Urgh!

[themis1]

To the writers on my F-list, a plea - when someone asks you for tips on writing their first novel PLEASE tell them NOT to include cutsey genre in-jokes (unless the plot requires it, of course). I have just finished reading a book which managed to THREE TIMES jerk me out of the narrative because of very blatent and unnecessary fannish cross-references. I probably missed others - but these three jerked ME out of the author's reality and back into my own, rather less interesting, one.

So please, ask them not to do it - because good writing doesn't need in-jokes.

I thank you.