The Future of Work: Is being a writer (artist, musician, creative) an impractical career?

In a writers group on Facebook, a young writer asked (edited):

How do you respond to family members saying that being a writer is impractical?

This is a great question. When I was going to college I stopped pursuing music and theater because it didn't seem to lead to a "practical career". I got bogged down in other things and eventually dropped out (after six years and 78 units). But times are changing and we're in a new type of revolution.

So, what do you think?

What is the future of work? How would you respond?

What is impractical, what does that even mean?

First, you reply:

You said 'impractical' when I think you meant 'I'm Practical'.

The root of Impractical is Practical, or to be "not-practical". The word practical is derived from the root word PRACTICE.

practicale "of or pertaining to matters of practice; applied," 

All careers require a great deal of practice, hard work, study of the chosen field, and many small wins before the big wins. Ask anyone who has a modicum of success "climbing the corporate latter" for an honest appraisal of how successful they've become, how successful they feel, and how much work it took to get where they got. You'll find that the effort they put into that career could have been better spent building a career with purpose and meaning.

As such, there is nothing MORE practical than writing, it is the basic cornerstone of society. Marketing, ad copy, news articles, "how to guides", books, movie scripts, and on and on it goes. Writing is everywhere. Try driving five blocks without seeing writing, I dare you. Did you think that writing just appears magically out of thin air? How much writing is in an App? How many Apps are there? Nothing is accomplished without the written word, ask a lawyer.

Someone is being paid to write all of those things.

I'll let that just sink in for a moment.

Writing Is A Cutting Edge Career

Second, the industrial age is not just over... It is DEAD!

For thousands of years, mankind subsisted from his or her chosen craft. 

Bakers, Smiths, Farmers, Scribes... These are some of the oldest professions. The industrial age took people out of locales and threw them like sardines into cities with factories and assembly lines. From the late 1800s to the early 2000s you could "get a job" and retire there.

The days of "get a good job and retire" are over! Truck drivers, delivery drivers, doctors, bookkeepers, and more come into my office all the time and tell me that they were moved from "employee" to "contractor" overnight. They now have to file their own LLCs, get EINs, and start a business to support the job they used to have... doing the same work.

Craft Beers. Craftsy. Etsy. Farmers Markets. Farm-to-Table Restaurants. Handmade Items. Small and Local is taking over every facet of your life while you weren't paying attention.

The industrial revolution was more like an industrial pause button.We left small, local, handcrafted, but now we're back with a vengeance. The Maker Movement has returned us to our roots.

The Industrial Revolution allowed for the Information Age which then provided the Maker Movement with a vehicle that could return us to those age-old roots.

We are never going back to "working for the man" again as a society. This is my guess (and other's guess it too), more than 50% of the population will be self-employed within twenty years.

Being a writer (artist, musician, creative) has never been more practical. You just tell them:

I'm just ahead of the curve. I've never been more practical.

Shalom: Live Long and Prosper!

Darrell Wolfe (DG Wolfe)

Storyteller | Writer | Thinker | Consultant @ DarrellWolfe.com

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Focused Character Bio and Rough Outlines...

... are crucial to have before you start, but they're not what you think they are.

Notes from Lisa Cron's Wired for Story: My notes from around page 91

Focused Character Bio's to answer only TWO questions.

Having no character bio to start is just as bad as having one that's too detailed or robust. One gives you no thread to weave into the story, no "why" or "what" to hang on to. The other gives you so many details these are still obscured.



Page 91:

That's why, when writing your protagonists' bio, the goal is to pinpoint two things:

1. the event in his past that knocked his worldview out of alignment, triggering the internal issue that keeps him from achieving his goal;

2. and the inception of his desire for the goal itself. 

So that's an order for



1. One worldview altering event (broken soul, pain point, causing a fear) that keeps him from his inner lifelong goal. This event can happen before the story proper and we may only catch glimpses of it.It may not even be referenced at all, but it will weave through every action's motivation and reaction we see.



2. The inception of the goal itself, prior to the worldview changing event. The goal is deeper than the fear, but the fear has him/her stunted.

Rough Outline of the starting Why's and What's.

Once you have:



He's always wanted:

His internal issue keeps him from attaining what he's always wanted.

You then need a "situation" to put him in that will bring him to a place where what he's always wanted and his internal issue MUST be forced to battle each other within him until he's either defeated or he overcomes.

The story then forces him to reassess his internal worldview and his goal and find they were both off the mark.

Do's and Don'ts

1. Do keep in mind that the story is about the characters internal change from his old worldview to his new one. 


2. Don't be uncomfortable digging deep into your characters psyches.


3. Don't try to write the bio well, you are looking for raw data, not pretty prose.


4. Do write a SHORT bio for each and every character.

THE BEST pre-outlining work I've ever seen is in this book starting on page 95:

• The Premise: "What would happen if...." Once you have that, you need to ask OK. HOW would that happen. We do that by...


• Asking ourselves: "Why?"




• What does she want, what is she afraid of it?




• Drill from the general to the specific. If you can't see it, it's not specific enough yet.




• What's her life like now? What's she really want? Why is she afraid of it?


• Are there any subplot things happening in her life that could tie into the bigger plot?


• What clocks can we set on timers about to go off?




• Figuring out the what.




• What would happen to put these two in the same place, each for their character's own separate reason, at the same time?

A focused pre-outline

A focused outline doesn't set the entire stage, every plot point, every turn. It simply lays the groundwork for who is doing what, where and why. Maybe a little how, but that comes as you write.

The WHY

It knows the (internal) end goal, the fear preventing that goal, and the question that needs an answer. The answer will be the conclusion, but you need not know the answer up front, just the question you want the answer to.



If the groundwork is properly laid, the answer will be a series of events in which worthy characters are transformed.





WHY does the premise make sense for this character? Why this person, at this time, doing this adventure? What is the internal desire and fear at war within him/her that sets them on this adventure?



Specific WHY, it cannot be general. If it's too general, you can't envision it. Keep drilling down into more and more specific why's until you begin to see a story unfolding before you... THEN you start writing.



Background, background, background, but only around the WHY. Favorite color, parents' names, where he went to high school are ONLY relevant if they answer the WHY behind this story. Focus only on the WHY(s) in the background and drill further and further into it until you get the clear picture.

The WHAT

The WHAT happens must have a story reason. It's very convenient for two people to end up at the same place at the same time. Each person must have their own story reason for being there, not just because the plot needs it to happen.



Use the WHYs to understand their reason for doing the WHATs.

The story is in the specifics

If we can't see it, we can't feel it. We are hard wired to ask "Is it safe, or not?" Therefore, every story is our chance to live a dangerous situation (physically, socially, emotionally dangerous, it comes in all kinds), without the actual consequences.



We want to know what it FEELS like to be a:

• Spy or Soldier


• Gangster or Mafia Boss


• Defuse a bomb


• Be in love


• Leave a bad relationship or find a new relationship


• Travel the world in search of treasure


• Face the school bully


• etc.

All of this, we want to feel. We can't feel it if we can't see it. We can't see it unless we are living inside the skin of our protagonist. We want to live vicariously through him/her, without consequences of our own.

Consider the 10,000-foot view vs the up close view.

In October 2006, nearly six thousand people worldwide died in hurricane-induced floods.

Does that make you feel anything? Maybe a little pity or shame (unless you were close to one of those people). 

A mother stands at the shoreline. She sees the wave coming, and there is nothing she can do. They cannot run in time. She holds him close, she says I'll never let you go. The wave collapses upon them, they are ripped from each other's arms. Just before she is taken down again, she sees it in his eyes "You lied, you said you wouldn't let go?!", then the water engulfs her again. She wakes on the shoreline, he is nowhere to be found. She lives with that haunting image, and comes back to this shore every year to mourn, and ask for the waves to take her instead.

Did you feel anything more that time? Probably, because it broughtt it down to the specific, down to a one on one level.

That's what story must do. It's not the struggle of class warfare, it's Kevin's struggle. 

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 


• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 


• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here


• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

Focused Character Bio and Rough Outlines...

... are crucial to have before you start, but they're not what you think they are.

Notes from Lisa Cron's Wired for Story: My notes from around page 91

Focused Character Bio's to answer only TWO questions.

Having no character bio to start is just as bad as having one that's too detailed or robust. One gives you no thread to weave into the story, no "why" or "what" to hang on to. The other gives you so many details these are still obscured.

Page 91:

That's why, when writing your protagonists' bio, the goal is to pinpoint two things:

1. the event in his past that knocked his worldview out of alignment, triggering the internal issue that keeps him from achieving his goal;

2. and the inception of his desire for the goal itself. 

So that's an order for

1. One worldview altering event (broken soul, pain point, causing a fear) that keeps him from his inner lifelong goal. This event can happen before the story proper and we may only catch glimpses of it.It may not even be referenced at all, but it will weave through every action's motivation and reaction we see.

2. The inception of the goal itself, prior to the worldview changing event. The goal is deeper than the fear, but the fear has him/her stunted.

Rough Outline of the starting Why's and What's.

Once you have:

He's always wanted:
His internal issue keeps him from attaining what he's always wanted.

You then need a "situation" to put him in that will bring him to a place where what he's always wanted and his internal issue MUST be forced to battle each other within him until he's either defeated or he overcomes.

The story then forces him to reassess his internal worldview and his goal and find they were both off the mark.

Do's and Don'ts

1. Do keep in mind that the story is about the characters internal change from his old worldview to his new one. 
2. Don't be uncomfortable digging deep into your characters psyches.
3. Don't try to write the bio well, you are looking for raw data, not pretty prose.
4. Do write a SHORT bio for each and every character.

THE BEST pre-outlining work I've ever seen is in this book starting on page 95:

• The Premise: "What would happen if...." Once you have that, you need to ask OK. HOW would that happen. We do that by...
• Asking ourselves: "Why?"
• What does she want, what is she afraid of it?
• Drill from the general to the specific. If you can't see it, it's not specific enough yet.
• What's her life like now? What's she really want? Why is she afraid of it?
• Are there any subplot things happening in her life that could tie into the bigger plot?
• What clocks can we set on timers about to go off?
• Figuring out the what.
• What would happen to put these two in the same place, each for their character's own separate reason, at the same time?

A focused pre-outline

A focused outline doesn't set the entire stage, every plot point, every turn. It simply lays the groundwork for who is doing what, where and why. Maybe a little how, but that comes as you write.

The WHY

It knows the (internal) end goal, the fear preventing that goal, and the question that needs an answer. The answer will be the conclusion, but you need not know the answer up front, just the question you want the answer to.

If the groundwork is properly laid, the answer will be a series of events in which worthy characters are transformed.


WHY does the premise make sense for this character? Why this person, at this time, doing this adventure? What is the internal desire and fear at war within him/her that sets them on this adventure?

Specific WHY, it cannot be general. If it's too general, you can't envision it. Keep drilling down into more and more specific why's until you begin to see a story unfolding before you... THEN you start writing.

Background, background, background, but only around the WHY. Favorite color, parents' names, where he went to high school are ONLY relevant if they answer the WHY behind this story. Focus only on the WHY(s) in the background and drill further and further into it until you get the clear picture.

The WHAT

The WHAT happens must have a story reason. It's very convenient for two people to end up at the same place at the same time. Each person must have their own story reason for being there, not just because the plot needs it to happen.

Use the WHYs to understand their reason for doing the WHATs.

The story is in the specifics

If we can't see it, we can't feel it. We are hard wired to ask "Is it safe, or not?" Therefore, every story is our chance to live a dangerous situation (physically, socially, emotionally dangerous, it comes in all kinds), without the actual consequences.

We want to know what it FEELS like to be a:

• Spy or Soldier
• Gangster or Mafia Boss
• Defuse a bomb
• Be in love
• Leave a bad relationship or find a new relationship
• Travel the world in search of treasure
• Face the school bully
• etc.

All of this, we want to feel. We can't feel it if we can't see it. We can't see it unless we are living inside the skin of our protagonist. We want to live vicariously through him/her, without consequences of our own.

Consider the 10,000-foot view vs the up close view.

In October 2006, nearly six thousand people worldwide died in hurricane-induced floods.

Does that make you feel anything? Maybe a little pity or shame (unless you were close to one of those people). 

A mother stands at the shoreline. She sees the wave coming, and there is nothing she can do. They cannot run in time. She holds him close, she says I'll never let you go. The wave collapses upon them, they are ripped from each other's arms. Just before she is taken down again, she sees it in his eyes "You lied, you said you wouldn't let go?!", then the water engulfs her again. She wakes on the shoreline, he is nowhere to be found. She lives with that haunting image, and comes back to this shore every year to mourn, and ask for the waves to take her instead.

Did you feel anything more that time? Probably, because it broughtt it down to the specific, down to a one on one level.

That's what story must do. It's not the struggle of class warfare, it's Kevin's struggle. 

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 
• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 
• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here
• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

Notes from Ted Dekkers talk on storytelling (condensed)

What is story? 

• Story is a series of events involving worthy characters who change (are transformed) as a result of those events.

• Take the reader into a Fictive Bubble, and don’t pop it!

• Ask ONE question you struggle with… and press your character until he is transformed and finds the answer. You should be transformed through the process too (if not, keep digging).

That path must be clear to you, you are your character's muse or guide. He will hit seven way-points.

1. Back-story. 




• In the first few pages, introduce your reader to the protagonist and his/her world.




2. Inciting Event




• The event that forces the protag into the story, with a clear goal.


• There may be a clear, specific threat.




3. Series of Challenges and Solutions.




• Your protag tries a series of solutions and fails. 


• Things seem to go well, and all hope is lost.


• Something BIG has to happen, or all is lost.


• Subtle changes. Character is wrestling through, lost in the fog.




4. Dramatic turning point.




• A major change in your characters perspective.


• Small changes came before now, but this is a major change for your character. The path is now clear. May come at a cost. This is where his inner goal is realized.




5. Climax (Goal Reached)




• Antagonist overcome, goal reached.


• Using the trans-formative new perspective he gained in step 4, he overcomes the outer goal and his inner struggle at the same time.




6. Wrap Up




• Resolve/Restoration


• One last scene to show how the character's world turned out.




7. Celebration




• Celebrating his victory. One scene, or less than a full scene.


• Hint at the future?

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 


• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 


• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here


• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

Notes from Ted Dekkers talk on storytelling (condensed)

What is story? 

• Story is a series of events involving worthy characters who change (are transformed) as a result of those events.

• Take the reader into a Fictive Bubble, and don’t pop it!

• Ask ONE question you struggle with… and press your character until he is transformed and finds the answer. You should be transformed through the process too (if not, keep digging).

That path must be clear to you, you are your character's muse or guide. He will hit seven way-points.

1. Back-story. 
• In the first few pages, introduce your reader to the protagonist and his/her world.
2. Inciting Event
• The event that forces the protag into the story, with a clear goal.
• There may be a clear, specific threat.
3. Series of Challenges and Solutions.
• Your protag tries a series of solutions and fails. 
• Things seem to go well, and all hope is lost.
• Something BIG has to happen, or all is lost.
• Subtle changes. Character is wrestling through, lost in the fog.
4. Dramatic turning point.
• A major change in your characters perspective.
• Small changes came before now, but this is a major change for your character. The path is now clear. May come at a cost. This is where his inner goal is realized.
5. Climax (Goal Reached)
• Antagonist overcome, goal reached.
• Using the trans-formative new perspective he gained in step 4, he overcomes the outer goal and his inner struggle at the same time.
6. Wrap Up
• Resolve/Restoration
• One last scene to show how the character's world turned out.
7. Celebration
• Celebrating his victory. One scene, or less than a full scene.
• Hint at the future?

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 
• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 
• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here
• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

The Creative Way; creating fiction that readers crave.

Ted Dekker (my favorite author) created a writing course called The Creaive Way; which is an online course sounds like an awesome investment, but I don't have that money, not even by a long shot. However, in his free introductory videos he gave the keys (combined with what I've already learned) that I think I need for now.



What is story? Story is a series of events involving worthy characters who change (are transformed) as a result of those events.



Without transformation you don't have a story, you just have a series of events. 



Use the writing process to explore a fundamental question, and facilitate transformation in your own life. That transformation will bleed onto the page, and your reader will be transformed too.



If you as a writer are not changing as a result of your characters' journey, you didn't write a story worth reading.



The Fictive Bubble holds your story. Take your reader into the bubble, keep them in the bubble the whole time.



While in the bubble, your character will take a journey from where is today (on a hill) to where he wants to be (the hill on the other side) and he needs a path through the foggy valley between.



That path must be clear to you, you are your character's muse or guide. He will hit seven way points. 

1. Backstory. 




• In the first few pages, introduce your reader to the protagonist and his/her world.




2. Inciting Event




• The event that forces the protag into the story, with a clear goal.


• There my be a clear, specifc threat.




3. Series of Challenges and Solutions.




• Your protag tries a series of solutions, and fails. 


• Things seem to go well, and all hope is lost.


• Something BIG has to happen, or all is lost.


• Subtle changes. Character is wrestling through, lost in the fog.




4. Dramatic turning point.




• A major change in your characters perspective.


• Small changes came before now, but this is a major change for your character. The path is now clear. May come at a cost.




5. Climax (Goal Reached)




• Antagonist overcome, goal reached.




6. Wrap Up




• Resolve/Resoration


• One last scene to show how the character's world turned out.




7. Celebration




• Celbrating his victory. One scne, or less than a full scene.


• Hint at the future?

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 


• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 


• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here


• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

The Creative Way; creating fiction that readers crave.

Ted Dekker (my favorite author) created a writing course called The Creaive Way; which is an online course sounds like an awesome investment, but I don't have that money, not even by a long shot. However, in his free introductory videos he gave the keys (combined with what I've already learned) that I think I need for now.

What is story? Story is a series of events involving worthy characters who change (are transformed) as a result of those events.

Without transformation you don't have a story, you just have a series of events. 

Use the writing process to explore a fundamental question, and facilitate transformation in your own life. That transformation will bleed onto the page, and your reader will be transformed too.

If you as a writer are not changing as a result of your characters' journey, you didn't write a story worth reading.

The Fictive Bubble holds your story. Take your reader into the bubble, keep them in the bubble the whole time.

While in the bubble, your character will take a journey from where is today (on a hill) to where he wants to be (the hill on the other side) and he needs a path through the foggy valley between.

That path must be clear to you, you are your character's muse or guide. He will hit seven way points. 

1. Backstory. 
• In the first few pages, introduce your reader to the protagonist and his/her world.
2. Inciting Event
• The event that forces the protag into the story, with a clear goal.
• There my be a clear, specifc threat.
3. Series of Challenges and Solutions.
• Your protag tries a series of solutions, and fails. 
• Things seem to go well, and all hope is lost.
• Something BIG has to happen, or all is lost.
• Subtle changes. Character is wrestling through, lost in the fog.
4. Dramatic turning point.
• A major change in your characters perspective.
• Small changes came before now, but this is a major change for your character. The path is now clear. May come at a cost.
5. Climax (Goal Reached)
• Antagonist overcome, goal reached.
6. Wrap Up
• Resolve/Resoration
• One last scene to show how the character's world turned out.
7. Celebration
• Celbrating his victory. One scne, or less than a full scene.
• Hint at the future?

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 
• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 
• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here
• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

Eradicate the word "had" from your writing.

I have been writing for years, first as a hobbiest with passing intrest, then semi-professionally as a blogger, then professionally as a Complaints Reporter and Letter Writers, and now as Technical Writer working on Policy & Procedure (P&P). In that time, I've had the opportunity to edit other's work even more often than my own.

Had is an easy way to clean up your manuscript

Among the most common pitfalls I've seen, in both Nonfiction and Fiction writing, is the word "HAD". You can almost always simply delete it, and it the sentence will not only remain fully intact, but the meaning will be clearer.



I notice it in my writing, in my Letter Writers, and I've seen it three times today in other authors at Scribophile. Below are the works I critiqued/edited today.



Both are examples of good storytelling and world building. Both have edit issues to work out to be ready for publishing.



Both are examples of how incomplete craft (my own included) can be overcoming by a darn good story... and how perfecting the craft makes them that much better.



I'll just pull out just a few instances of "had" from each for this post, and offer my own potential edits for them.

Examples of "had"

Faiths Odium, Chapter 4: The Fat Shepherd

• The king had used taxes to set up shelters for the homeless within the city


• The king used taxes to set up shelters for the homeless within the city

• In truth he had always rooted for the underdog and the hopeless.


• In truth he always rooted for the underdog and the hopeless.

• The disgruntled wench had a look of scorn, but offered up the axe regardless. 


• The disgruntled wench scowled, but offered up the axe. 

• In this instance, had is appropriately used: "Rynarr could see his tongue had been partially removed, a common punishment for speaking out of turn, probably ordered by a lord that thought himself above the law."

Fenilia, Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve.

• A blade had materialised in N’s hand before the dagger had even touched the stone. 


• A blade materialised in N’s hand before the dagger even touched the stone. 

• Jason had said moments before.


• Jason said moments before.

• Jade had not realised, but there were various paths leading this way and that between them and the trapdoor they had so unwittingly come through.


• Jade did not recognize the paths leading back to the trapdoor they unwittingly came through on their way in.

• In this instance, had is appropriately used: She had no choice but to increase the pace of her shuffling, whilst still making sure not to fall over.

Distortion



In my own first novel (posted on Wattpad) I found several instances in the first chapter:

• The leaves had begun to fall, most had turned shades of orange and yellow, matching perfectly the Pumpkins that had been dotting porches and windows through the city the past few weeks.

• The leaves began to fall, most already turning shades of orange and yellow, matching perfectly the Pumpkins that were dotting porches and windows throughout the city the past few weeks.

I hope that gives you some ideas. Look for other words you use frequently in a word count search. See if you can elimante these in your next re-write.

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

• See my full about page and disclosures: Click Here. 


• Also check out my Resources and Suggestions for writers (here). 


• To Subscribe to the RSS: Click Here


• For Non-Fiction writing by Darrell Wolfe: Click Here

Read more →

Eradicate the word "had" from your writing.

I have been writing for years, first as a hobbiest with passing intrest, then semi-professionally as a blogger, then professionally as a Complaints Reporter and Letter Writers, and now as Technical Writer working on Policy & Procedure (P&P). In that time, I've had the opportunity to edit other's work even more often than my own.

Had is an easy way to clean up your manuscript

Among the most common pitfalls I've seen, in both Nonfiction and Fiction writing, is the word "HAD". You can almost always simply delete it, and it the sentence will not only remain fully intact, but the meaning will be clearer.

I notice it in my writing, in my Letter Writers, and I've seen it three times today in other authors at Scribophile. Below are the works I critiqued/edited today.

Both are examples of good storytelling and world building. Both have edit issues to work out to be ready for publishing.

Both are examples of how incomplete craft (my own included) can be overcoming by a darn good story... and how perfecting the craft makes them that much better.

I'll just pull out just a few instances of "had" from each for this post, and offer my own potential edits for them.

Examples of "had"

Faiths Odium, Chapter 4: The Fat Shepherd

• The king had used taxes to set up shelters for the homeless within the city
• The king used taxes to set up shelters for the homeless within the city

• In truth he had always rooted for the underdog and the hopeless.
• In truth he always rooted for the underdog and the hopeless.

• The disgruntled wench had a look of scorn, but offered up the axe regardless. 
• The disgruntled wench scowled, but offered up the axe. 

• In this instance, had is appropriately used: "Rynarr could see his tongue had been partially removed, a common punishment for speaking out of turn, probably ordered by a lord that thought himself above the law."

Fenilia, Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve.

• A blade had materialised in N’s hand before the dagger had even touched the stone. 
• A blade materialised in N’s hand before the dagger even touched the stone. 

• Jason had said moments before.
• Jason said moments before.

• Jade had not realised, but there were various paths leading this way and that between them and the trapdoor they had so unwittingly come through.
• Jade did not recognize the paths leading back to the trapdoor they unwittingly came through on their way in.

• In this instance, had is appropriately used: She had no choice but to increase the pace of her shuffling, whilst still making sure not to fall over.

Distortion

In my own first novel (posted on Wattpad) I found several instances in the first chapter:

• The leaves had begun to fall, most had turned shades of orange and yellow, matching perfectly the Pumpkins that had been dotting porches and windows through the city the past few weeks.

• The leaves began to fall, most already turning shades of orange and yellow, matching perfectly the Pumpkins that were dotting porches and windows throughout the city the past few weeks.

I hope that gives you some ideas. Look for other words you use frequently in a word count search. See if you can elimante these in your next re-write.

By Darrell Wolfe

Storyteller | Creative | INFJ | Intellection | Ideation | Input | Learner | Achiever | Multipotentialite

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