Oct 27 2008
Novel Ideas: Wrestling Present Tense Narrative
There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.
~Walter Wellesley “Red” Smith
Since starting my novel, I’ve struggled to be consistent with my narrative. I find myself naturally drawn toward using present tense in some scenes, and half of the time I don’t even notice I’m doing it.
Present tense narrative has gained popularity in recent years. It seems like an easy way to make one’s writing sound edgy or contemporary. “The wind shakes loose a hail of burnt-orange maple leaves, and I bend to lift one from the grassy boulevard,” as opposed to “The wind shook loose a hail of burn-orange maple leaves, and I bent to lift one from the grassy boulevard.”
However, I think present tense narrative can sometimes be used as a method of trying to make one’s writing sound more literary than it really is. Perhaps I have been guilty of this in the past, which is why I find myself unhappy in my tendency to drift toward it.
In truth, I think most people are more comfortable reading novels written using the past tense. It’s what we know. It’s what we’re used to. And it’s still the most popular for a reason.
I started my project in the past tense, drifted to the present tense, and now have forced myself back into the past tense. I think, in the end, the past tense is the right choice for my novel. This is not to say that present tense narrative has no place in any story, because I believe it does.
I’d be interested to know if other writers struggle with the present tense/past tense issue. Please let me know your thoughts, and any insights you’ve gained in your own writing.
Thanks for your comment. I found that trying to outline the novel just didn’t work for me. So now it’s loose notes, probably much like what you’re doing.
I haven’t had to wrestle with present tense/past tense yet, but I know it’s coming. I found myself formulating the opening sentences (in my mind only — no cheating) in the present tense, but I think it will be a device where it’s appropriate, with the main text in past tense.
This is going to be a real challenge for me because it’s so different from non-fiction, which is what I normally write.
For me, it varies. I tend to default to present tense when writing in third person objective, probably because that’s the tense/perspective combination most commonly used when running games. If it’s a particularly action-packed story, or if I want it to feel immediate, and I’m writing in first person, I’ll usually go present. For longer stories, I work in past, because that’s where my real habits lie. Particularly when I’m in third person limited.
I think different perspectives just work better with different tenses.
Thanks for the comments, Catana and Ravyn. For some reason, I think writers like to indulge in present tense, and editors don’t. I can’t explain why. Catana: how’s the non-fiction to fiction switch going?