3 Awesome Reasons to Use Present Tense
- Jul 14, 2021
- 3 min read
Apparently there is a trend these days (which can have its advantages, for sure) of writing in the present tense. I first came across this a few months ago when I read Philippa Gregory's The White Queen. Although I am sure I've read entire novels in present tense. The fact that I am older, more observant and analytical to author's style, my attention was drawn. Like watching an adult movie as a child and not getting the humor until you're much more mature, I began to look closely at how Gregory spun her character's tale. I quickly began drawn to the idea of trying my hand at writing in present tense. There are disadvantages to this, of course, which I shall write another post on, but this article will focus on the positives!
Here's a past tense vs. present tense example:
Past tense example:
"It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now."
-from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Present tense example: "With this contradictory parentage of mine: solid English earth and French water goddess, one could expect anything from me: an enchantress, or an ordinary girl. There are those who will say I am both. But today, as I comb my hair with particular care and arrange it under my tallest headdress, take the hands of my two fatherless boys and lead the way to the road that goes to Northampton, I would give all that I am to be, just this once, simply irresistible."
- from The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
1. Present tense gives a sense of urgency.
Present tense is immediate for both the reader and the character. What happens to the character is not in the past, but in the present. This gives your novel a sense of urgency and a need for immediate actions and reactions.
2. The combination of Present tense and first person POV gives the read a different kind of mystery.
Whereas most forms of entertainment rely on exposing the risks ahead to the reader, which gives suspense and tension, present tense cannot effectively do that. Instead, it uses a different type of suspense; one where the reader is whisked away with the character through the conflict together. This gives the reader the uneasy feeling of going in blind, which can definitely be an entertaining way to build excitement and short-paced tension.
3. If your novel is fast-paced and action-packed, present tense helps with smooth timing.
There is not a lot of time to dwell on matters of conflict when you're writing in present tense. This is because everything you're writing is happening to your character in the moment. There must be reactions to conflicts, but the reactions will more likely be more concise.
My advice:
Try your hand at it! Use a creative writing prompt to write a short piece or flash-fiction piece that is entirely in present tense. Most writers may find it difficult, because it goes against all they have done previously. If you try it and hate it, or try it and really struggle with it, perhaps sticking to past tense is better!
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