Contractions

[Fade]

If I'm writing a novel in the third person POV, should I use contractions?

[ClaudiaGray]

Why shouldn't you?

A lot depends on your voice, but I think most writers use them occasionally, some more than others.

[sunandshadow]

Unless you want to sound really formal/snooty, yes use contractions.

[Aschenbach]

That seems like an odd question.

As said above, why wouldn't you?

[CrownedSun]

I think the whole, "Don't use contractions" rule that english teachers tell you is because lots of people use them incorrectly. If you're trying to write something professionally, you need to learn how to use contractions correctly and use them such when appropriate.

If that answers your question... :)

[KikiteNeko]

Pick up a book you like that's told in third person.

[maestrowork]

What is the tone of the book? Contemporary? Conversational? Formal? Authoritative? Casual?

Then look at novels written in similar tone. What do you see?

There's your answer.

[TTCleveland]

Yes, you should.

[blacbird]

Read some really good narrative writers who work in third-POV, like Tony Hillerman, Orson Scott Card, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, etc. See what they do.

caw

[Fade]

Okay, the reason I asked this post was because on SYW, one of my crits said that I shouldn't use contractions unless it was in dialogue or in first person.

Thanks for the answers! :)

[Charlie Horse]

Okay, the reason I asked this post was because on SYW, one of my crits said that I shouldn't use contractions unless it was in dialogue or in first person.

Thanks for the answers! :)

I have a hard enough time following actual rules let alone ones that people are making up off the top of their heads.

Unless your POV character is from the Middle Ages, if you don't use contractions your voice is going to sound really stilted.

[Kathleen42]

Got up. Walked to bookcase. Grabbed a book at random. Realized it was Omni but figured same rule would apply. Many contractions and not just in dialogue.

When in doubt, as others have indicated, hit your bookcases. Not all advice is golden.

[Juliette Wade]

Okay, the reason I asked this post was because on SYW, one of my crits said that I shouldn't use contractions unless it was in dialogue or in first person.

Dialogue and first person are definitely places where a character voice generally comes through; as such they often use contractions. However, a third person internal perspective should (I think) also be close enough to the character that you want to have the character's voice carry through.

That said, I don't always use contractions. A modern college girl point of view will use contractions in my writing; so will a little boy's point of view. But if the character is a dragon, or an alien who is speaking formally, then I won't use contractions either in dialogue or in the general narrative.

It all depends on whose voice the narration is carrying.

[TTCleveland]

Okay, the reason I asked this post was because on SYW, one of my crits said that I shouldn't use contractions unless it was in dialogue or in first person.

Thanks for the answers! :)

Some people still say that, and it works for them.

I personally think it's outdated. Use whatever word sounds best in the sentence.

[Birol]

Using contractions will create a more conversational, informal style. Not using them will create something less conversational, but not necessarily stilted.

High school English teachers say not to use contractions because their focus is on more formal writing. Contractions are not suitable for formal business or academic writing.

As with all other things, contractions are a tool in the writing toolbox. Use them for best effect. What you may want to ask of the crit you received is why were the contractions not working for that individual?

[KikiteNeko]

High school English teachers say not to use contractions because their focus is on more formal writing. Contractions are not suitable for formal business or academic writing.

Actually, I had a professor in college who deducted points when I used "do not" instead of "don't" and so on.

[wrinkles]

She had to call him, couldn't imagine not calling him. After all he'd done for her, how could she not?

vs.

She had to call him, could not imagine not calling him. After all he had done for her, how could she not?


I write the first way.

[Birol]

Actually, I had a professor in college who deducted points when I used "do not" instead of "don't" and so on.

Your situation is the exception; not the rule. There are almost always exceptions.

[trickywoo]

I'm about to have a baby any day now, so I seriously thought this post was about labor contractions at first.

Can I have some of those in first person POV please?

[IceCreamEmpress]

Unless your POV character is from the Middle Ages, if you don't use contractions your voice is going to sound really stilted.

If you don't use contractions for any historical period, the voice sounds really stilted. (Obviously, when people are speaking formally, as in an audience with the Pope or in a courtroom scene, contractions aren't appropriate--but when you're depicting a conversation between two 12th century Burgundian peasants, USE CONTRACTIONS.)

[katiemac]

Remember that even though you're writing in third person, there is a narrator. That narrator may or may not be you. Would the narrator use contractions?