Re: POV slip vs. reasonable assumption?
I think in Dirk's case, Temple is right in that if you often find yourself having to explain and/or defend a critique for the purposes of clarity, then the overriding issue probably isn't due to the ineptitude of the reader. Regardless of the pov issue, if the reader doesn't clearly understand, or has questions about a head shake, then chances are YOU aren't doing an adequate job on the page.
But I take great umbrage to the notion that because a writer may not be interested in breaking trends or reinventing the wheel that it somehow equates to hackdom. It doesn't--at all. Just because a writer has found a lane that makes them happy and chooses to stick with it, does not make them any less of a writer. Choosing NOT to strive for eternal relevance with their writing IS a valid choice. And to somehow equate that to settling for less is disingenuous...and haughty as hell.
