The Orchard allows and always has allowed Real Person Fiction — stories written about real public figures as characters. This is a tradition as old as fan communities themselves. We welcome it here with clear expectations on both sides: writers must post with a disclaimer, and we honor every removal request without question.
Real Person Fiction (RPF) is fan-created fiction that features real public figures — musicians, athletes, actors, celebrities, and others in the public eye — as characters in fictional scenarios. The stories are entirely imaginary and are not intended to represent the actual views, actions, or private lives of the people depicted.
RPF has existed in fan communities for decades. It is a legitimate creative tradition. The Orchard treats it as such.
Every story tagged as RPF will automatically display the following disclaimer to readers before the content loads. Writers do not need to add this manually — the archive handles it.
Writers may add their own personal disclaimer in their story notes as well, but the archive disclaimer appears regardless.
Do not write content that presents false statements of fact about a real person in a way that could damage their reputation. Fiction is fiction — but presenting fabricated events as real, or writing content designed to harm someone's standing, is not permitted.
If a real person was a minor at any point in your story's timeline, no explicit content involving them at that age is permitted under any circumstances.
Stories written with the clear intent to harass, intimidate, or target a specific real person — not as creative fan expression but as a tool of harm — will be removed immediately.
Any real person, or their authorized representative, may request the removal of any story that features them. We will remove it. No questions asked. No debate.
This is not negotiable. The archive exists to celebrate creative expression, not to override the preferences of the people depicted. If you are the subject of a story posted here and want it removed, submit a request below. The story will come down within 24 hours and the author will be notified.
Authors: do not be alarmed if you receive a removal notification. It is not a punishment. It is the policy working as designed. You are always welcome to continue writing and posting other work.
All RPF stories are labeled before you read them. The label appears in the story tags and a disclaimer appears before the first chapter loads. If you encounter content that you believe violates this policy, use the takedown form below.
Are you the subject of a story posted here, or their authorized representative? Submit a request and the story will be removed within 24 hours. No questions asked.
Submit a Request →