Past or present tense?

[A-RokzStalker]

I'm thinking that present tense just doesn't work with 3rd person, lol.

[A-RokzStalker]

Yeah, I tried it again in a different spot in BMS, present tense and 3rd person just don't mix well with me, lol.

[Julie]

LOL okay, so you're in agreement that it sounds weird?

I think it's probably better for 1st person too... actually, the intro to Footprints is written in present tense, then it goes back to past tense for the actual chapters because she's telling the story. I think it works really well in that sense.

[A-RokzStalker]

Yeah, I agree; it sounds weird, lol.

Yeah, both present and past tense work with 1st person (in my opinion).

I guess the writing styles of my story and Footprints are basically the same general idea. 1st person with a little of both past and present tense.

[Shauna]

I cheat when it comes to this. I usually write in the present tense ( i think tenses always confused me) but I use flashbacks probably more than any author should.

[A-RokzStalker]

LOL! That's okay Shauna! It's a refresher to read those style of stories!

[jellicle]

admin said:

Okay, ignore my random tangents, but...

Screenplay. That's another thing I think of when I'm reading something in present tense. It reads like a screenplay. I just opened up BMS and was looking at the first paragraph, changing the verbs in my head to put it in present tense, and I realized that if I was writing it as a screenplay, that's how I would write it... because then it seems like a scene that you're watching take place right in front of you, like it's happening NOW. But it still felt weird to me to read it like that in story form.

I have no idea if that makes any sense LOL.

It makes a lot of sense! No offense but I just can't read anything when it's written in present tense. As you said, it gives me the feeling of screenplay and I have a very hard time focusing on the story. Instead, I start to convert them into past tense which totally ruins my pleasure of reading and leaves an annoyed Gozde behind. I'm weird I know.

Ironically, the current book that I'm reading has some present tense in it, and I was immediately drawn to those, trying to figure out how the writer used them inside a novel where it's all written in past tense. I figured he used it in parts where he was talking about the characters' past and their usual habits. And it just doesn't bother me.