Fanfic Research Methods: A Case Study
Mar. 14th, 2022 07:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ladybusinessI very much enjoy the process of researching for writing fanfiction. I like thinking about things like rice harvests, tea cups, and food and learning more about history. However I think research can be very overwhelming and intimidating so I’ve written a bit about how I research in the hopes that it will help other people or at least be interesting.
When writing fanfic set in a different time and/or place than the one you live in, research can help you ground your fic. Attention paid to small details makes the world feel like it exists beyond the page, and sensory details can add weight and help drive home the emotions of the story.
For the last several years I’ve been writing in fandoms based on Chinese source material, mostly ones with historical-ish settings. I'm a white American and I didn't grow up watching Chinese tv, but I've come to really enjoy it. I’ve also become very interested in Chinese history for its own sake. I’ve done a lot of research both for fic and for fun. One of the challenges of research is just knowing where to start. So I wanted to share some tips and tricks.
You don’t have to do research of course. I do think fanfic authors owe a duty of care to write about characters with marginalizations that they don’t share with care and sensitivity. I don't think detailed research at the level I generally do has to be part of that. I really enjoy research, and so I do a lot of it for fun. Of course research has its limits. Human experience is vast and much of it wasn’t recorded. And sometimes it's hard to know that you even need to do research. Also research can be an expensive and time consuming hobby. I sure have spent a lot of money on academic books and a lot of time reading them. If you do want to do research here are some strategies that I use.
I use many different kinds of sources: fannish meta, tourist info pages, wiki, academic papers and more. And the thing to keep in mind, no matter what kind of source I’m using, is that there is no such thing as objectivity. For example, in sources about Chinese history and culture western sources are often orientalist while Chinese sources often support Chinese nationalism. (And some sources do both.)
When you are unfamiliar with academic sources, they can be intimidating. The main thing to realize is that academic books and papers are not merely collections of facts but are arguments. Reading them is not about memorizing all the facts, but instead it's a process of evaluating arguments. You need to look at the evidence being presented and think about whether it supports the arguments. Skimming can also be a good reading strategy for quickly understanding the main points of a text’s argument.
I was recently helping a friend with some forms of address in a fic and I realized that a lot of what I knew about these titles I had picked up just from paying close attention to how they were used in the shows I’ve been watching. Which wasn’t ideal, but it is a place to start.
But just watching say a historical Chinese drama and paying attention tells you things like they don’t use inkpots, and plate glass windows don’t exist in the setting. I think this is a basic level of care that all fic writers should manage. Besides, the material culture of the world tells us a lot about the characters.
Sometimes my historical research contradicts what I observe in the show. For example, I’ve learned that brewed tea wasn’t common until Ming times, but most historical dramas have characters drinking that style of tea even if they are set before the Ming. I tend to follow the source material here, but sometimes it's fun to include older styles of tea making too. I don’t think either choice is right or wrong.
When I first started reading more about Chinese history, I didn’t really know where to start. It took a lot of effort to find books and articles. So I’ve worked to make it so that I come across things of interest when I’m just browsing. This mostly involved meeting more people with similar interests who share things with me, and following academics on various social media platforms (ok, mostly Twitter). So now I frequently see art, photos of historic sites, discussions of research, and requests for recommendations for class readings. I often learn a bit just by hanging out on Twitter, and it’s been invaluable for discovering books and articles to read,
I read a lot of stuff that’s “research” but not to answer a specific question; I just like knowing things! I read a lot of academic monographs just for fun. Right now I’m reading Technology and Gender: Fabrics of Power in Late Imperial China by Francesca Bray, which has a lot of information on topics I’m very interested in, such as the layout of houses, textiles, and gender roles.
I read history like it's a secondary world. Not so much as in a "the past is a foreign country" way but more in a "I'll fill in the gaps when I get there" way. I hold space in a way that I learned from reading SFF. I often read very specific texts, even though I don’t have a strong understanding of the overall picture. Then as I read I make connections between all the things I’ve learned and build up a bigger picture by connecting the details.
Sometimes my nonfiction reading inspires fic ideas. For example “Seven Cups of Tea” was heavily inspired by my reading of Tea in China: A Religious and Cultural History by James A. Benn. Sometimes the inspiration is more indirect with small details cropping up as I write. However, even if what I read doesn’t end up in a fic that I write I don’t mind because I enjoy the reading as its own activity.
Not everyone takes this approach; people often want to be a bit more targeted and specific. While reading aimlessly is enjoyable, I do sometimes want to know specific information, and that takes more targeted research.
Of course I also use basic research skills like web searches.Over time I’ve figured out more specific searches and keywords. Some of this is just learning specific terminology, like learning the names of the major dynasties is very helpful for researching Chinese history. It can also be helpful to use more specialized databases like JSTOR or Google Scholar.
Searches are what gets me into the most of my research rabbit holes. I’ll start out wondering when the rice harvest should be for this fic and then spend all morning reading about the introduction of double cropped rice to Song China.
When I have a specific question I’ve had good luck just asking. Fandom-centric social spaces like Twitter, Discord, or Dreamwith are good places to start. People have been very generous with me, sharing sources, time and personal experiences! One of the hardest things to research is the emotional truth, so I really appreciate the people who have shared their personal experiences. Always remember to thank anyone who helped you in your author's notes!
One of my biggest research assets is my librarian friends. Librarians are really good at finding information! I’m lucky to have a couple of friends who are academic librarians and they’ve been so helpful answering questions in far more depth than I could manage on my own. Also having friends with academic access who are willing to share the occasional PDF is a huge help.
For me research is kind of organic. It's a process I enjoy for its own sake. However I wanted to share a bit about my process in the hopes that it will help other people who might enjoy researching for fun, or want
What are your favorite research tips and tricks?
When writing fanfic set in a different time and/or place than the one you live in, research can help you ground your fic. Attention paid to small details makes the world feel like it exists beyond the page, and sensory details can add weight and help drive home the emotions of the story.
For the last several years I’ve been writing in fandoms based on Chinese source material, mostly ones with historical-ish settings. I'm a white American and I didn't grow up watching Chinese tv, but I've come to really enjoy it. I’ve also become very interested in Chinese history for its own sake. I’ve done a lot of research both for fic and for fun. One of the challenges of research is just knowing where to start. So I wanted to share some tips and tricks.
You don’t have to do research of course. I do think fanfic authors owe a duty of care to write about characters with marginalizations that they don’t share with care and sensitivity. I don't think detailed research at the level I generally do has to be part of that. I really enjoy research, and so I do a lot of it for fun. Of course research has its limits. Human experience is vast and much of it wasn’t recorded. And sometimes it's hard to know that you even need to do research. Also research can be an expensive and time consuming hobby. I sure have spent a lot of money on academic books and a lot of time reading them. If you do want to do research here are some strategies that I use.
Sources
I use many different kinds of sources: fannish meta, tourist info pages, wiki, academic papers and more. And the thing to keep in mind, no matter what kind of source I’m using, is that there is no such thing as objectivity. For example, in sources about Chinese history and culture western sources are often orientalist while Chinese sources often support Chinese nationalism. (And some sources do both.)
When you are unfamiliar with academic sources, they can be intimidating. The main thing to realize is that academic books and papers are not merely collections of facts but are arguments. Reading them is not about memorizing all the facts, but instead it's a process of evaluating arguments. You need to look at the evidence being presented and think about whether it supports the arguments. Skimming can also be a good reading strategy for quickly understanding the main points of a text’s argument.
Pay careful attention to the source material
I was recently helping a friend with some forms of address in a fic and I realized that a lot of what I knew about these titles I had picked up just from paying close attention to how they were used in the shows I’ve been watching. Which wasn’t ideal, but it is a place to start.
But just watching say a historical Chinese drama and paying attention tells you things like they don’t use inkpots, and plate glass windows don’t exist in the setting. I think this is a basic level of care that all fic writers should manage. Besides, the material culture of the world tells us a lot about the characters.
Sometimes my historical research contradicts what I observe in the show. For example, I’ve learned that brewed tea wasn’t common until Ming times, but most historical dramas have characters drinking that style of tea even if they are set before the Ming. I tend to follow the source material here, but sometimes it's fun to include older styles of tea making too. I don’t think either choice is right or wrong.
Set yourself up to stumble upon things
When I first started reading more about Chinese history, I didn’t really know where to start. It took a lot of effort to find books and articles. So I’ve worked to make it so that I come across things of interest when I’m just browsing. This mostly involved meeting more people with similar interests who share things with me, and following academics on various social media platforms (ok, mostly Twitter). So now I frequently see art, photos of historic sites, discussions of research, and requests for recommendations for class readings. I often learn a bit just by hanging out on Twitter, and it’s been invaluable for discovering books and articles to read,
Read aimlessly
I read a lot of stuff that’s “research” but not to answer a specific question; I just like knowing things! I read a lot of academic monographs just for fun. Right now I’m reading Technology and Gender: Fabrics of Power in Late Imperial China by Francesca Bray, which has a lot of information on topics I’m very interested in, such as the layout of houses, textiles, and gender roles.
I read history like it's a secondary world. Not so much as in a "the past is a foreign country" way but more in a "I'll fill in the gaps when I get there" way. I hold space in a way that I learned from reading SFF. I often read very specific texts, even though I don’t have a strong understanding of the overall picture. Then as I read I make connections between all the things I’ve learned and build up a bigger picture by connecting the details.
Sometimes my nonfiction reading inspires fic ideas. For example “Seven Cups of Tea” was heavily inspired by my reading of Tea in China: A Religious and Cultural History by James A. Benn. Sometimes the inspiration is more indirect with small details cropping up as I write. However, even if what I read doesn’t end up in a fic that I write I don’t mind because I enjoy the reading as its own activity.
Online Search
Not everyone takes this approach; people often want to be a bit more targeted and specific. While reading aimlessly is enjoyable, I do sometimes want to know specific information, and that takes more targeted research.
Of course I also use basic research skills like web searches.Over time I’ve figured out more specific searches and keywords. Some of this is just learning specific terminology, like learning the names of the major dynasties is very helpful for researching Chinese history. It can also be helpful to use more specialized databases like JSTOR or Google Scholar.
Searches are what gets me into the most of my research rabbit holes. I’ll start out wondering when the rice harvest should be for this fic and then spend all morning reading about the introduction of double cropped rice to Song China.
Ask for Help
When I have a specific question I’ve had good luck just asking. Fandom-centric social spaces like Twitter, Discord, or Dreamwith are good places to start. People have been very generous with me, sharing sources, time and personal experiences! One of the hardest things to research is the emotional truth, so I really appreciate the people who have shared their personal experiences. Always remember to thank anyone who helped you in your author's notes!
One of my biggest research assets is my librarian friends. Librarians are really good at finding information! I’m lucky to have a couple of friends who are academic librarians and they’ve been so helpful answering questions in far more depth than I could manage on my own. Also having friends with academic access who are willing to share the occasional PDF is a huge help.
For me research is kind of organic. It's a process I enjoy for its own sake. However I wanted to share a bit about my process in the hopes that it will help other people who might enjoy researching for fun, or want
What are your favorite research tips and tricks?
no subject
Date: 2022-03-15 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-03-16 12:16 am (UTC)I'm also really interested in this: Then as I read I make connections between all the things I’ve learned and build up a bigger picture by connecting the details. I've always been a Big Picture kind of learner, but talking to you about Chinese history and reading your fiction has made me appreciate the opposite approach, not only from a learner's perspective but also from a reader's. The details in your stories do such a good job of making the world feel real and cohesive. And even guiding the story sometimes, like in the story where the juniors are trying to find the inkstone. I think in stories that's often the most important thing: not the big picture of history, but, e.g., the way objects materially affect peoples' lives.
no subject
Date: 2022-03-17 04:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-03-17 04:49 pm (UTC)Yes to your last sentence! I love fiction that has strong sense of materially (and try to write that myself)
no subject
Date: 2022-03-22 01:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-03-23 05:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-12 01:46 am (UTC)I've always been too intimidated to write for the historical Chinese fandoms I keep requesting for Yuletide (Sanguo period) because of the limited available non-English sources; my Mandarin is even lousier than my French. Do you have any particular English resources you use, or tricks to navigate non-English sources?
no subject
Date: 2022-05-12 04:44 pm (UTC)I'm slowly working on teaching myself classical Chinese, but I'm not good enough to read anything yet.
I read a lot of historical monographs and academic papers, which I've gotten better at finding using some of the things I talked about above.