Following a discussion in Women's Fiction, I thought I'd post this.
My novel is written entirely in the present tense (apart from any backstory). On a novel-writing course, my tutor said she took 'a sharp intake of breath' on seeing this. I understand that agents fall into the Marmite division where this is concerned - either loving it or hating it. My reason for doing it (which began instinctively) is that I'm writing about television and wanted its immediacy to carry the readers along with it.
What do other WWers think? And does anyone have any experience of agents responses to tense issues?
susiex

As readers, both my mother and I fall into the 'marmite' segement and both hate it. But it can work - I've read some wonderful short stories done in it - but I couldn't read a whole book.

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As for agents/publishers - don't bother submitting to Susan Hill of LBB, she says she hates it too.

I think it can work very well if written in 1st person, and even better if it's a young person's voice. I've read a couple of teen books like this and they worked a treat because it gave the voice a genuine feel, reflecting contemporary speech

I'm standing there, waiting, and he's like, 'So what are we going to do?' and I can't even think of an answer because it's just so obvious. I mean, really. What an arse!

type thing

Excellent example, Colin. Now I could read one like that.

Now I read it back it reminds me of Vikki Pollard from Little Britain.

I think it can work really well - a couple of recent successful books are The Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower and The Angel Makers by Jessica Gregson, which both sustain present tense throughout. Another one I read a while ago was Our Sunshine by Robert Drewe.

I think it can sometimes come across as an artificial way of trying to persuade the reader that the book is exciting and immediate, so perhaps that's why some agents and readers don't like it. If, converted to past tense, it actually sounds pretty ordinary, then maybe it needs more work. But that's something to experiment with.

Caro

I must say I also find present tense narrative very hard to read, sustained over a whole novel. (But I love marmite.)

Rosy

Yup, I love marmite too, just not in sandwiches. It has to be on hot buttered toast or crumpets, or nothing.

I sent the first three chapters of a novel I'd written in the present tense out to agents a while back - and met with resounding lack of success & a few negative comments specifically focusing on the fact that it was in the present tense. So I rewrote the whole thing in the past tense - which didn't really take all that long - and sent it out again. It still got rejected, but this time with much more positive comments and several readings of the whole manuscript.

So I conclude from that exercise that the present tense is considered to be A Bad Thing by many agents - probably for the reasons caro suggests. I also think that the novel I'd written did come across better in the past tense - there's something relentless and rather tiring for the reader about being constantly in the present tense.

That said, I've read some good stuff in the present tense & agree with Colin's point about it communicating a young person's voice effectively.

oh, boo.
I take your point, caro, trying it in past tense and seeing if it still works. Will try that out.
Susiex

I don't think I've ever read a present tense novel. Nor do I think I've ever tried Marmite. Really must get out more.

I'm not keen on present tense for the whole of a novel. It's hard work for a reader as it's not what we're used to reading. most novels being written in past tense. Also, it's perfectly possible to write in what can be called immediate past tense, so that although technically it's in the past it feels as if events are unfolding in the present.

Present tense can, unfortunately, come across as a tad pretentious and creative for the sake of being creative.

The example from Colin is interesting. It starts 'I'm standing there, waiting ...' The use of the word 'there' gives it a sort of past tense feel, imo. If it was truly present tense it would be 'I'm standing here ...'

I wonder whether,if any of you have the time, you could look at the excerpt in Women's Fiction from my novel, 'The Change' and give me your thoughts about the tense in this context?
Thanks a lot,
Susiex

Hi Susie, have just read it and it's fab.

Are you set on the title 'The Change', though? It's just it sounds like it's about someone going through the menopause - sorry.

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BTW, the present tense didn't jar for me at all - in fact, I liked it. :)

Thanks ever so much, lastubbs. Actually, that's good - 'cos the novel is about someone going through the menopause!
Susiex