Crypto-Post-Apocalypticism

The next time you start to delete a reference to the Battle of Kursk once you realize that you're writing about a medievalish fantasy setting, think twice. The implications of having your narrator know about armored fighting vehicles will send your readers reeling.

The Quandaries of Fantasy

Every fantasy writer sooner or later runs into the problem of whether he can call Chantilly lace that given that Chantilly is one of our Earth locations. On the one hand, it's a reference to non-fantasy stuff. On the other, so is lots of stuff. Getting hung up on that is like trying to cut off somebody's skin without getting any of the blood. Here are some points to consider.
- Who's the narrator? Even if you have an omniscient third-person thing going on, think about what kinds of references the narrator might make.
- What's the feel of the thing? Does everything have to be contained within the world, creating a sense perhaps of tension or urgency, or is it a breezier sort of story where digressions are allowed?
- Is there another way to communicate the information? Suppose someone has a pretty face and a ponytail, hanging down, a wiggle in her walk and a giggle in her talk. The reader will get the idea.

The Future of Audiobooks

Soon every audiobook will be read by a digital recreation of Jack Benny, and future people won't understand why it was ever different.

Who's the Narrator?

Ask yourself that when you write your story. Even if it's an omniscient viewpoint who isn't a character, is that viewpoint speaking to contemporaries of the story, generations to come, modern audiences, or what? Comparing something to a helicopter, for example, is definitely out of place for Drizzt to say, but not necessarily for the narrator. What kind of references would the narrator use, or what actions would he applaud or condemn?