Hi all, I'm new to the forum so looking forward to being able to learn and hopefully be able to make some useful input!

My question is around the preference of writing with regards past or present tense. Mostly I write in past tense, but I'm wondering what people here think and what their preference is when reading or writing?

I've written three novels which are all in past tense, but wondering whether I should shift to present tense, or maybe try it on my next novel.

Any thoughts would be greatly received!

Thanks, Pj

http://www.peterjanes.co.uk

(my book on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cock-Pull-Peter-Janes/dp/1848970269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257934407&sr=8-1)

Hi PJ and welcome to WW. Hope you're finding your way about: do give the Site Hosts a shout if you find yourself stuck.

I blogged about this a while back, and the comment trail was very interesting too.

Emma

Hi PJ, and welcome to WriteWords

My personal preference is past tense because that's what I've grown up with. I've had to 'train my ear' to understand novels written in present tense, although I've yet to read one all the way through.
Two excellent novels I've read recently which have part of the book written in present tense are Jennifer Donnelly's A Gathering Light, and Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves, but in both cases the authors chose that format because a lot of the story was in flashback which was conveyed in the past tense.
I've tried reading other historical fiction novels which were all in present tense (eg, Rose Tremain. Music & Silence (-? I think)), but found it an anachronism.
Present tense does work very well for first person Young Adult (ie. Teen) Fiction, if the 'voice' is right.


- Naomi

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I should have added, if you need any help navigating the site, just give us a shout.

I always find present tense jarring to the point of making a book unreadable. It's clear from previous discussions on this question that I am not alone in feeling like this. I recall one member making the inspired comment that it was like 'being tapped on the head with a spoon' every time a verb came along. Present tense narration, when read aloud, sounds particularly stilted.

I also have the problem with it that, to me, it always sounds contrived, but that may be a generational thing. I've grown up with past tense only.

However, it can work, and it obviously does work for plenty of people, so my advice is to give it a try for a page or two, read it back (and read it out loud) and see how you feel about it as both writer and reader. You could try converting some paragraphs from your existing work to see how it compares.

It's your book and it needs your voice, so, if the present tense feels right to you, don't be put off by the negative views of the likes of me!

Chris

so my advice is to give it a try........You could try converting some paragraphs from your existing work to see how it compares.

That is good advice. It is always worth experimenting - one never stops learning.





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And find a novel where you feel present tense works, so you have something for comparison.

I tend to write in present tense. I like its immediacy. However, I know that lots of people hate it, including some agents, so beware!
Susiex

I agree with Naomi that it works if parts of the book are flashbacks etc to make it clear to the reader where they are in the story. I personally do not like it if a whole work is in present tense - it feels very contrived and a bit pretentious.

Hi Pj

Welcome to WW and thanks for raising such an interesting question. I was only talking about this to my husband the other day.

I fall into the category of finding novels written in the present tense very difficult to read. My subconscious always seems to be doing a quick translation to make it easier for me to read, however, that gets in the way.

For example I would read:

"She stands up and walks over to the kettle which is boiling. She pours the hot water into the cup and makes some tea."

This to me seems much more cack-handed than, so my mind would be changing the text into past tense:

"She stood up and walked over the kettle which had boild. She poured the hot water into the cup and made some tea."

Not perhaps the best of examples, however, I think the second version is easier to read. Also whan I read I tend to think of it as very recent past. Almost like I'm watching something that happened only mins ago, so it's in the past but only just.

I can see, however, that using the present tense would lessen confusion when there is a lot of flashbacks.

Hope this helps, and again thanks for the thought provoking thread. It will be interesting to see what other comments are posted.

Hope you find the support etc that you're looking for in WW.

Nicci

Thank you all for your comments (and your welcomes!)! I thought that past tense woud be the preferred way (as I prefer it also), but it is good to hear other points of view.

I have been spending the last two weeks reviewing the manuscript changes for my next novel 'KeyStroke' that the publisher has sent to me.

It appears that I have an annoying tendancy to float between a present descriptive narrative to a past tense style which kind of prompted the question!

I think it is one of those things that I need to concentrate hard on in future projects!

Thanks again!

http://www.peterjanes.co.uk