Present VS Past tense - Writers Forum

digitalfiction · 12-11-2007, 08:46 AM

Is there something wrong with writing in the present tense? I am working on my first Sci-Fi novel, and have been writting in Past Tense. One of the few people to have reviewed it said she HATES Past Tense because it gets in the way of her getting into the story.

Ernie/Digitalfiction

Balmarog · 12-11-2007, 08:57 AM

Present tense gives the effect that it's happening right now. It gives it a sense of immediacy so it's easier to get into and feel like you're there.

digitalfiction · 12-11-2007, 09:02 AM

My thoughts also. But I have noticed most books are written in Past tense.

Balmarog · 12-11-2007, 09:46 AM

Go with what ever feels right. I don't think there's any thing wrong with past tense, but there is a clear difference. Most of writing is aesthetics any way.

Mike C · 12-11-2007, 10:08 AM

You'll find that your reviewer is an idiot. Disregard what she says, and challenge her to name 3 novels written in the present tense. Then get her to name her three favoutite novels. I'll bet they're past tense. It can be a fun trick to play with, but present tense is a bastard to maintain over a longer work.

RomanticRose · 12-11-2007, 10:27 AM

First and foremost -- NEVER rewrite to one person's review, unless they are going to pay you real live money for your work.

If you did rewrite to present tense, what are you going to do when the next reviewer says, "I've never been able to get into present tense fiction." You'll never finish if you try to satisfy every reviewer.

I agree with Mike on the difficulty of making present tense work over a longer work.

Go to your local bookstore and pull books at random and count the ones written in present tense. Whether you like the authors or not, they are doing what most of us want to do -- reaching an audience.

Just my tuppence,

Rose

Dawnstorm · 12-11-2007, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

challenge her to name 3 novels written in the present tense.

Margaret Atwood: Cat's Eye
Ian MacDonald: River of Gods
William Gibson: Pattern Recognition

Quote:

Then get her to name her three favoutite novels.

I don't deal in favourites, really, but I'd agree most of those I enjoy are in past tense. But that's because most are in past tense, period. I enjoyed all three above:

Cat's Eye: This one contains lots of memory, so it's possibly a mixed tense book. But that's why the "current story" (as opposed to memories) has to be in present tense. You have both the present perfect and past tense for past events, which makes for a more subtle tense modulation. (It wouldn't count as "keeping up the present tense for long stretches" really, though.)

River of Gods: Past the opening and closing images, I don't see much reason for the present tense in this one. Perhaps, it's a look-this-is-happening thing? I'd have to re-read sections just for that in mind. I remember, wondering about the present tense early on and then just accepting it. As I see it, it's neither a strength nor a weakness in this one, although the occasional scene is just beautiful and might lose some of its power in past tense ("roof-top polo with fresh fruit").

Pattern Recognition: This one relies a lot on images ("footage"), living arrangements, clothing style etc. I feel present tense is very appropriate for this type of novel (though it may not be everyone's cup of tea). Interestingly, I didn't even remember the novel was in present tense; someone else had to point it out. I went back to check and found not only is it present tense, but it works really well. (But that's because Gibson is neither primarily a character nor action writer, I suppose.)

****

In your case, go with past tense as that's what you started out with. If you're curious take a chapter or so, transfer it into present tense and see how it goes.

As a rule of thumb:

Plot-centered: past tense
Image/action centered: present tense
Character-centered: Either (depending on what you're doing with characters; non-linear [auto]-biography, I suppose, would work best in a full-tense mix - see Cat's Eye).

What tense you work in best, of course, depends also on your own preferences. (As an excercise, pay attention what kinds of texts are in what tense. Examples: Present tense: meditation tapes, live reporting [sports and news]... Past tense: Campfire stories, witness testimony... You could also use that as your tense guide. [For example, I've heard people say they dislike present tense, because it reminds them of choose-your-own-adventure books. They remind me of the text-adventure computer games of the 1980ies, so that may be why I quite like present tense.]

Non Serviam · 12-11-2007, 04:04 PM

It's a personal thing, but I loathe present tense writing to the extent that I tend to close the thread or put the book back the moment I deduce it's written in present.

I'm of the view that using something unconventional like present tense distracts attention from what you're saying towards the way you're saying it--so I think it serves to obstruct your message.

I note that unpublished fiction seems to be about 25%-30% written in present tense. Published fiction, less than 0.1%. So that suggests to me that editors might see it the way I do.

Ilasir Maroa · 12-11-2007, 08:50 PM

Some people may not consider fanficing a legitimate form of writing, but I have written several, including a rather long one on the order of novel length. I bring this up because I wrote this ff in the present tense... the entire way through. Let me tell you that writing anything of length is often excruciating when using the present tense. You have to jump through many hoops, and engage in strenuous grammatical gymnastics to get anything readable after the first few pages, or even paragraphs. It's probably not the best tense for a beginner to use, as it involves complicated linguistical (or grammtaical, if you prefer) aspects so as not to get boring and repetitive. This has not stopped me from working on several actual novels in the present tense, but I have to stop frequently to clear my head. As to publishers, I have heard from several sources, internet, printed text, and personal comments, all on the order of: "Don't try to break into the world of published books with a piece in present tense." if you feel that present tense is the only way to go, then do so. But when in doubt, look to the "past."

sarahsreading · 12-12-2007, 06:28 AM

Quote:

I'm of the view that using something unconventional like present tense distracts attention from what you're saying towards the way you're saying it--so I think it serves to obstruct your message.

Non Serviam, I agree with you on this point. The whole point of writing is to reach your intended audience. There are only three reasons to write in the present tense:

1. If your intended audience enjoys it. Who knows? Maybe there's a small niche that actively pursues work written in the present tense. In my experience, this is not the case. If there such a niche, is it worth it?

2. If your writing is so good that it doesn't matter.

3. If you are writing purely for writing's sake and you don't care if it sells.

Mike C · 12-12-2007, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawnstorm

Margaret Atwood: Cat's Eye
Ian MacDonald: River of Gods
William Gibson: Pattern Recognition

The word smug springs to mind...

qwertyman · 12-12-2007, 07:48 AM

[QUOTE Non Serviam]
note that unpublished fiction seems to be about 25%-30% written in present tense. Published fiction, less than 0.1%. So that suggests to me that editors might see it the way I do.
[/quote]

That is a very convincing statistic. Are you able to recall the source?

Dawnstorm · 12-12-2007, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike C

The word smug springs to mind...

Heh.

Non Serviam · 12-12-2007, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwertyman

That is a very convincing statistic. Are you able to recall the source?

The source is Non Serviam's opinion.

I was careful to say "seems".

I'd like to think that after years of reading unpublished fiction in critique groups or sites like this, and a lifetime of reading published fiction, it's a reasonably well-informed opinion--but opinion is what it is.

Loulou · 12-12-2007, 07:59 AM

I love the present tense, at least in the short story. I could care less who is or isn't writing in this tense. I hate 'rules' and 'fitting in.' I do enough of the 'writing for an audience' with my column so I like to let rip in my fiction. I write my story how I think the story works best, not how I think people will take it. Guess I'm just gonna have to strive to make my writing so good it doesn't matter.