Ask the Editor 17: Past or present tense?

Magazine

Past or present tense?

For most of the history of literature, there was no question about which tense to set a story in. Stories happened in the past by definition (otherwise they would not be stories) and therefore they were written in the past tense. Simple. But in the nineteenth century, innovation crept in; the ending of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is written in the present tense, as is a good deal of Dickens' Bleak House.

In the early twentieth century, James Joyce wrote Ulysses entirely in the present tense; perhaps he was inspired by the slightly risqué novels of Rhoda Broughton - famous in her day but rather forgotten. In any case, writing in the present, and the potential advantages of doing so, is now part of the literary landscape. In this article, I'll look at the pros and cons of writing in one tense or other.

I regularly see books by new writers that switch intermittently from past to present; this is not always deliberate, unfortunately. I used to assume the book had been written in one tense and then, somewhat inefficiently, changed to another; but I've come to suspect that some writers don't actually notice. That's passing strange because, for the reader, there are clear differences; so much so that some readers (curmudgeons perhaps) apparently reject books out of hand if they are written in the present. If the reader can tell the difference, then you, dear writer, need to brush up.

Writing in the present tense can make the action in your story more immediate (perhaps that's why some crime thrillers adopt it); it's happening right now, right in front of you. It offers the sense that the story is still unfolding, as if neither reader nor writer are quite sure what will happen next. It works best in stories that happen on a limited timescale, making them feel as if they are written in real time. That's what Joyce is doing in Ulysses. The action takes place in a single day.

With immediacy comes intimacy; in the present tense, authorial distance collapses. This is an important point. If you are writing a plot-driven story, where events entirely shape the narrative, authorial commentary may not be necessary; however, if it is - if you need to offer the reader a perspective on the characters and the action - the present tense can be an awkward medium to work in.

Commentary, that is to say reflection, is by nature retrospective. If your book is grounded in the now of its plot, there is no temporal space for reflection; there is no afterwards from which to view events. This, I think, should be a prime consideration when you are deciding which tense to write in. If you want to keep the reader firmly ensconced in the stream of events, the present may be ideal. But if you want to include a meta-narrative, to address the reader directly rather than through a character, then the past may be a better choice.

There is another, rather counter-intuitive, aspect of writing in the present that is worth considering. Once a story is set in the present, it can't easily go anywhere else. That is to say, it is quite difficult to offer a time shift or a flashback when everything happens now. So if your story jumps forwards and backwards in time, the present may not be the ideal option.

And if you do shift to a different temporal setting, which tense do you write it in? Most writers plump for past perfect (X had done Y) but that is an awkward tense to write at length in. Past historic (X did Y) works reasonably in some circumstances but not all. And present perfect (the ‘natural' past tense grammatically; X has done Y) sounds contrived. This, for me, is the most limiting trait of present-tense writing; as writer or reader, we are trapped in a now we can't easily escape.

Some writers choose the present tense because it makes the text more akin to a script or screenplay. Perhaps they harbour secret ambitions for a movie deal. I'd suggest this is a weak reason for choosing an otherwise limiting approach. If the story translates to a movie it won't be because of the tense it's written in.

Writing in the past tense carries none of these burdens. Well paced, well written action scenes are still immediate and impactful. You have the choice of authorial comment if you need it. And you can use all the other tenses in tandem with your main choice. This, it seems to me, is a much broader, better equipped palette of materials for any writer to use.

There is one respect in which I think the present tense is very useful, especially in thrillers. You can isolate one character (an as yet unidentified villain, for instance) and have them narrate in the present. This sets them apart from the other characters and differentiates their narrative input. For that character, the now of the story is total; and the change of tone in the change of tense defines this difference for the reader.

Otherwise, I think we should regard present tense writing as a niche option. There may be settings where it is singularly appropriate, or where an element of present tense adds something to the narrative. But on the whole, writing in the past tense offers more space to the writer, more tools to utilise and, curmudgeons or not, readers tend to respond more positively, more often, to a story written in the past tense.

Finally, consider this: making a conscious choice to write in one tense or another is fine, if you have thought through the ramifications; but tense confusion, slipping between tenses because you are not paying attention, is a sin - a sin that poor suffering editors end up having to fix.

You can see our wide range of editorial services here

If you have any queries or suggestions for our new series, Ask the Editor, please email us.

When he isn't editing, Noel Rooney writes a regular column for Fortean Times magazine, and wilfully obscure poetry. He lives in South London with his family and rather too many animals.

Ask the Editor 1: What genre is my book?

Ask the Editor 2: the submission letter

Ask the Editor 3: Writing a synopsis

Ask the Editor 4: Why do I need you?

Ask the Editor 5: Non-fiction submissions

Ask the Editor 6: Writing non-fiction

Ask the Editor 7: Researching for a book

Ask the Editor 8: How I assess a manuscript

Ask the Editor 9: Why do I need a report?

Ask the Editor 10: Writing your blurb or cover copy

Ask the Editor 11: English Language Editing

Ask the Editor 12: The limitations of editing software