Original works and fallbacks

Choose a sensible cover when no fandom-specific rule matches

Some works use AO3’s Original Work category, while older or unsupported sources might provide no fandom value. In FanFicFare → Edit personal.ini, add these broad rules near the end of the generate_cover_settings: block beneath [archiveofourown.org]. Keep them after your specific fandom rules.

generate_cover_settings:
    ${category} => [Ss]herlock                         => Classics Sherlock
    ${category} => (?:^|,\s*)Original Work(?:,|$)    => Classics Original
    ${category} => ^$                                  => Classics Original
    ${category} => .*                                  => Classics

The final .* rule is the catch-all fallback: it matches everything, so it must be the last indented rule in the entire generate_cover_settings: list. Put every ship, tag, fandom, original-work, protected-cover, and long-title rule above it. If you add a new rule later, insert it before .*, never after it.

Limitations

An empty category does not always mean original fiction. It can also mean that the source site did not provide fandom metadata, so use a neutral fallback design if that distinction matters to you.