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Writing craft, product updates, and thoughts on the creative process.
This is Part 2 of our series on the foundational choices of storytelling. If you missed it, be sure to check out [url='https://www.quillloop.com/blog/who-is-telling-your-tale-a-guide-to-narrative-perspectives']Part 1: Who is Telling Your Tale? A Guide to Narrative Perspectives[/url]Broadly speaking, when it comes to your novel, you have two possible times that your story may take place: the past or the present.Speaking from the PastMost fiction novels are written in the past tense. Indeed, one of the most famous opening lines in fiction is "Once upon a time." As the name implies, these novels are written as though the events have already unfolded. This is the most intuitive way of writing a novel because, for most people, stories occur in the past when they are told.One of the key benefits of telling a story from the past is the feeling of familiarity for a reader. As I mentioned, this is how most stories get told, and the narrative can begin to feel like one being shared around a campfire. The past tense also better facilitates passage through time. Since the events have already unfolded, jumping to a future date is logical and allows for scenes to easily move through days, months, or years.Happening in the PresentThe second tense you can write in is the present tense. Present tense is strong for novels written in the first person because it gives the reader the experience of having the action happen right then along with the POV character.A powerful difference between the past tense and the present tense is the "contract" you have with your reader. In the past tense, the story has already happened. The narrator telling the story has survived the events of the tale, and its outcome is a foregone conclusion even if you, the reader, don't know what it is yet. With the present tense, however, when your character says "I step up to the edge of the cliff," you are at the edge of your seat. The story hasn't unfolded yet, and you have yet to discover if your character lives to tell the tale.One of the greatest advantages of writing in the present tense is that a flashback or memory is trivial to write. In these instances, you simply switch from the present to the past."I walk up to the door, my reflection stares back at me and it reminds me of all those years ago when I was a younger man..."To the memory:"It was a chilly October morning as I watched the snow settling on the pond through my reflection in the glass."The reader immediately knows they are observing a memory without any clunky transitions.But wait, what about future tense?Okay, you caught me... or you will catch me? See, that is the thing about future tense: it doesn't make much sense from the perspective of a story. When you speak in future tense ("He will open the door, and walk inside"), you are speaking as though you are telling a fortune or a threat.This tense can be used for small parts of the novel, such as a prologue featuring a prophecy or a character who is literally a fortune teller seeing the future. However, it rarely makes sense for a full-length book.Don't Mix TensesWhile it may seem obvious, it is important as a writer that you don't mix tenses during your scene. This mistake often happens in the throes of a tense scene, such as a battle, where the writer is excitedly reporting the beat-by-beat action and accidentally slips into the present tense when their book is written in the past.The Tense Decision Matrix[table]If your goal is... | Use this TenseA classic, "campfire" storytelling feel | Past TenseHigh-stakes urgency and "live" action | Present TenseTo skip large chunks of time easily | Past TenseDeep intimacy with an unreliable narrator | Present TenseA cryptic prophecy or prologue | Future Tense[/table]Your story’s tense may feel like a foregone conclusion related mostly to grammar, but it is much more. It sets the tone for what the reader can expect, provides tension in the most real way possible in the case of present tense, and can help immerse your reader. If you are starting your next story, try changing it up. Many stories feel much deeper and raw just by moving to the present tense.And remember, the only difference between a dreamer and an author is the tap of keys or the stroke of a pen.
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