[Description: Screenshot of the Privacy options when posting or editing a work, and of the “Edit Works” button on a user’s dashboard page.]
You can choose to lock your work so that only logged-in AO3 users can access them. This is the only effective way to hide it from search engines, so if you’re really concerned about your works showing up in Google searches, this is the option for you.
You can also opt to only receive comments from account holders while keeping the work itself accessible to everyone. (Keep in mind that guests will still be able to leave kudos.)
Both these options are available for each work, or you can apply them to several works at once by using the “Edit Multiple Works” interface. Just look for the “Edit Works” button on your dashboard, right below your username and icon.
(For people who are concerned about missing out on locked fanworks, the invite queue is there for you and both creators and consumers of fanworks are very much welcome!)
