Making References Within Writing

[DictionaryWrites]

Do you make a lot of references within your texts? Do you enjoy reading texts with a lot of references?

By that, I mean like, quotes from television or books or films, or references to certain events, or historical elements or classics. I really love reading stuff that’s heavy or thick with references, and I enjoy incorporating them, whether it’s very obvious or a direct quote, or if it’s something very veiled and mild, like.

 

[CloverReef]

I appreciate a well-placed reference when I catch it, but I prefer them to be well spaced out, you know? Like if it’s obvious there are tons of references and I don’t get them (which isn’t uncommon since I’m not up on a lot of pop culture stuffs), I might feel a little alienated or detached from the story, but if it's like the rare reference I don’t get, then it’s more like something I can look up or pass over and still feel connected to the writing. That’s as a reader. 

As a writer, my references are pretty rare. And I usually try to make them pretty veiled, with the odd exception. But that might just be because there’s not a whole lot that I’m into that would make sense to a lot of people lol. 

[InvidiaRed]

references I feel should be sparingly used. As popular culture changes so fast as things pop in and out of popular consciousness at a rapid pace. You can inadvertently date your writing.

[Desiderius Price]

Some references, yes, as my stories occur in the future, I do toss in an odd reference or two, but I don’t make it a driving element, because that helps bind it to the present day.  (ie, In one story, I mention a certain sitting president.)