Shadow-possessed people are not the only unrealistic elements of celebrated Xbox 360 game Alan Wake.
Over at Magical Wasteland, Matthew Burns interviewed writer Tom Bissell for a fun chat that turned into a breakdown of what Alan Wake the game gets wrong about the life of a writer.
New York literary agents do not talk and act and dress like Joe Peschi. New York literary agents are smoothies, fashion conscious, and extremely cunning. Would you let Barry negotiate your contract? I wouldn't let him negotiate a candy-bar purchase. Also wrong: Barry is Alan Wake's childhood best friend, apparently. Your agent should NEVER be your friend, much less your best friend, much less a person you grew up with. Also wrong: Alan Wake's wife designs his covers. No publisher on this planet would let an author's spouse design his or her book jacket
I don't think these guys are urgently calling for greater authenticity, but, since we can't hear from a space marine about what Halo gets wrong about evolved combt, why not hear more from a writer about what Alan Wake misses about the real book-writer lifestyle?
Read the whole interview. It's breezy, interesting and fun.
What Alan Wake Gets Wrong, and Right, About Being a Writer [Magical Wasteland]