03/11/2024
jackallenauthor.com
I Had Had Too Many Hads
It would be easy, and possibly logical, to categorize this story as a pet peeve. I prefer to put it in the category of lazy writing.
Using the word Had too much is a sign of lazy writing. Many of the Hads that some writers use could be removed. Instead of taking the time to use imagination and creativity to come up with a more effective way to structure a sentence, it’s easier to take the shortcut and use the words that don’t require the effort or the energy.
The word As is another word that is frequently used as a crutch to prop up unimaginative, uncreative writing.
He had had too many beers.
In writing and storytelling there are rules every writer swears they must live by. Never ending a sentence with a preposition is one of them. There are styles such as the Chicago style or the AP style. Then there are my rules. Who decided Chicago gets a writing style anyway? My rules are the only rules that matter, even if they only matter to me. One of those rules is that every rule of writing that says a writer must always do such-and-which, or a writer must never do whatnot, wherefore or there as, are mostly baloney. Guidelines at best.
I admit, it’s important to know these rules. Once these rules and I have come to an understanding, however, it’s important for those rules to agree that I’ve moved beyond them. They can either come along with me and learn new ways to express ideas, or they can stay behind in the obsolete pages of their rule books.
Today I’d like to discuss lazy writing, but only from one narrow aspect. Lazy writing is like a plague that infests the pages of writers who somehow, to my confoundment and frustration, have somehow found a way to have a good deal of success. Does that mean I should give up on trying to be a competent writer and give myself license to be just as lazy? Let’s not go down that road.
Today I just want to talk about the word Had, a good, stout, useful and highly functional word. It can, however, be used as a crutch by the lazy writer who looks for shortcuts through the dense, intimidating forest of imagination and creativity. I get it. Writing is hard. Writing well is, well, harder. It takes time, commitment, and energy. Why would anyone want to stumble through that dense forest and scrape their skin and twist their ankle when it’s so much easier to take the shortcut and get the writing done?
Let’s look an example:
He had had too many beers last night.
This sentence is probably not unlike similar sentences many people have used in their everyday conversations. Many times I’ve heard people use the double Had in their conversations. There are also many instances where the double Had has been used in writing, in books, tv shows and movies. Let’s all do the world a favor and stop it. There are simple and effective alternatives. Here’s one coming up now:
He had too many beers last night.
See how easy that was? Now let’s try to add a little creativity and imagination to the writing process:
Last night he drank so much. Just ... too many beers.
It’s the same message, yet delivered with the distinction of the character’s voice. It takes a little more effort. It’s also more fun to write and makes a more enjoyable and memorable experience for the reader. Give it a try.
If you're interested in writing a review for my books, Change of Heart, An Innocent Among Them, The Widow of Calcutta and Breathe of the Flesh to post on Amazon, send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll send you a complimentary copy. Thank you.
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