I know that this is something that has been discussed before, but I am wondering about the various pros/ cons of writing in the present or past tense.
I started the new version of the current work in progress in the present tense, and I love it - it is making it much more grabby, action-packed and immediate. But then about half way through the book, it seems to become more natural to tell the story in the past tense. Plus, this book is the first in a projected series of four, an ancient world epic for teenagers, and I'm not sure how present tense will work over 4 books of at least 40, 000 words each.
Could one write the first book of the series in present tense and then use past tense for the other books?

Can you put your finger on why the tense changes, Leila? I find in some books the tense changes when the writer switches between dialogue and narrative: The former in present tense, the latter in past tense. I don't see a problem with that, especially with stories like yours which are set in the past but you want to bring it alive and put the reader in the thick of the action with present tense.

- NaomiM

Leila, I would have thought that if you have a series of books you could write one in present and the others in past, because if it's a different book there's no reason why not. It might seem neater to have them all in the same tense, though, since it's a series - for the feel of continuity.

I think past tense can still seem very immediate if written right. Why don't you try rewriting some of the early part of the book in past, and the later part in present, and see which swap works better. Then make the whole book in the one which will work best for both the early and later parts?

Deb

Doesn't anyone else find present tense really annoying to read? I can get past it if I'm I begin to enjoy the book enough - I cease to notice (e.g. I just read and much enjoyed Rachel Seiffert's The Dark Room which used present tense narrative) - but it's one of the biggest offputting factors for me, when I read the first page of anything. I see it and it makes my heart sink.

Can't at all put a finger on why this is, because I can see (in theory) all the arguments about greater immediacy, etc.. Maybe I've just seen just too many bad books that are written that way - especially when combined with first person narrative.

Rosy

I agree, I think present tense can be very annoying to read, (though, yes, if the book's good I can get through it). It's like being hit over the head with a teaspoon. I think it's the immediacy - at a philosophical as well as physical level there's no fluidity, no reflectiveness, just bang bang bang. And you get some awkward corners of grammar and syntax, too. Which may be just what you want for a particular purpose, but I think writers and readers who assume that present tense is automatically more immediate are making a mistake.

Having said that, quite a lot of the new novel is present tense, but that's because two of the three narratives have an extremely fluid relationship between 'Now' and 'Then', so it's clearer if I can slip-slide between the two, with the tense keeping the reader on track.

Emma

Rosy, I agree - I much prefer past tense. I think it may be because storytelling is more naturally in past tense. You come home from work and tell your partner "this happened and this happened and he said..." You don't tell it in present tense. (Although there is a style of speech which does, but most people don't IMO.)

Deb

I also have a slight problem with present tense. I think I've used present tense to describe a character's immersion in a memory, but as a whole novel, I'm not sure it would work. The problem for me is that a novel isn't present tense, is it? You're reading something that has been written.

JB

It doesn't change within the space of a paragraph or a chapter, but half-way through the book. The first half is all a big lead-up of events that fall into place, pushing the protagonist into his first battle. It's almost like a countdown. He gets knocked out in the battle, and when he wakes up, he sees that war is nothing like he imagined, and everything has changed - victory has turned to defeat. It's at that point the tense changes.


<Added>

Deb, yes I will probably re-write a few different bits and see what each looks like.

If anyone wants to see an extract in the present tense, it's here: http://www.writewords.org.uk/archive/17538.asp

Thanks for the comments - I don't mind present tense in general, though yes it can sometimes feel annoying.

I wonder if anyone has yet written a novel in the 'footballer's perfect' - a uniquely weird version of the past intended to give present-tense like immediacy.

'He's taken the man on; he's left him for dead. The keeper has come out, but he's missed it. The lad's stuck it away...'

This could hit new levels of annoyingness in a novel!

Rosy

That would be hilarious! I think you should attempt it at once...at least in a short story form.

JB

Rosy - yes, that would be super-annoying. Maybe it would win a prize?

Leila - from your description of where you change the tense I wonder if the tense change could actually be quite effective, giving a really different feel to the second half. If it's deliberate and distinct then I think it could be an interesting trick. Will try to read your excerpt in a bit and respond... but got to go and hoover the car now before it rains!

Deb

Leila, I think that sounds interesting too, and could work perfectly well, perhaps. I do think when you find any big technical change wanting to happen in your novel it's an indicator of something important that you should listen to, even if you don't in the end fulfil it in that way.

Emma

Thanks. I know the point at which the tense changes is the watershed of the story, everything HAS to change at that point. Dunno about the tense though!

I agree that present tense can be annoying, but I can also see why it could be right for your children's story, Leila. I have noticed several series of history books - along the lines of 'my life in a cotton mill' - coming into school libraries. The main character is fictional but the biographical details are real.

It doesn't change within the space of a paragraph or a chapter, but half-way through the book.

I've read the first few sections of this piece, and I think that the present tense works very well. *But* (just playing devil's advocate for a moment) wouldn't it make more sense for the lead-up to battle to be in past-tense, and the battle itself to be in present? To create a sense of immediacy, etc. Also, a bit strange to be in the present and suddenly start talking about...uh, the present...in the past tense?

Know what I mean?