Is present tense popular in Sports Night fandom as well? I see a *lot* of it in Supernatural (and write a lot of it, as well). One of my flisties complained about it being so prevalent, and thought it was somewhat of a copycat thing, but I've seen it happening in published fiction as well. It does seem to provide a strong note of immediacy, but other than that, I'm not sure why it's become so much of a trend. Any thoughts? (I tend to like it for that "immediacy" thing - almost to the point where it's become my default setting.)
I'm sure it never used to be in the Olden Days - I am going to brace myself and look back at some of my old fic to check, hang about ...
Okay, that's interesting. I used present tense a lot more in QL than I thought I did - I tended to write the Leaps in in present, and then go into narrative for the rest, but there are one or two that're present throughout. The BG stuff, such of it as I've got around to typing up and putting on my website, is all narrative though.
It is far more prevalent in fan writing now that it used to be - so much so that I would say it's almost everyone's default setting, although that would be a sweeping statement, since I don't read all that widely.
I find it feels more natural and gives a better flow - often now when I try to write more conventionally it feels stilted - but it does depend on the fic. It's the fic that decides how it wants to be written, and from whose point of view!
It's interesting seeing other people's habits because my list (f-locked on my IJ, though I might cross-post just to frighten the horses over here) are nearly all of the "Hell!" said the duchess. format, while everyone elses seem to be rather like yours - scene-setting present tense stuff.
Maybe I ought to go rightback to the B7 days and see whether anything's changed (or should it?)
I don't count my Holmes stuff because one is copying Watson's style for the most part.
The tendency to write in present tense is definitely a modern phenomenon. Other than that, I don't think my writing style's changed much over the years. That may be good or it may be bad, I couldn't say.
I adore your opening: Casey's grandmother lived hard by an apple orchard and every summer Casey would climb the fence, shin up a tree, fill his pockets with half-ripe fruit, then sneak off to his secret hideaway to stuff his face until he turned green.
Gah. That's so, so gorgeous. Now I have to go track down the story for later.
To make life easier (I got the idea from lordessrenegade), I've just edited the entry to include links - it's Sunday, I'm bored, and I'm trying not to think about work tomorrow.
Comments 6
Reply
Okay, that's interesting. I used present tense a lot more in QL than I thought I did - I tended to write the Leaps in in present, and then go into narrative for the rest, but there are one or two that're present throughout. The BG stuff, such of it as I've got around to typing up and putting on my website, is all narrative though.
It is far more prevalent in fan writing now that it used to be - so much so that I would say it's almost everyone's default setting, although that would be a sweeping statement, since I don't read all that widely.
I find it feels more natural and gives a better flow - often now when I try to write more conventionally it feels stilted - but it does depend on the fic. It's the fic that decides how it wants to be written, and from whose point of view!
Reply
Maybe I ought to go rightback to the B7 days and see whether anything's changed (or should it?)
I don't count my Holmes stuff because one is copying Watson's style for the most part.
Reply
Reply
Gah. That's so, so gorgeous. Now I have to go track down the story for later.
Reply
And thank you!
Reply
Leave a comment