McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

What is the rule in using pop culture referances?

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Starbeam:
I seem to remember asking Jim's editor about this last year, and she couldn't think of anything specific about it.  There were even some that she didn't catch.  I'm not certain, but I think that unless it goes past fair use, you're probably not going to have any trouble.  Aside from whether or not people catch it, that is.  I didn't get the Transformers reference; I was trying to figure out how it was connected to the Alien movies.

RodimusGT:
Well technically Transformers are Aliens  :P

I was referring to the guy being called a prime, where the character thought of the leader "Optimus Prime", who transforms into a truck.

Hehe, I'm not using this quote like I said before, but apparently I need to work on my sarcastic pop culture referance sentences  ;D

Starbeam:
Was the capitalization of alien that threw me.

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
I think the rule is pretty simple; assume someone does not get it, and ask whether the experience of them not getting it is going to be an annoying "I should be getting something here and I don't", or is going to be invisible.  If it's going to be invisible, you are doing fine. (Yes, this means sometimes readers don't spot every allusion you put in. This is better than irritating them.)

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