fictionthis

Fictionthis is a term used in literary criticism and digital media studies to describe a mode of narrative that foregrounds its own fictionality and the act of storytelling. In fictionthis, texts frequently acknowledge their status as made constructs, employ direct address to the reader, or incorporate commentary on authorial processes, publication, or genre conventions. The term is a portmanteau of fiction and this, emphasizing immediacy and self-inquiry. The origin is unclear; it has circulated in online forums and scholarly discussions since the early 2010s, though it remains contested and not widely standardized.

Characteristics include metafictional, self-referential, and intertextual features; works may blend fiction with nonfictional cues and use devices such as footnotes, meta-narration, or embedded documentation. Fictionthis can appear in novels, short stories, interactive fiction, or digital media projects.

Forms and media encompass traditional prose and experimental collections, as well as interactive fiction, video essays, podcasts, and game narratives that call attention to their own fictionality.

Examples are found in contemporary works that explicitly discuss narrative construction or invite reader participation, though there is no single canonical canon and the label is applied variably across contexts.

Reception is mixed. Proponents view fictionthis as a productive means to explore truth, perception, and authorship, while critics argue that the term can be opaque or rhetorically excessive.

See also: metafiction, autofiction, metanarrative, interactive fiction, meta-literature.