Writing in Present Tense; A Research Project

In response to several recent posts questioning or challenging the merits of fiction written in present tense, I decided to do a bit of research. As you can see, my references list is pretty short. I read a few other blogs and articles, but they essentially repeated the same thing or were simply tirades about why no one should write in present tense….ever. Given that I often choose to write in present tense and that I’ve seen that particular opinion shared freely already, I elected not to include those sources here.

It’s worth noting that some of these links have already been shared in comments on other posts. Also, these articles often share the same quotes, reference the same authors or books, come to many of the same conclusions, and share similar advice.

This a brief summary of my research, which was in no way expansive or comprehensive. This post is the product of just a few hours of work (I really encourage anyone that’s interested to read the articles themselves).

Present tense fiction is a perfectly valid form of story writing. Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens both used it for cryin’ out loud! That said... Yes, it’s been around for a long time but it certainly didn’t start becoming a common fictional mode until approximately the 1960’s. Past tense fiction remains the well-established convention and is in zero danger of being overtaken by present tense fiction.

I noticed essentially two main theories to explain the rise of the use of the present tense. There seems to be a general consensus that the trend has roots in the rise of film and cinematic techniques. In fact, several of the quoted authors specifically mentioned that they chose to write in present tense because it had a more cinematic feel or because they thought of their story as a screenplay when they began writing.

The other theory is a bit more abstract and focuses on the emphasis on poetry and non-fiction writing. Specifically, one article mentioned a trend one college creative writing professor noticed. Their course began with poetry writing, which tends to be much less conventional in terms of tense, and that seemed to introduce the idea of using the present tense to the students who would then continue to use it in their short fiction. So, it wasn't necessarily that the professor was encouraging the class to write in present tense, but once the students had that technique on-hand they found reasons to use it.

Here are some of the reasons a writer might choose to write in the present tense:

• The present tense can create a sense of immediacy and intensity by closing the gap between the narrator and the action or the characters because there isn’t time for reflections or other wandering. The narrator, and by extension the reader, stay right with the action as it unfolds.
• Similarly, present tense can create really powerful emotions that might be dulled by the distance of past tense narration, which is not to say that powerfully emotional stories cannot be written in past tense. Of course they can! Reflecting on a memory of an emotional experience is just different than feeling emotions unfold as events happen, and each path has its place.
• Using the present tense can become thematic within a story. Different articles brought this up. Essentially, the idea seemed to be that by writing in present tense the author can create situations that highlight the idea that humans are always present in the moment where they are. Even if they go back in time or are remembering something, they are present in that memory or they experience the events of history as they unfold in real time due to the time jump. An example for this could be the MLP episode It’s About Time. Even when Future Twilight comes back from the future to warn Past Twilight not to freak out, Future Twilight is experiencing something present not past.

Even with these virtues in its favor, the present tense may not be the best choice for every story. In fact, it probably isn’t the best choice for most stories and the articles all agree that it isn’t the best choice for most writers, especially new writers. Why?

• Present tense fiction is unconventional, so some readers find it distracting and downright unpleasant if it isn’t done well.
• The present tense has some significant limitations, including a serious reduction in the available verb tenses from 12 when writing in past tense to 4 when writing in present tense. This means a lot of things for varying vocabulary, writing transitions, etc.. Another way to look at this is to say that, because writing in present tense pairs down the writer’s toolbox so much, only writer’s that are experts with the remaining tools can do it well. Many new writers may find that they need the additional supports available when writing in past tense in order to create their best work.
• It is difficult to flex time when writing in present tense. Flashbacks or flash-forwards are much more difficult to write well in the present tense, although not impossible. Also, because of the immediacy of the present tense, it can be difficult to slow the narrative pace to allow for reflections and essaying, which can leave some stories feeling rushed or unfinished.

Simply put, writing a story in present tense is a valid option and there are stories that are best written in present tense. However, it is often the harder option, compared to writing in past tense, because of its limitations. There is also an immediate risk that some, more conventional readers will not even give a story a chance if it’s written in present tense, even if it is well done. If it is not well done, then writing in present tense can not only be an irritation to a willing reader, but it may kill the reader’s interest in a story altogether.

Again, I want to emphasize that this post is just me paraphrasing the articles I read. I can’t take credit for anything except writing the summary and pulling out a quote or two from some of the articles that stood out to me.

Anyway, I hope this is helpful. Thanks for reading!

References (all SFW)
http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-pros-and-cons-of-writing-a-novel-in-present-tense

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/21/rise-of-the-present-tense-in-fiction-hilary-mantel

“[Present tense] is humble and realistic – the author is not claiming superior knowledge – she is inside or very close by her character, and sharing their focus, their limited perceptions. It doesn’t suit authors who want to boss the reader around and like being God.”

https://thewritepractice.com/past-tense-vs-present-tense/

If you can’t decide which tense you should use in your novel, you should probably write it in past tense.

There are many reasons past tense is the standard for novels. One main reason is simply that it’s the convention. Reading stories in past tense is so normal that reading present tense narratives can feel jarring and annoying to many readers.

I think a lot of writers choose the present tense as a form of cowardice. They think the present tense is really entirely about the present moment, as though the past and future do not actually exist. But a good present tense is really about texture, not time, and should be as rich and complicated and full of possibilities as the past tense. They too often choose the present tense because they think they can avoid thinking about time, when really it’s all about time.

http://lithub.com/in-defense-of-the-present-tense/

I like my present tenses to acknowledge that the person in the present tense did not come into existence in this moment, and that a whole world of time exists behind them and props them up, even if it is never directly mentioned.

[This is particularly relevant to fanfiction writing. Many of our character’s pasts are long and well-established via the show, comics, movies, etc.~mlpsc26]

Denying the present tense is valid as a tool would seem only to contribute to its misuse. Which is really, it seems, what everyone who complains of it complains of.

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/present-tense-books

Reading a novel requires the reader to suspend disbelief to some degree to get wrapped up in a story we know isn't true, and a present tense novel can require an extra suspension of disbelief to accept the idea that events are unfolding right now.