Got feedback from an editor on Reedsy and wondering about their removal of a lot of my had- contractions and while some involved dialogue, lots didn't.
Quick disclaimer, I had a lot of contractions, more than a pregnant person going through an elongated labour and grammar has never been my strong suit.
Honestly though, the editor seemed to remove a lot of contractions, citing that readers would get confused. I'm sure he was right some of the time. I never used had/would contractions in the same sentence, but I decided to take his word for it, removing the vast majority.
Then I read Katabasis, where rf kuang uses had and would contractions in the same sentence, like in this one: "She'd been afraid they might tether up to nothing, that when she finished her spell, they'd be pinned..." I think its clear which contraction is the had and which is the would, but curious if others would find it confusing or laborsome to read. There were other instances where Kuang would switch between the contraction and regular form, in identical sentences.
I realise RF kuang knows her shit and when you know the rules you can break them. Wondering if someone can explain best practice.