It's a fanfic, not a thesis!

[sekiharatae]

I've been working on an RK fanfic since the help_japan  auctions ended.  Not constantly -- I've also been pondering my FFVII and HP stories, and spending a lot of time being under the weather -- but still, I've spent a large chunk of my time on it in the last month and a half.

Bizarrely, most of that time has been on research.

Yes, you read that right.  Research.  For a fanfic.  In the last few days I've found myself stopping frequently to double check some fact or another.  Admittedly, it's during the initial 'setup' of my AU, so it's more detail intensive, but still...

Along with all that research, I've been compiling a file of 'notes' -- things I might want to explain to the reader later -- and found myself writing the following:

Initially I’d thought to use Bendigeidfran (Bran the Blessed) as my Apollo analogue, but in trying to pin down what his ‘symbol’ might be (the raven), I grew dissatisfied with this choice. Largely due to the fact that I could find no reason for him to be associated with the sun, despite several lists of Celtic gods claiming the link exists. Instead, I decided that the two best possibilities were the pan-Celtic deities Lugus and Belenus. Lugus is a sort of jack-of-all-trades god – much like Apollo – whereas Belenus seems to be the most universally accepted Celtic sun deity. In fact, the ancient Romans associated Lugus with Mercury and Belenus with Apollo, so I could just go from there. They surely had better access to the source beliefs! However, provided Lugus’ association with light isn’t just an etymological mixup (as one source argues rather convincingly) he may be a better fit for my purposes.
 

And I thought:  Tae, you are insane.  You wouldn't need this much justification if you were writing a novel.  Which you're not.  Pick a name, make one up, but just go with it. 

*head desk head desk head desk*

Comments

[lonegamer78.livejournal.com]

*LOL* Sentiments there. Even if it's for a short one-short, I WILL research the scrap out of whatever I'm looking up, no matter what fandom (even if it means struggling through the pretty artbooks specific to whichever fandom). A FMA fic had me looking up Chinese history regarding time keeping, certain flower meanings from the Chinese and Japanese perspective (which took awhile since the Western interpretations were so prevalent), and Chinese kinship (I'm Chinese and I can BARELY keep track of my relatives).

[sekiharatae.livejournal.com]

When I started writing again, it was kind of a joke: everytime I wrote something I learned something, even if it was just something small. But this. I never knew there was so much I didn't know about... everything.

[kokoronagomu.livejournal.com]

i do a good bit of research on all sorts of things i read so if i were reading your fan fic mentioned above i would be researching the names too. then again if you were to make up a name or call the deity 'bob' i wouldn't research him... i think we're all crazy.

*hugs you and pats your head* there there, you're not alone.

[sekiharatae.livejournal.com]

LOL. Well, you may find yourself wanting my 'notes' file then. ;)

[fenikkusuken.livejournal.com]

*moves your chair away from your desk*

I have an 8 1/2 x 11" notebook crammed with research for an IY fanfic set in the Heian era. I think it makes for a much richer and more interesting fic... both for the writer and the reader. Plus, it's good practice for the original stuff, especially when you're creating an entire new world.

[sekiharatae.livejournal.com]

I have 30+ tabbed windows open in IE, and that's not counting the stuff I've already noted or bookmarked.

I do think this is probably how I'll feel when I get back into researching ancient Persia as a basis for a culture in my original novel (the one I failed to write for NaNo). I've got a number of books downstairs just waiting for me...

[fenikkusuken.livejournal.com]

I have 30+ tabbed windows open in IE, and that's not counting the stuff I've already noted or bookmarked.

What're you doing on my desktop?

[http://users.livejournal.com/jane_drew_/]

*patpat* Hazard of the process-- granted, a frequently fun hazard that results in a much better output, but, still. *g*

FWIW, I think it's going to be fantastic, and full of the kinds of detail which make fiction (fan or otherwise) much more fun and engaging.

[sekiharatae.livejournal.com]

Here's hoping! I sent you, Ravyn, and Sae a PDF of the first 7 pages last night. I think you'll see your influence. ;) I'm just worried it's too... wordy.

[lrdrandallslady.livejournal.com]

ROTF... I know just how you feel! I'll spend an hour getting lost in research for something that amounts to just a few sentences in a fic. But it's okay because like others have already mentioned, it makes for a much richer, more believable story, fanfic or otherwise. To me, this shows that you take a great deal of pride in your work and want to give your readers the best you can offer.

I can't wait to read this when you're finally done with it!

[sekiharatae.livejournal.com]

I'll spend an hour getting lost in research for something that amounts to just a few sentences in a fic. THIS. So so much. And then later I'll end up cutting the paragraph. ~.~

I hope it's a good read! I'm a little worried the winning bidder will think I've forgotten them! (I haven't, it's just... taking time. ^^;)

For my HP fic I had to go and read up on genetics...

[lrdrandallslady.livejournal.com]

I hate it when I end up cutting the think I researched. Makes me want to kick myself, but then I remind myself that at least I learned something I didn't know before so it couldn't have been a waste of time :D.

Good things come to those who wait *wink*. I'm sure it will be wonderful.

[da-diva.livejournal.com]

*Perks Up*

New RK fic?

I can't wait to read it! =)

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

...I research for fanfic all the time? *sheepish* And dear god do you know how many books on the Meiji Restoration I read when I was still actively writing RK fic?!? Heee. This is an AWESOME quality. Besides, you learn things! Learning things is awesome! *takes off librarian hat*

[e-i-88.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. It's actually awesome ;]
I've actually spent many hours researching around the net when I was still active around the FFVII Cloti fandom.
And hey, it is a fanfic. It has some basis informations that we didn't make ourselves, even if those basis informations weren't even made by the author her/himself (instead, by what happened , history)
And hey, long time no see! (<is coming back to check on updates after months) Wishing you a good day here! =D