A couple weeks ago I posted a link to the first half of my Diner vignette / short story at The Otherworld Diner: http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2008/04/free-pie-day-part-1.html And then I plumb forgot to link you to the second half. Now you can find out what happened to Talia and if anybody ever handed out more free pie: http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2008/04/free-pie-day-part-2.html
Another thing I posted at the Diner you may enjoy if you like excerpts of WIPs is the beginning to a novelette I've just finished: http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2008/04/too-buffy-for-you.html
More on that when I decide what to do with it.
Though both pieces contain ample media references, neither one straight up fan fiction, a touchy subject with some authors. But this does raise the issue of including media and pop culture references in your work. In some types of fiction, plentiful nods to the times are not only expected but practically required. In YA, chick lit and other youthful genres, for example, the text can be inundated with namedropping, injokes and hipster lingo. In others, references that date the material, as well as lose meaning over time, are more rare. This isn't to say many novels get written that have zero contemporary context, but the inclusions aren't typically as oriented to youth / media culture so much as they are world culture (technology, politics, world events, etc.)
I use some pop culture references myself, though I try to incorporate more classic examples instead of phenoms I personally feel will rise and fall quickly. Stands to reason Buffy, X-Files or Star Wars namedrops have a better chance of resonating with readers twenty or more years down the road than others, which is one of the reasons you see those more frequently when reading contemporary work (of mine and other authors). Another thing I've noticed is a tendency for authors to give main characters in near-future sf, particularly in the romance genre, an interest in "retro" culture so they can include references that are contemporary to their readership. That can be a handy tool but it can also feel contrived.
Where do you stand on pop culture references in fiction?
JW
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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3 comments:
I like making pop culture references, and my agent likes making me take them out.
I mean, how much more iconic can you get than Harry Potter?
I like reading books with pop culture references, but also like the timeless feel of stories that leave them out, like the Harry Potter books and The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants series.
I'm okay with pop culture references if they seem to fit well with their surroundings. That said, I've run into a few books where it came off almost like name-dropping, and that was jarring. I'm particularly not into anything that feels like product placement.
I've been reading moldy oldies lately, and it's interesting to run across "vintage" pop culture references. Some things just don't age well, but other things become part of the culture.
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