Why I Write - In Present Tense
Every week, I blog about my writing--why I write certain ways, genres, themes, subjects, etc. If you've missed any, you can find them here. And if you have a suggestion for what I should blog about my writing next, contact me. I love to hear from you :)
Just like with first-person POV, present tense is what I enjoy to read. So it came natural to me when I started to write my books. Present tense means it's happening right now. That shoves me right into the story like it's currently happening in the moment. Combined with first-person POV, it's as if I'm the character who's going through the plot of the story. The heartbreak, the disappointment, the falling in love, the ecstasy of pleasure... I could go on and on. All of those ups and downs the character experiences happen as we read them when present tense is used. And I love that.
It's also partly because I'm a pantser when I write. For the most part, I guess. I usually have a good idea of the story between the two characters I'm going to write about, and then I go for it. Though I've been learning to embrace plotting, it still feels as though the characters are going through their plights as I write. New plot points arise as I work my way through the story, and writing those as if they've already happened feels foreign and wrong. To me, of course. Plenty of authors successfully write in past tense all the time. For now, I'm not one of them ;)
I'm completely open to writing in past tense at some point. I don't want to limit myself as a writer and take something completely off the table. Any tense/POV combo could start to work for me if I give it a shot, but for now, I'll stick with present tense. It feels comfortable, and it seems to be working for me so far.
What tense do you prefer? Present? Past? Sound off here! Whether it's about reading or writing, I want to hear from you and chat. My second favorite thing (next to writing stories) is talking about stories. So I'll see you in the comments!
