What story tense do you prefer: Past or Present?

[Verdant]

Most (english) stories are set in the past tense. What this means is that dialogue will be something like
“John walked to the store. He had a dollar in his brown coat.”, or “I didn’t know it at the the time, but he had a blue car instead of a red car”.

In present tense, this same piece of dialogue would be more like
“John walking to the store, dollar in his brown coat.”, or “I didn’t know that he has a blue car instead of a red car.”

Okay, those examples may feel choppy but I hear that’s a common complain with present tense stories. I’m not sure how other languages usually tackle this but I’m specifically referring to books in english.

Genuinely speaking, a lot of YA’s (Young adult) will have present tense writing (and probably first person), while most other genres have past tense writing. Think Hunger Games (Present tense) and Lord of the Rings (Past tense)

Side note; I mean books that primarily use a tense, not just at times. A lot books will use present tense, but it’ll be like 9% of the book while past tense takes up the 91% remaining book. Also, future tense doesn’t have much, if any books written entirely in it.

 

[MatchaChocolate69]

I prefer to write in the present tense. It's a tribute to the numerous Japanese light novels I've read, and it has now become part of my style, helping me differentiate from Western literature, from which I want to distance myself.

 

[Zinless]

Many native English speakers grew up being told stories, that's why past tense feels more familiar/correct to them. (I remember someone saying this in another thread, but I couldn't find it, so I just wrote what I remember.) It's the most common way to write stories in English, and generally ain't a bad option. But, it's not the only way to write.

Present Tense is not a wrong way to write, it's a style like any other. Many Japanese Light Novels use present tense, but they often get translated into Past Tense once localized into English. Present Tense could also immerse readers in ways Past Tense couldn't by making the readers feel like they're in that world right then and there.

Future Tense writing is... uhh... You shouldn't write an entire story with this. Maybe use it to write lore, philosophical questions, prophecies, etc. But if you're using this to write an entire novel... You're a monster. A genius sure, but still a monster.

 

[Deleted member 76176]

Past tense. Reading in the present tense can be a bit jarring, depending on how it is written. Not to mention that people naturally default to the past tense, so errors are more likely to pop up frequently.

That said, I'm not sure about mix-matching both tenses. I've read stories in which present and past tense have been used in one singular sentence to bring out the irony of the situation, establish a particular mood, etc., but to use them effectively is a different matter altogether, if you at all should.

 

[J_Chemist]

Future.

 

[Deleted member 146224]

Past tense both in english and my native feels a lot more natural. I prefer reading in past tense and writing in past tense. I got used to reading LN in present, so it's not as jarring to me anymore, but I still prefer past tense if possible.

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

Past tense for narration

Present tense for conversation

Future tense for foreboding for the next chapter

 

[georgelee5786]

Past

 

[Agentt]

I switch between the two anytime I want.

 

[Slay]

In my humble opinion, present tense makes more sense for a light novel, maybe slice of life or something. In fantasy I tend to default to past tense because it has a more serious sort of tone that suits the genre better.

 

[Thraben]

Ignore tensing. it doesn't matter.

Write the way you would speak if you were telling a story to your child or to an audience from a stage, it will always read more naturally and fluidly than any attempt to rigidly maintain tensing.

 

[LightNovelNovice]

The only time I write past tense is during a flash back sequence, as its a fun nod to the event having already transpired.

I always write stories in present tense, as writing in past tense just doesn't make logical sense when you're describing events as they happen.

 

[Piisfun]

I very much prefer that the main narration be in past tense. I've read stories written in present tense, and it very much does feel choppy, whereas past tense flows a little better.

There is two main exceptions:
1. Dialogue. This should use a tense according to the timeline of the story and what the characters are talking about. Reminiscing? Past tense. Immediate plans? Present tense. Planning a raid? Future tense.
2. Technical documents. Unless they are specifically referencing past events, these should normally be written in present tense.

 

[AstreiaNyx]

Past Present Perfect.
Or just past.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Past.

 

[Tsuru]

Most (english) stories are set in the past tense. What this means is that dialogue will be something like
“John walked to the store. He had a dollar in his brown coat.”, or “I didn’t know it at the the time, but he had a blue car instead of a red car”.

In present tense, this same piece of dialogue would be more like
“John walking to the store, dollar in his brown coat.”, or “I didn’t know that he has a blue car instead of a red car.”

Okay, those examples may feel choppy but I hear that’s a common complain with present tense stories. I’m not sure how other languages usually tackle this but I’m specifically referring to books in english.

Genuinely speaking, a lot of YA’s (Young adult) will have present tense writing (and probably first person), while most other genres have past tense writing. Think Hunger Games (Present tense) and Lord of the Rings (Past tense)

Side note; I mean books that primarily use a tense, not just at times. A lot books will use present tense, but it’ll be like 9% of the book while past tense takes up the 91% remaining book. Also, future tense doesn’t have much, if any books written entirely in it.

Past writing is no longer as liked.
Or basically less mainstream to nowadays readers, a big while ago nowadays readers.

JP/CN/KR writing in present style is more popular.

To give a few example of something else to show maluses of "past tense" :

--------Terminator TV SHOW (timeline between 2&3)
Crappy popularity and axed after S1. Reason ? Past / movie3 already shown in theaters. Know that the mother will die. And any plot will be pointless. S1 end with "john and mother" TIME TRAVELING TO THE FUTURE. YES. NOT A JOKE. Also there is also a "good side AI" in modern human side. So just like the mother despairing and doing whatever to not get "cough" (reason of death), its mindbreaking when she was irradiated hence likely will still get it. So, same situation for spectators, as they know this whole TV show is pointless and any action will never succeed. Good point : the female "robot" is goodlooking and nice writing.
-------To any reader, likely happened this [trope]
The "spoil the future" anecdote. Like : "What he didnt know is that he will regret this decision" or "Even after 50 years later, he will still....."
or directing showing the pov of someone in the future : [Side character 30years older with white hair] : At that time i didnt guess that following MC will---- / I didnt know that my decision at that time would change my destiny / etc
Its badass or edgy. But in the end. It bring quite a VERY BITTER TASTE IN MOUTH. Bc its "spoiler" that MC will succeed. And/or, that what reader read is the "past" of what already happened. Hence, the immersed reader isnt immersed but like reading a story in a story (which break immersion of first one).
tldr : its a suicide tackle, that deal 1000dmg but suffer 800dmg.



PS : to anyone that want to reply my words. Plz dont put words i didnt say. Simply stated things. Nor said that "past writing" is dead or whatever.

 

[NineHeadHeavenDevouringSerpent]

Past, everyday forever.

Reading present tense writing is nauseating. There's ways to use present tense, but not the whole freaking book! You monsters!

He is coming in, the chair flying over is about to hit his head, he is swerving right, his legs going for a roundhouse kick, sending it away.

Vs


As he came in, a chair flew over moments away from hitting his head, he swerved to the right and continued with a roundhouse kick sending it off to the side.


I'd go for the latter even if I was threatened with lobotomy.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Past tense or present tense depending on 1st or 3rd person pov.

 

[JHarp]

Future Tense writing is... uhh... You shouldn't write an entire story with this. Maybe use it to write lore, philosophical questions, prophecies, etc. But if you're using this to write an entire novel... You're a monster. A genius sure, but still a monster.

At the bare minimum I'm morbidly curious about how that would read, at worst, I'd take that as a challenge, even for a few thousand words at the expense of the insanity it would provide.

 

[great_sloth]

I forgot the tenses when I wrote, I just typed in what sounds more pleasing to me. It's mostly in past tense though.

However now that I've seen this, I'll try to experiment in my future chapters.