I did a full list (omfg that is long) of the articles (mostly academic, some popular) I've snagged in the course of research. I'd highly recommend seeing if your local library has a jstor account. If they do, you can get in there and search to your heart's content. It is a little addictive, though, going by how many articles I've ended up reading...
I'm currently on the third book of a four-part alt-history fantasy series, that focuses on the youngest son of a sea-going merchant family. He's gotten the short end of the familial stick in many ways, but he's determined to prove he is/can-be/should-be a full member of the family.
The first story (in two parts) was set in an alternate-Japan, while the second story (also in two parts) takes place in the protagonist's family's home turf. Now nearly every scene has reference to, or implications about, significant trade issues, economics, and politics, so I've done massive research to understand what the real-world situation was, since Southeast Asia is my analogue. As near-global sea merchants, his family is pretty much putting a thousand fingers into a thousand pies, and that meant I ended up reading almost a thousand articles. Although when I look at it that way, all this research almost seems justified.
Anyway, I post excerpts every now and then, little pieces here and there. Look for stuff with the tag of wip: elegant green. (The full draft is locked, but I imagine if you're in the middle of your own wip that you probably don't want to distract yourself. I have a list o' fiction stuff-to-read that's waiting for me to hurry up and finish this story, so I can relate.)
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Date: 24 Mar 2014 01:25 am (UTC)I'm currently on the third book of a four-part alt-history fantasy series, that focuses on the youngest son of a sea-going merchant family. He's gotten the short end of the familial stick in many ways, but he's determined to prove he is/can-be/should-be a full member of the family.
The first story (in two parts) was set in an alternate-Japan, while the second story (also in two parts) takes place in the protagonist's family's home turf. Now nearly every scene has reference to, or implications about, significant trade issues, economics, and politics, so I've done massive research to understand what the real-world situation was, since Southeast Asia is my analogue. As near-global sea merchants, his family is pretty much putting a thousand fingers into a thousand pies, and that meant I ended up reading almost a thousand articles. Although when I look at it that way, all this research almost seems justified.
Anyway, I post excerpts every now and then, little pieces here and there. Look for stuff with the tag of wip: elegant green. (The full draft is locked, but I imagine if you're in the middle of your own wip that you probably don't want to distract yourself. I have a list o' fiction stuff-to-read that's waiting for me to hurry up and finish this story, so I can relate.)