the award itself is not exactly clear. Since slayerette.org’s last official update was in December of 2000, one may assume these awards are no longer viable until contrary information becomes available.
	Surrender Awards	A relative newcomer, Surrender completed its first round of awards in May of 2002. Like most other judge-based sites (including Halo and All or Nothing), it actively recruits from readers and viewers for its judging. As this one becomes better known, it may acquire more submissions (including the ‘big names’ that tend to dominate Buffyfic awards), but for now it’s a nice place for newer or lower-profile authors to submit their work.
Writing/Research Aid Sites
	BtVS Writer’s Guild	This is a thoroughly decent place for a prospective Buffy fanfic writer to begin. Though downgraded somewhat from its earlier presence, the Writer’s Guild has a list of volunteer beta readers and connections to other pertinent sites. Their posting board (cited above) was once first-rate, but has now started over from scratch.
	Resources for Writers	This is an enormously useful site for anyone interested in writing well, with links to all kinds of useful tools, and articles on various aspects of writing, fiction, fandom, copyright issues, and the like.
	Once Upon a Time	Back at FanFiction.Net after several months of absence, this is one of the best online columns on fanfic writing to be found. (The link here leads to the FanFiction.Net main page, from which the column can be selected from the menu.) The author, a Halo Award winner for Angel fanfiction, is enormously well-qualified to advise, opine, and judge, and any ambitious author would do well to consult her columns archive.
	Buffyguide.com	The site of unquestionably the best Buffy episode guide to be found on the web, this one stood out even before a major upgrade, and now is beyond compare. There are plenty of other useful links as well, enough that this would be on my favorites list even without the episode guide.
	Buffyworld.com	This site was an unexpected gem of a find, in that it contains copies of all the transcripts AleXander did before he was forced by the Fox lawyers to remove his offerings from the SFA. Following the transcript for Earshot, the work is taken up by different transcriptionists; while the dialogue appears to be accurate, there is considerably less of the background detail that made AleXander’s products so useful and appealing, but it still is a useful resource for anyone wanting to establish the facts of canon.
	Psyche: Transcripts & Fanfiction	For a long time I saw this site as a secondary and less desirable source of episode transcripts. In actual fact, the transcripts themselves are the same as those found at Buffyworld; the HTML versions are formatted in a way that I find easier to read than their Buffyworld counterparts, and there are text versions also available. The site itself is graphically less impressive, but the material is solid.
	TV Data Links for Buffy and Angel	Not especially informative in themselves, these sites can be an extremely useful supplement for someone seeking information about a specific episode, character, or actor. Used in conjunction with the official Buffy site, episode guides available at several fanfiction sites, and program transcripts (see above), almost any canonical fact can be established to some degree or another.
	Mustreadtv.com	Once a place where one could find copies of actual shooting scripts for Buffy episodes, this site no longer provides that service following a cease-and-desist notice from Fox lawyers. I’m leaving up the link in case anything changes.

If you encounter broken links for any site,
click HERE to notify me immediately!