In fact it's totally subjective, for many of the reasons you pointed out. More specifically, I'd say that there are rules based on who you want to please. Peo

In fact it's totally subjective, for many of the reasons you pointed out. More specifically, I'd say that there are rules based on who you want to please. People who think "X popular fiction is stylistically poor," do think that way for a reason, and you could appeal to them by taking note of that reason and applying it to your writing. But at the end the day, your reason for thinking that 50 Shades of Grey is bad, or the Nobel committee's reasons for choosing X author (or songwriter) aren't any better or more important than anyone else's reasons for liking what they like and disliking what they dislike. For me, coming around to this perspective was not a happy experience. I sort-of wish we lived in world where fiction could be objectively judged. For one thing, it would make finding good books a whole lot easier.