Abreviations in narration/pov

[teacup]

I've just realised that no books I've read (as I recall at least) use abbreviations such as "didn't," "wouldn't" and "he'd" in the narration, but when I write from a pov I use these. For example: "Skylar knew he'd have to"

My question is are you supposed to write without abbreviations like this, is it okay to and doesn't really matter, or is it just a stylistic choice one way or another?

I've never thought of it before, and sorry if this is an amateurish question, but hey, that's why I'm here

 

[Ireth]

I use contractions in narration all the time, and I don't see anything wrong with it. You're probably fine either way. ^^

 

[advait98]

If there's something wrong with doing that, I might just have to chuck my whole draft away.

I agree, it should be fine. It shortens the sentences, lessens the workload of the reader, makes it easier on the eyes; I don't see anything wrong with it.

A stylistic choice, I suppose, in one way or another.

 

[BWFoster78]

I don't see it used much in 3rd person narration, but I think it's a valid stylistic choice. To me, it makes the voice seem less formal, more conversational. Be aware of the impact, and, if that's what you're shooting for, go for it.

 

[teacup]

Okay good. Would hate to have to edit all the way through just because of that.
(Contractions, that's the word I was looking for.)
Thanks everyone.

Hmm, I guess if I wanted to I could use a more formal writing style in say the pov of a king or lord, though that might be a bit jarring, what with switching style throughout the story.

 

[Butterfly]

I only use them in dialogue and not in the narration, even then my grammar check keeps trying to change them.

The disadvantage is that too many can make your narrative feel repetitive even jarring as the 'd' is kind of a long soun to ling on. More than anything else contractions can allow a level of ambiguity to creep in. I mean that 'he'd' could be 'he did,' 'he had,' even 'he would.' It's all about the clarity of your prose.

But it's all in context. They are not incorrct by any means. It's the ambigity issue as well as, probably, also a matter of the publiser's house style whether or not they acceot them. Each publisher will have their own guideines on things like these as well as such things as hyphened words, no one, no-one, or nobody type words included.

 

[Steerpike]

I use them in narration, even in third person point of view, if I'm in an extremely tight POV. I think it works well, if you don't overdo it. If I'm pulling back the point of view so that it is not as tight, then I tend not to use contractions within the narration.