Present Tense Excepted

[suebrownstories]

I have things on my mind today.

Why do readers object to present tense?

Comments

[usmc75]

No idea. One of my favorite works of fiction is in present tense and the more gripping because of it.

[suebrownstories]

It doesn't bother me. I like it. It's very immediate.

[scarlett_wilde]

Truthfully, present tense doesn't bother me at all. I do, however, refuse to read anything written in the first person POV LOL

[genevieve_1]

Ditto here. First person POV in an non-AU RPS is the worst of all.

[josephine_myles]

I asked about this at some point in the past...

My thoughts: romance readers are often a fairly conservative bunch. They want their HEA and sexy heroes, and they don't take too kindly to the writing drawing attention to itself. They want it familiar so that it fades into the background and they can concentrate on the characters and action. Present tense pulls them out of the story.

I used to write everything in present tense when I was in fandom but I've forced myself to relearn and now find past tense flows just as naturally. I save present tense for the occasional short story now.

I also wonder if it's partly a matter of having read it done badly. If you use passive voice and don't go for a deep point of view, present tense can sound odd at times (I read one book like this). I love it done well, though :)

[suebrownstories]

It didn't occur to me how much people hated it until I've had two reviewers mention it.

I find it so hard to write past tense.

[mistyzeo]

I didn't know they did. Interesting!

[suebrownstories]

They do. Don't do it. They'll hate it.

[mistyzeo]

Well, more information I can definitely use. :/

[ashlynkane]

You know, that is a good question. I personally love present tense because if it's done right, it lends itself to seamless, invisible, informal writing--and I *love* the informal aspect of it. I actually wrote American Love Songs in present tense first and then painstakingly went through it and changed it after I decided it should be in past tense. Like you say, I feel like there's a perception that readers don't like present tense. Mind you, I have read many a book where the author couldn't decide what tense it was written in, and that makes me twitchy!

I do, however, hate first-person POV. I don't know why. I'd rather read third-person limited. Just a personal preference.

[suebrownstories]

Ah, changing tenses makes me twitchy too, but changing POV is even worse.

[ashlynkane]

YES. Changing POV after scene break is fine. Changing POV IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCENE makes me CAPSLOCK ASHLYN, and not in the good way.

But I'm well aware I'm in the minority when it comes to that. *sorrowful sigh*

[suebrownstories]

Changing POV in middle of a sentence makes a very unhappy Sue.