McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Is it appropriate?
OZ:
I think the best way to balance the two is to reference things in a way that those that are familiar with the referenced story will get and that those that are not familiar with the referenced story will not notice. For example actually using the name Harry Dresden will require the reader to have some familiarity with TDF. On the other hand if a character said that they would need a detective that was also a wizard to solve the crime it would make sense in story. If they or another character googled it and said the only one they could find advertised was in Chicago which was too far away to do them any good, it would be a Dresden reference for those that were familiar with it but simply a line in the book about the main character unsuccessfully trying to find help to anyone else.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: OZ on August 26, 2012, 02:32:47 PM ---I think the best way to balance the two is to reference things in a way that those that are familiar with the referenced story will get and that those that are not familiar with the referenced story will not notice.
--- End quote ---
This does also have a problem with references aging; you get unlucky in picking which current bestseller or movie you quote, and in ten years' time nobody knows what the heck you're talking about. I think you can pretty well trust Shakespeare and Milton not to age badly, but that's about it.
--- Quote --- For example actually using the name Harry Dresden will require the reader to have some familiarity with TDF. On the other hand if a character said that they would need a detective that was also a wizard to solve the crime it would make sense in story. If they or another character googled it and said the only one they could find advertised was in Chicago which was too far away to do them any good, it would be a Dresden reference for those that were familiar with it but simply a line in the book about the main character unsuccessfully trying to find help to anyone else.
--- End quote ---
Very nice example. I'd also note that you can get mileage out of layered quoting; "better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven" can get some impact from knowing its original context in "Paradise Lost", but with the right contextual cues you can make it also recognisable as specifically quoting VNV Nation using a quote from "Paradise Lost" in "Kingdom" to people who know VNV Nation.
OZ:
--- Quote ---I think you can pretty well trust Shakespeare and Milton not to age badly, but that's about it.
--- End quote ---
Ben Franklin and portions of the KJV bible have weathered well also although many mix up which quotes come from which.
--- Quote ---I'd also note that you can get mileage out of layered quoting; "better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven" can get some impact from knowing its original context in "Paradise Lost", but with the right contextual cues you can make it also recognisable as specifically quoting VNV Nation using a quote from "Paradise Lost" in "Kingdom" to people who know VNV Nation.
--- End quote ---
If you can pull this off, it works very well.
Wordmaker:
In general, pop culture references are considered fair use. You don't need permission for your character to drink a Coke, for example. If you want to include the reference, I would say go right ahead.
Aminar:
Just finished Libriomancer. So much awesome but way way too short.
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