Bad writing is...

There are a lot of things that can constitute "bad writing." For my sister today, and I imagine most critical consumers, glaring holes in logic are high up on that list. One that bugs me most as I read is forced voice. If I can't believe that Character X with Y background would act in Z manner, because it's not logical or the norm, that's bad writing. They're both issues with logic and patterns of behavior.

In the Percy Jackson universe at large it's an acting out of age. In Mr. Mercedes, it's Jerome's speech and comfort with non-Black characters. When plot convenience is so glaring it's blinding, it's bad writing. And that's not just a thing of literature, it's a routine fault of primetime television. I don't have much else to say besides this, but if you're someone reading this and you disagree I would love to know how. Because suspension of disbelief only goes so far.