Aside from the Rhinos and Bison and Purple (I thought it was blue, I’m a bit color-blind) hair, Oh My! — I do like the present tense. I’ve been writing in PT for more immediacy and immersion. Just for my own edification, what is it that you don’t like about it? Thanks in any case!
I find it pretentious, generally and unfortunately, a lot of inexperienced writers use it–badly. It’s exceedingly hard to do well, and when it’s not, it’s really really tedious. (Sorry–it’s not my intent to offend, but you did ask.) It’s nearly impossible to keep up the tension and suspense…”I turn, I see her! It’s…” Oish.
I mean, ask yourself–you’re sitting around the campfire or the poker table with your friends, family or buddies–who tells a story in present tense??? (Answer: nobody.)
I won’t buy a book with PT writing. Been burned and burned-out with it too many times.
For me, I read present tense more as a script or screenplay with super detailed stage directions. I don’t dislike present tense. It just discombobulates me when I read it in story format.
Sometimes present tense isn’t too bad. Other times it’s exhausting.
What I found interesting in the book club I used to go to, we kept having present tense books (like 3-5 a year), I’d complain about how tiring present tense was, and the rest would say, “Was it present tense? I didn’t notice.”
Now, that was a reading club that I could not have belonged to–I mean, they didn’t notice? What, were they listening to the things in the car? Who the hell is that oblivious when they read? I’m oblivious if I’m reading something amazing–I remember being so engrossed in The Hunt for Red October that I nearly burnt the house down–but I’ve yet to see the PT novel that would so capture me.
I mean, Ulysses, anyone? Talk about bloody pretentious. Worse, he knew it was. That’s arrogance of the first water.
There were a bunch of, um, interesting conversations we had in that club. Like when we were discussing Screwtape Letters and one dear sweet lady was explaining that it didn’t really work because Lewis was such a serious man, he did not understand how to write something humorous.
My jaw dropped, and my mind went blank, and by the time that I recovered we had moved on to something else. (For those that don’t know, Lewis was a very funny writer. The understated British sort that you take at face value when you read it, then a week later when you’re thinking of something else, you start laughing.)
Well, then as a social gathering, I guess it was a success. (It’s funny how often something like that happens–one person leaves and the whole thing craters. It’s always, always the person that does all the work/heavy lifting.)
A Bison and a rhinocerous? An “endangered mates” novel?
Oh, lord, gimme a break. And that purple hair? LORD spare us.
I looked inside. Not a big fan of present tense writing.
Aside from the Rhinos and Bison and Purple (I thought it was blue, I’m a bit color-blind) hair, Oh My! — I do like the present tense. I’ve been writing in PT for more immediacy and immersion. Just for my own edification, what is it that you don’t like about it? Thanks in any case!
I find it pretentious, generally and unfortunately, a lot of inexperienced writers use it–badly. It’s exceedingly hard to do well, and when it’s not, it’s really really tedious. (Sorry–it’s not my intent to offend, but you did ask.) It’s nearly impossible to keep up the tension and suspense…”I turn, I see her! It’s…” Oish.
I mean, ask yourself–you’re sitting around the campfire or the poker table with your friends, family or buddies–who tells a story in present tense??? (Answer: nobody.)
I won’t buy a book with PT writing. Been burned and burned-out with it too many times.
No offense, and an insightful critique – thank you!
For me, I read present tense more as a script or screenplay with super detailed stage directions. I don’t dislike present tense. It just discombobulates me when I read it in story format.
Sometimes present tense isn’t too bad. Other times it’s exhausting.
What I found interesting in the book club I used to go to, we kept having present tense books (like 3-5 a year), I’d complain about how tiring present tense was, and the rest would say, “Was it present tense? I didn’t notice.”
Now, that was a reading club that I could not have belonged to–I mean, they didn’t notice? What, were they listening to the things in the car? Who the hell is that oblivious when they read? I’m oblivious if I’m reading something amazing–I remember being so engrossed in The Hunt for Red October that I nearly burnt the house down–but I’ve yet to see the PT novel that would so capture me.
I mean, Ulysses, anyone? Talk about bloody pretentious. Worse, he knew it was. That’s arrogance of the first water.
There were a bunch of, um, interesting conversations we had in that club. Like when we were discussing Screwtape Letters and one dear sweet lady was explaining that it didn’t really work because Lewis was such a serious man, he did not understand how to write something humorous.
My jaw dropped, and my mind went blank, and by the time that I recovered we had moved on to something else. (For those that don’t know, Lewis was a very funny writer. The understated British sort that you take at face value when you read it, then a week later when you’re thinking of something else, you start laughing.)
Yeah….and you stayed in that group? Desperation is an ugly thing, bro. 😉 LOL.
Well, on the whole it was rather fun. And we got along well with the leader. The club collapsed when she moved.
Well, then as a social gathering, I guess it was a success. (It’s funny how often something like that happens–one person leaves and the whole thing craters. It’s always, always the person that does all the work/heavy lifting.)
Yes. And I read a whole bunch of books that I otherwise would not have. Some of them I even liked. 😉
Present tense is the Devil
Past tense was the Devil.
And future tense will be the Devil.
(snort)…