How Fiction Works Writing Meme - Day Six
Aug. 24th, 2011 12:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meridian_rose6 - In what tense do you write most often? The present tense? Past tense? Future tense? The past tense has become so popularized in the world of fiction that reading works done in other tenses is sometimes jarring or fails to resemble narration as most people know it. Do you agree with this supposition?
The past tense, but I have written a couple of pieces in the present tense. Sometimes I start a draft in present tense and change it later, once the story takes form. I think either is fine when done well; I also think present tense works better with short pieces.
I once had someone review a fic I'd written in present tense and tell me I should have written it in the past tense. This was a short piece, written as a missing scene, and described canon events around the extra material with some additional insights from the character's POV. To me, it was one of the best times to write in present tense, and added to the immediacy and intensity of the fic - as well as making it appear more 'canonical' than it might otherwise seem.
I think future tense would be a bit strange but again, so long as the writer knows what they are doing, it's fine.
I seriously think people need to get over this idea that it's wrong to write anything other than past tense, third person limited, only one POV per story, linear progression. I blame some of those 'how to write' posts that start out with things like paying attention to your spelling and not mixing up your/you're but quickly descend into authoritarian 'shoulds' that are mere opinions; things like never write in the present tense, it's for amateurs. When in fact, reading and writing in the past tense is so much the norm that I'd class that as 'for amateurs' in as much that you're likely to emulate the styles and conventions you're most familiar with when you're starting out.
BTW, I replied to the snotty review with pretty much my reasoning above and telling them that it was a stylistic choice. If I mix up my tenses, tell me, and I'll correct it, but if I've made a deliberate decision to write in a particular tense then that's my decision as the author.
I'll make an index post when I've completed the meme with links to all my answers; they will all be tagged #how fiction works meme. You can find the full set of questions at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pristineungift's entry:here
The past tense, but I have written a couple of pieces in the present tense. Sometimes I start a draft in present tense and change it later, once the story takes form. I think either is fine when done well; I also think present tense works better with short pieces.
I once had someone review a fic I'd written in present tense and tell me I should have written it in the past tense. This was a short piece, written as a missing scene, and described canon events around the extra material with some additional insights from the character's POV. To me, it was one of the best times to write in present tense, and added to the immediacy and intensity of the fic - as well as making it appear more 'canonical' than it might otherwise seem.
I think future tense would be a bit strange but again, so long as the writer knows what they are doing, it's fine.
I seriously think people need to get over this idea that it's wrong to write anything other than past tense, third person limited, only one POV per story, linear progression. I blame some of those 'how to write' posts that start out with things like paying attention to your spelling and not mixing up your/you're but quickly descend into authoritarian 'shoulds' that are mere opinions; things like never write in the present tense, it's for amateurs. When in fact, reading and writing in the past tense is so much the norm that I'd class that as 'for amateurs' in as much that you're likely to emulate the styles and conventions you're most familiar with when you're starting out.
BTW, I replied to the snotty review with pretty much my reasoning above and telling them that it was a stylistic choice. If I mix up my tenses, tell me, and I'll correct it, but if I've made a deliberate decision to write in a particular tense then that's my decision as the author.
I'll make an index post when I've completed the meme with links to all my answers; they will all be tagged #how fiction works meme. You can find the full set of questions at
pristineungift's entry:here
no subject
Date: 2011-08-24 01:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-24 02:04 pm (UTC)Someone who can't leave a correctly spelt and more coherent review probably isn't worth my time.
Also the screenplay comment bugged me because it wasn't just dialogue. There was lots of character introspection; but she files this away for future reference, noting the flicker of emotion her admission had on him. Who doubted him, and who did he prove wrong – or right? She wonders if it has something to do with his overall demeanour
no subject
Date: 2011-08-24 02:52 pm (UTC)When in fact, reading and writing in the past tense is so much the norm that I'd class that as 'for amateurs' in as much that you're likely to emulate the styles and conventions you're most familiar with when you're starting out. This is an excellent point. In general, I tend to think that any style or tense can be made to work, as long as the author is careful.
(I've sometimes gotten my tenses confused, after too long in the present tense...)
Future tense would be weird, but it could also be really interesting, IMO. It all depends on what the author wants to convey.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-24 03:14 pm (UTC)That's the biggest danger for me too, making sure I don't muddle up the tenses if I've changed the style. And I know we had a brief debate when you beta'd for me, on how best to approach describing potential future events :D
I think I might google future tense and see if I can read some examples to get a better handle on how it works. Educational meme :D