written in an inexcusable cultural shorthand that assumes that not only does the reader have the attention span of a gnat but that they will sympathize or relate to characters who can only relate to things in terms of what they've seen in magazines or on TV
This is a different facet of the "water cooler conversation" problem, wherein all your cow-orkers automatically assume that you have nothing to do with your life but watch and talk about stupid sitcoms. These authors are either making the same assumption (that the reader will have seen every cultural reference they have), or are specifically writing only to an audience that fits those specs, and don't care about anyone else.
My 8th-grade English teacher, after reading my early attempt at creative writing, sat me down and explained why using specific cultural references (particularly current pop-culture ones) as shorthand is generally a bad idea -- essentially, that you CANNOT assume that everyone who reads your writing will be familiar with them. Sounds like some of these authors should have been in her class too!
no subject
This is a different facet of the "water cooler conversation" problem, wherein all your cow-orkers automatically assume that you have nothing to do with your life but watch and talk about stupid sitcoms. These authors are either making the same assumption (that the reader will have seen every cultural reference they have), or are specifically writing only to an audience that fits those specs, and don't care about anyone else.
My 8th-grade English teacher, after reading my early attempt at creative writing, sat me down and explained why using specific cultural references (particularly current pop-culture ones) as shorthand is generally a bad idea -- essentially, that you CANNOT assume that everyone who reads your writing will be familiar with them. Sounds like some of these authors should have been in her class too!