Since I made the switch from screenwriting to novels, I've discovered that some people don't care for present tense. In fact some people have violent hate for present tense prose. I find this curious. I rarely notice tense when I'm reading and the times I do, it's usually because a book written in past tense has suddenly confused me as to when something is happening/has happened. (That whole, "I'm saying it in the past tense but it's really happening right now" thing hurts my brain.)
I tend to naturally write in present tense. I used to think this was because of screenwriting - scripts are written in present tense. But then one day I was flipping through my old journals and I discovered I've always written in present tense. And that made me think about the way people tell stories. I think in our daily lives, we use present tense much more often than you might think.
I'm sure you've had a conversation that went something like this:
"You won't believe what happened to me today!"
"What?"
"So, I'm in the store and this guy comes up and is like, did it hurt? And I go, um, what? And he gives me this big cheesy grin and says, when you fell out of heaven? And I was like seriously??"
(Okay, hopefully you don't have conversations like this, but you get the point.) The story was told naturally in present tense because she's sort of reliving it. It makes the moment more immediate. So with this in mind, I am really curious what it is that those of you that hate present tense find so awful about it. I've read terms like "jarring" and "annoying" and I wonder what about it gives you those feelings.
For my first three “drawer” novels, I wrote in 3rd person point of view (POV), but I then for the last two projects, I’ve written in 1st person POV.
However, it was always in past tense.
For this current project, I’ve played with using present tense with past revisions. My story has a lot of suspense and a few major action scenes so I’m thinking it may be more effective written in the present tense.
I’ve also noticed the last few YA novels that I’ve read have been in 1st person present tense as well. Especially if they contain a lot of suspense and/or action scenes. I’ve also noticed that it has a more immediate effect — almost like you’re watching a movie unfold. It makes me wonder if the story form is changing to this more dramatic form. At least in YA.
I may try it this summer. But it’s not as easy as just changing all of the verbs from past tense to present tense. It will take some tweaking.
So writer friends, what about you? Is your current novel project in past or present tense? Do you think present tense is the “new thing?” Or do you have a preference for past tense?
Literary prizes normally seem tame affairs. Well, at their outset, perhaps. This year, the Booker prize seems to have attracted controversy as various authors debated the use of present tense. (Three of six books listed on the Man Booker Prize are written in present tense.)
Admittedly, I have yet to read any of the Booker prize books in question. But the debate did get me to open several of my books stacked at my bedside. I was seeking out their tenses. I wanted to figure out if I have preponderance to present tense books or to past tense books...or if I had even noticed. In the debate, present tense is considered more "fashionable," although it has been used for centuries.
I know I've tried to carry off present tense in some of my fiction and find it much more difficult. The immediacy present brings to a scene often dissipates the nuances I like in using past tense. But frequently I've been won over by my characters wanting to speak in present tense. In those instances, I try to let the story tell itself, without criticizing it for being in present tense. Just as a story of mine might lend itself to a certain point of view more than another POV and only trial and error (read: revision, revision, revision) will tell. Unfortunately, I don't believe I'm as skilled at writing in present tense as I am in past tense.
It was mentioned that maybe the use of present tense comes from creative writing classes. Maybe so. But I've found that I may have practiced and learned various crafts and techniques in my MFA classes, but, as a writer, I need to stick with what works. Right now, past tense works for the stories I’m trying to tell and it’s what I will gravitate toward.
However, the debate certainly makes me want to seek out these books and take the present tense writers for a test drive.
What about you? How do you feel about the present versus past tense debate? Are you feeling any tension one way or another?
Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer who lives in North Carolina.
Recently, I’ve been analyzing several books that are in first person, present tense. And I think it’s rubbing off on me.
My draft is currently in first person, past tense. It is what comes naturally to me in writing. But this weekend, I tried a revision of a scene in present tense. It seemed more immediate and the novel does take place in a specific amount of time plus there is an element of time running out that may be enhanced with present tense.
As an example, here’s a snippet from the scene in the original past tense:
Mr. Tom walked down the aisles with Friday’s test. My fellow classmates showed visible signs of relief. Mr. Tom moved closer and turned down my row. My stomach churned with the uneasiness of finding out my grade. Would Mr. Tom get mad if I puked on his shoes?
He stood in front of my desk and put my test face down. Face down. At least he spared me the humiliation. Mr. Tom moved to the next row. Maybe it was okay. Wouldn’t he had said something if I had done poorly?
I peeled over the corner of the test. I saw red ink, the curves of an eight—then a two. I had dodged another failing grade. Lucky. But I knew better. Luck was a myth. And I wasn’t a math genius. The paper was upside down. My grade was a 58. Another F.
“How did you do?” Shark Boy asked.
The tang of tears burned my eyes. I couldn’t cry in Mr. Tom’s Algebra class. Megan was right. I needed a tutor.
“Not good,” I mumbled. “Not good at all.”
The same snippet revised in present tense:
Mr. Tom walks down the aisles with Friday’s test. My fellow classmates show visible signs of relief. Mr. Tom moves closer and turns down my row. My stomach churns with the uneasiness of finding out my grade. Would Mr. Tom be mad if I puke on his shoes?
He stands in front of my desk and places my test face down. Face down. At least he spares me the humiliation. Mr. Tom moves on to the next row. Maybe it’s okay. Wouldn’t he had said something if I had done poorly?
I peel over the corner of the test. I see red ink, the curves of an eight—then a two. I’ve dodged another failing grade. Lucky. But I know better. Luck is a myth. And I’m not a math genius. I have the paper upside down. The grade is a 58. Another F.
“How did you do?” Shark Boy asks.
The tang of tears burns my eyes. I can’t cry in Mr. Tom’s Algebra class. Megan is right. I need a tutor.
“Not good,” I mumble. “Not good at all.”
Ugh, I’m not even sure if I even did the present tense right, LOL.
Still not sure which one is better. I’ll probably have to keep working on it to see. Changing a novel from past tense to present tense isn’t as easy as it seems.
Have you tried present tense? Or do you like reading books in present tense?
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Unfortunately I'm not fond of it. It is really hard to pull off and I think that's a lot of the issue most people have with it. It won't deter me from buying a book that has been recommended to me though. I have loved several present tense novels so I'm not dead set against it. It just has to be done really well or otherwise I feel distanced from the character.
This is so interesting to me because I feel no difference between the two in first person. What about it makes it feels distancing to you?
I don't have any issues with first person present. In fact, in my last ms, I would slip into present tense, and kept forcing myself back into past tense for the reasons you mention. Maybe I'll let myself go next time around. :)
That happens to me every time I try to write in past tense! I start out okay and then slip into present tense, sometimes I don't notice for a long time. So annoying. I think I should just stick to present in the future!