Question

[kianspo]

Right. So first I got sick, and then I got sick on top of that. It makes sense, I promise, if not a pretty picture. I'm not being overly productive, sadly, but I've been thinking thoughts and we all know how dangerous it is for me. *shudders*

So. Distract me!

Poll

Comments

[merkuria]

Oh, interesting question.

It's easier for me to write in present tense, takes work to use past tense,but I generally think it depends on the type of fic. Adventures, plotty linear stuff works better in past tense for me, but character studies/more experimental fics work very nice in present tense.

[kianspo]

Yeah, true that. Sometimes though I think action fics can use the immediacy of present tense, too. Makes them more... sharp. I think.

[merkuria]

True that.

I guess basically if when reading you start wondering whether the tense used is the right one - it is not.

[rotrude]

I voted for either in both. I especially like action to be in the present tense. Anyway I don't have a marked preference for either.

[kianspo]

I do, too. Action really gains a lot from that sense of immediacy.

[ariadnechan]

in spanish is more common present tense in modern writing and i like it, it had to be with the flow of the concience and the rithm of the story is not lineal but is like the person is getting at it so past and present merge together.

it is difficult to readers sometimes but you obtain genius pieces.

in my case i write poetic prose in spanish so is present tense, short and my goal it's evoque emotions and images in my readers.

but in english is everything different so i'm trying to fit in the mold and told the story in lineal form and in past tense, but it is really difficutl for me, but i'm getting better with time, i hope so 5 years don't pass for nothing i really hope.

do you read my wip, if not i really would love your imput.

[kianspo]

Interesting. I'm pretty sure present tense is still fairly exotic in Russian literature, if one can call what people write now literature. >.<

Sorry, not yet, bb. I'm very behind in my ST reading. :( I'll let you know when I get to it.

[rinsbane]

I'm only capable at this point of writing in present. If I try to write in past - for a past scene - within three or so verbs it switches back into present tense. And then past becomes present - but I think of this as part of the writing - to make time seamless. But I'll read either, as long as it flows.

I think tastes are changing. Back when I was in HP - this would be 2006, let's say - I was one of the only people around to use present tense (at least in my little corner of fandom). So much so that people used to remark on it, some good, some saying they just couldn't bear to read present tense because it was so jarring. You don't see that anymore.

[kianspo]

I've noticed that, too. People are more accepting of present tense now than they used to be. I don't care either way myself, some fics start writing themseleves in past and some in present. And I don't mind either as a reader, but I was curious. Saw one of those notes 'Can't read it, it's in present, oh horror' -- and was like, wow, is that really such an issue. Hm.

[janice_lester]

As a writer, I've found lately that present comes more easily for me. However, I tend to start certain types of crack fic in past, and somehow that seems to help make them funnier? It's difficult to articulate. It may be as simple as the association of past tense with formality--it's what we had to use for a zillion writing assignments in school--meaning that the use of past tense in a crack fic sets off the crazy informality of the crack situation better. Prose style as the straight man in the comedy duo

[kianspo]

I find fics cast in present tense more intense, more immediate, but fics cast in past tense more real

There is that. I think for me, past tense in fics sounds more formal, present more relaxed, more about the immediate fun, if that makes sense.

I dunno. I don't think there's anything I won't read simply because of the tense or POV it's written in. But then again, I'm not a native speaker and my perception is different. I'm not a fan of 1st person, but it's not as jarring for me as it is for some. I think I might have dabbled a couple of times in 2nd person, mostly just trying it out. It was a long time ago. My beta wasn't happy with me. *g* Strangely enough, an important lesson was learned thorough that pertaining 3d person narration. Interesting how these things go.