Hi! I’ve started working on a story (cough no i don’t have any other really old wips cough) and I couldn’t find anything specific about my particular question. On the off chance I finish the story, I just want to make sure everything is ok.
I know that excessive references to real world shows, people, etc., are a no go, but what about references to other Episode stories?
Context: so at this point in the story, MC has to win over the respect of these three characters who have like, a very chaotic theme? And earlier in the story one of these three mentioned they love reading Episode and find it so addicting, and at the moment it’s brushed off as “yeah ok fun nod to the camera” but later when it’s time for MC to impress the three, they’ve set up sort of three trials, and the first two are standard for the story, but the third (who is the Episode fan) says “no, your trial is YOU GOTTA BEAT YOUR HIGHSCHOOL RIVAL FOR CLASS PRESIDENCY AND FALL IN LOVE LIKE IN MEAN GIRLS”.
I was only planning on deep referencing some of the Episode-created stories (Mean girls, PLL, Demi) just as a sense of fairness and everyone would recognize them. It’s not a complete retelling of these stories, just a funny joke that lasts a few lines, would that be okay?