Question...
Have we discussed first person present tense vs first person past tense on FFF before? I don't want to rehash an old discussion if it exists. If it hasn't been discussed, what are your thoughts on these two styles?
I just finished reading a book that was written in first person present tense and it was hard to get used to at first. Initially it felt like: I wake up. I get out of bed. I brush my teeth. But then as I got further into the story, the present tense didn't bother me and the style did bring a certain amount of immediacy to the story that I wonder if past tense would have accomplished as well. So...I'm torn.
I think the reason that there aren't many books written in this first person present tense is that it's hard to pull off well, but if the author can do it, it can work great, depending on the story.
My question to you is...what are your thoughts on these two styles? What do you see as the advantages vs. the pitfalls?
Everyone, authors and watchers, feel free to answer this question from both a writing and a reading perspective.
Patrice Michelle
Have we discussed first person present tense vs first person past tense on FFF before? I don't want to rehash an old discussion if it exists. If it hasn't been discussed, what are your thoughts on these two styles?
I just finished reading a book that was written in first person present tense and it was hard to get used to at first. Initially it felt like: I wake up. I get out of bed. I brush my teeth. But then as I got further into the story, the present tense didn't bother me and the style did bring a certain amount of immediacy to the story that I wonder if past tense would have accomplished as well. So...I'm torn.
I think the reason that there aren't many books written in this first person present tense is that it's hard to pull off well, but if the author can do it, it can work great, depending on the story.
My question to you is...what are your thoughts on these two styles? What do you see as the advantages vs. the pitfalls?
Everyone, authors and watchers, feel free to answer this question from both a writing and a reading perspective.
Patrice Michelle
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I've only come across one series that was written in first person present tense that I really loved. It is such a tricky thing to pull off without drawing the reader out of the story.
As a writer I tried it once to see if I could pull it off. Sources say "no." :D
When I wrote WICKED GAME, it came out in present tense. I wasn't sure why at first (all my previous novels had been written in past tense), but I went with the flow because it became impossible to write it in past tense--it was like trying to write left-handed. It just worked with the heroine's voice.
Eventually I came up with a rationale: she's a former(ish) con artist--therefore, readers would be wise to suspect any reflective first-person account of the story. But with present tense, the reader can experience the story with Ciara instead of having it told to them by her. In lit crit terms, present tense got me around the problem of an inherently unreliable narrator.
Hope that makes sense.
I'm finding myself writing in first person present tense at the moment, hence the reason I'm asking the question. I've never in my life written in present tense unless it was for a synopsis! The fact that this story is coming out this way is making it hard for me to force it to anything else.
I just remembered a book I read several years ago with two third-person narrators: one narrator's POV was told in past and the other in present. The past-tense guy was reflective and traditional, while the present-tense guy was impulsive and unpredictable. Since he lived in the moment, it made total sense for his POV to be told in present tense.
Unfortunately the book was otherwise boring as hell--I didn't finish it and I can't remember the name, but it was worth it just for that lesson. It was a stylistic decision based on character, like mine was.
I think if you're going to go "out of the norm" with a technique, there needs to be a good reason other than immediacy, because as someone else pointed out, you can create immediacy and suspense with past tense.
This is a valid point, especially if your story starts off with narrative. Hmmm...
I dislike present tense in general, and first person present tense in particular. I have a hard time adjusting to it, it feels stilted and abrupt, and somehow it seems to hamstring the story—I expect less foreshadowing or a weaker plot arc because of the immediacy of the narrative, and when foreshadowing is apparent it feels either blatant or unbelievable because, again, the immediacy of the story makes it stand out too much.
Almost all of the books I read are in third person past tense—trying to recommend first person books to a friend, I nearly drew a blank. But regardless of the narrator, I prefer past tense. It feels more natural, and it lets the plot come together somewhat more gracefully in my eyes.
I write first person present and I *know* that if there is one thing I am good at, it's foreshadowing.
This is what happened to me. My first three books are all in present tense. I think it's because I used to be a poet and it's very common for poetry because of the sparseness and immediacy.
I never in a million years imagined that I would write fiction in first person present though.
One of the few things in favor of first present is that it creates a possibility that things might not turn out that well. Instead of implying that the narrator has made it through everything and had time to be introspective about events (first past) it makes the narrator experience events with the reader. That creates a bit more suspense. You aren't so sure that it will end up well because the narrator hasn't already lived through it and is calm enough to talk about it and relive it.
Did that make any sense?
My middle grades all naturally fell into first/past, though.
Yes! This makes total sense to me.
I typically do first/past but have done first/present a couple times. Sometimes it just is what it is :D
I think this is very true!
On the other hand, when reading individual scenes from the character's past, I've noticed that those are generally written present tense, and that doesn't bother me.
From the writing perspective I unconsciously switched from past to present in my current work. After noticing my flip flop I went back and reworked the first couple chapters. Switching tense allowed me to keep the 'normalcy' of my main character without her becoming boring. Or so I'm told. *grin* The switch has made it more challenging. I find myself more interested than usual in keeping the flow going.
That's the point I'm at right now. Initially I wrote the beginning of this story in first person past. Then I rewrote it, forcing it to third person past. But now that I'm revisiting it after a loooong break, the moment I started editing it, without a conscious decision on my part, it's coming out in first person present and if "feels" right. Yes, you do have to stay on your toes with this tense because it's easy to slip into past tense here and there, but it is an interesting challenge.
Well done, Jeanne!
That being said, certain stories call for certain tenses and POVs. My personal favourite is third person past but I've written practically every tense and POV out there, including second person.
Unfortunately, when it went to print, TOR had him rewrite it into past tense. When I re-read it, I had the reverse problem of the story didn't sound right in past tense now.
This is what I ran across too.
As for point of view, I find most of my favorite books are in first person. Unlike a previous commenter, I like getting in the lead's head.
I know first person present tense is considered to be used for immediacy, but what you've mentioned above is how I perceive its use. That this tense really lets you get in the MC's head, much deeper and more intimately than the other options allow.
When I first started writing I used the standard third past, and then slowly began challenging myself to play with tense and pov a bit. The novel that got me an agent was written in first present and so far there has been no mention made that I need to change it.
For me, it's just a case of if it works, it works, if it doesn't, rewrite.
Like cathellisen, after a few pages my brain adjusts to whichever narrative choice the author has made (of course, then I have to readjust my brain when I go back to writing my own novels, or I'll start switching tenses all over the place).
And I think herein lies the issue for those who don't like first person present. They prefer not to make the mental adjustment. For me...as long as the story is engaging, I'll stick it out until my brain accepts the narrative choice.
Agreed! Especially if you've tried it the other ways first. LOL!
I know I'm super late to the game, but I wanted to recommend Jeanne Stein's Anna Strong series and Marjorie M. Liu's Hunter Kiss UF series as two examples of well done first person present POV.
:)