I have not been diagnosed with an AF but all the looking I've done on line has pointed me in this direction. This is the 2nd time I've experienced something like this in as many years. The first time it happened, I went to the doctor and she said it looked like I had 2 very superficial tears (on either side of a swelled area) in the area just outside the anus and prescribed hydrocortisone ointment. It cleared up in a week or so and my problem was gone! Now it's back and I've been using the ointment with little success. It’s been like this for about 6 days now.
Here are my symptoms, and this is why I don’t know whether it’s a fissure or not:
There is some swelling right outside the anus (12 o’clock position) and just above that it appears there are superficial abrasions pretty much right in the crack. Can I just tell you how hard it makes it to “clean up” after a BM. The BM is not painful at all, but the cleansing is torture! Applying the hydrocortisone ointment or A&D ointment makes it feel better but never makes it go away…I’m very aware that it is there. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Can fissures occur outside the anus? What should my next steps be (besides seeing a doctor)?

Well, I would recommend you use wipes or even just water to rinse off down there so you aren't causing anymore irritation to the area.
I would also get in the bath tub and soak as much as you can. That will help you heal and relieve some pain.
I am not sure that hydrocortisone is going to help you long term but there are other ointments like diltiazem and nifidepine that can be prescribed to help with healing fissures.
Does the bump feel hard or soft to the touch? Have you looked at it? It is bluish? That could be an external hemorrhoid.
Are you keeping your stool soft and passable?

The bump is soft, it's not a hemorrhoid (I don't think!). It's pretty much the same as it was the first time it happened when I had a doctor look at it. She said it looked like the area just swelled up from friction and irritation. As for stool, it's pretty passable. Since I have no idea what I'm doing yet, is metamucil a good thing to be taking to make sure my BMs are passable? Or should I resort to prune juice? :)

I would start with one thing at a time and see how your system tolerates it.
I think fiber is great. I eat a big bowl of All Bran Buds every morning with soy milk. That gives me about 20 grams of fiber of the 25-35 recommended daily allowance.
I am not sure what the bump is. It doesn't sound very big. If you do have a fissure it could be a bump that forms at the base of a fissure called a sentinel pile.

i use the metamucil caplets and they help alot by making a "soft,comfortable" stool..i would go to the dr. asap.if i knew then what i know now,i would have went right away just to get the ball rolling,instead of waiting around for months like i did to get "proper" treatment of a fissure,if thats really what you have...

Thanks for the replies and advice, I'm finally feeling some relief today...keeping my fingers crossed.