Cultural Diversity in Epic Fantasy

So you want to include diversity in your story? 

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Great! I'm really glad you do, so let's get started.


Some writers will have an easier time writing cultural diversity than others. Many, such as myself, will draw upon their own cultural diversity to inspire their new worlds. As a half-Filipina it sometimes feels strange to write stories in worlds influenced by colonial America, but then I remember that I'm a descendant of the great colonial pioneers themselves through my Dad's side.

Basically I'm a Filipina Jessica Huang

 As a result I have two cultures to draw from and--ultimately--mash up for epic fantasy. For my current epic fantasy I'm mashing up 18th century European/American culture with a hint of Pinoy.  But not everyone has this background, so here's a few suggestions concerning diversity in epic fantasy.

1. Why have it?

So much epic fantasy relies on traditional fantasy tropes. Unless your goal is to subvert them (such as Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles, which he does beautifully) then there is no reason why you shouldn't explore new cultures. As a new writer trying to break into the industry it will help you differentiate your stories from the hundreds, if not thousands, of copycats out there.

• Ability to reach into an untapped niche market 
• Makes your work stand out 
• Super cool mythological creatures (I'm planning a story with a manananggal)
• Makes the Sad Puppies cry

After finishing my current epic fantasy trilogy I plan to dive into non-European-influenced culture. I'm beginning with traditional European-based cultural influences, as it's familiar, but as the characters explore the world they begin to encounter new characters and cultures.

2. Research

Just because I'm half-Filipina doesn't mean I know everything there is about Pinoy culture. In fact, I don't know as much as I'd like, and I'm constantly trying to learn more. Not every epic fantasy writer has to be like me: trying to learn the culture whole-heartedly along with the language. And, besides, eventually I'd like to try to incorporate new cultures in my stories.

Aside from personal experience, I spend a lot of time looking for quality secondary sources in English. One of them I took home from Manila, after my cousin helped me find a bookstore with sources I was looking for.

Once you find good secondary sources utilize the bibliography or works cited to find more sources. This technique is especially helpful if you don't know where to start.

Some tips for secondary sources:

• Check its scholarly worth--is it published by a university? An expert in the field? Reviewed by others in the field? 
• Check the date of publication. History books can become outdated pretty quickly. Anything published after 1970 should be ok--but always check. 
• Be wary of online resources. Check to be sure it's from a legitimate website or scholarly database, like JSTOR (if you're in a university you probably have access to these databases!)

Primary sources are also great for learning more about the cultural quirks that history books can't give you, and tend to be much more fun to read.

Tips for primary sources:

• Use Google Scholar for both secondary and primary sources. 
• Utilize Project Gutenberg when you can. 
• Google Books also offers legitimate translations if you need them! This trick helped me in school, back when I read translations of De Monarchia for a project in Dante Studies. 
• Look up significant works in the culture you're studying. Who knows--maybe you'll find an interesting fact about the culture that ends up becoming a huge plot point in your novel.

Research is an ongoing process, but don't stress out! Because you are writing fantasy there are a few liberties you can take. Sometimes you can mash up cultures to create your own. In my own story, the Pinoy characters are not based on any one Filipino province. The culture I created takes elements from Mindanao, Tagalog--so many people and places! If you go this route, be sure to emphasize that your culture is not a deliberate generalization of a whole country. I will expand upon this in point 5.  

3. Visit, if you can 

 Throughout the years I've learned that almost all of the little facts that bring my fiction to life comes through experience. You can't write inside all day and expect to churn out a brilliant work of fiction. You have to--dare I say it--socialize.

I mean, I don't think I would've understood this video if I hadn't visited the Philippines myself:

(Mikey Bustos is a Filipino national hero and I enjoy his Filipino Taglish parodies very much).

Nothing--nothing--can ever replace actual experience. One of my high school history teachers advised me, "Travel if you can," and I've taken that to heart. During college I traveled abroad in the United Kingdom for my English degree, and all of those experiences have shaped my writing. Feeling the wind of the moors on your face, the rains of Scotland soaking through your boots, the chill of the winter air--all these sensory details become part of you. Interacting with people allows you to soak in the culture and understand cultural quirks.

If you are able, travel. Your experience will broaden your fiction with cultural quirks and idiosyncrasies that will set your story apart from others.

Pinoy characters must point with their lips. Imagine a magic system that used that cultural quirk!

4. Ask for help 

Ultimately, you can read all you want about a certain subject, but there will always be some factoid that causes the realism in your story to crash down all around you. For example, I read a lot of secondary sources about Filipino history and culture, but hanging around oodles of Filipinos have exposed me to cultural quirks that you just don't get from reading books.

And there's always the possibility that, if you're writing a story featuring people you don't know about, you could offend someone. It is impossible to avoid this, as one person does not speak for an entire group or culture. However, when selecting your beta readers be sure to diversify them.

If you don't, the response from your offended readers may end up like this:

Reach out to experts or other people as part of your research!  Don't make assumptions or write stereotypes. It can be difficult to pinpoint your own stereotypes, but that's what beta readers are for! Things to watch out for:

• General stereotypes. You know what they are. Don't do it.  
• Dialect: be careful. Unless you really know what you're doing OR you create rules for a made-up accent try to avoid this. 

Unless your goal is to use the culture as a metaphor for a real one (think of Maus), and you are an expert, then tread carefully.

5. Diversify the Diversity 

You know how almost all epic fantasy books have a map in the inside cover? Just like there are many cultures within the States, so there should be other countries in your story. Go beyond the inside map! Many writers create monogamous races--one race of men, one race of mythical creatures, etc, but to add an element of realism break up your cultures. When you mash elements together you can create unique sub-cultures that utilize your research and make for a great fantasy story. This helps you not stereotype an entire people--though of course, this does not include a character's thoughts or actions, which can also add an element of generalization.

Elements of one culture can be placed in another, and vice versa. Because when you begin mixing cultures together something new is created. Besides, cultures in real life mash and evolve with its people, and with their neighbors. The people of one country will pick up quirks or idioms from another, so it's okay to research more than one culture and mash them up.

Final Words

When it comes down to it you are responsible for what cultural elements are included in your work. Don't be afraid to explore new ideas, even if the thought of research seems daunting! I hope this helps you think about writing more cultural diversity in your epic fantasy book!

Do you plan to incorporate other cultures in your work? Let me know in the comments!