The Basic Rule: You should use the past tense when discussing historical events, and you should use the literary present when discussing fictional events. 1. When commenting on what a writer says, use the present tense. Example: Dunn begins his work with a view into the lives and motivations of the very first settlers.

Can we use present tense for past events?

We commonly use the present simple to refer to the past when we want to make events sound as if they are happening now. For example, news headlines are commonly written in the present simple: Rebels attack government buildings.

Do you write in past or present tense for novels?

Past tense is by far the most common tense, whether you’re writing a fictional novel or a nonfiction newspaper article. If you can’t decide which tense you should use in your novel, you should probably write it in past tense. There are many reasons past tense is the standard for novels.

Why use present tense for past events?

“Verbs in the ‘historic present’ describe something that happened in the past. The present tense is used because the facts are listed as a summary, and the present tense provides a sense of urgency.

Can you mix past and present tense in a novel?

It is not advisable to mix past and present tense in a story. It is good practice to avoid switching tenses during a scene or within the same paragraph unless doing so is essential for clarity. Switching tenses can be jarring to the reader and make the story hard to follow.

Is it OK to switch tenses in a novel?

You can switch tenses between sections or chapters



Readers aren’t confused by this, they don’t resent you for it and they don’t issue you a rules-of-writing demerit. Writers often change tenses as part of a predictable pattern, for example, alternating one section at a time between present and past tense narration.

Is it OK to write a novel in present tense?

From Charles Dickens’ nineteenth century work Bleak House to modern classics like the Divergent series, the English language is full of great novels written in the present tense. If you are working on your first book or first novel, writing in the present tense can be a great way to hook readers and create suspense.

How do you use present tense in literature?

When discussing events in a literary work (novel, story, play, or poem) always use the present tense, unless there is a shift in the time frame within the world of the text. Example: “Evelyn then rips into the carefully wrapped package and finds the greatest gift she has ever received.

How do you write the flashback in present tense?

To include a flashback in present tense, a writer can use the simple past. In past tense, a writer has to use past perfect. Flashbacks are just less wordy in the present tense. There is a realism to present tense.

How do you narrate past events?

Past events and situations

1. We use the past simple to talk about:
2. We do not normally use would with stative verbs. We use the past simple or used to instead:
3. We use the past perfect when we are looking back from a point in the past to something earlier in the past:
4. We use the present perfect:

What tense are most novels written?

The past tense is used in most genre novels. Since the past tense is familiar to readers, readers don’t have to adjust when they begin a story written using past tense. There might well be an adjustment period for readers of present-tense stories.

How do you combine past and present tense?

It’s fine to use the present and the past here. After all, that’s what happens: as you say, you paid the deposit in the past and pay the rent in the present. Tenses should agree in the same clause, but it’s very common to have multiple tenses in the same sentence. Although I was sick yesterday, I am fine today.

Are novels written in past tense?

The past tense is used in most genre novels. Since the past tense is familiar to readers, readers don’t have to adjust when they begin a story written using past tense.

What tense should fiction be written?

The past tense is the choice of most contemporary commercial fiction writers. What’s interesting is that readers are so used to this style that they can still immerse themselves in a past-tense narrative as though the story is unfolding now.

What tense do you use when writing about literature?

the present tense

Literary works, paintings, films, and other artistic creations are assumed to exist in an eternal present. Therefore, when you write about writers or artists as they express themselves in their work, use the present tense.

What tense is Harry Potter written in?

third person limited

Harry Potter is written in third person limited, with almost all of the action from Harry’s perspective (except for the first chapter in the first book, which is third person omniscient).

Are most novels written in first or third person?

I know this topic may cause some angst, but while most submissions I receive from new writers are drafted in first person, the majority of published novels are written in third. So authors should try dragging out those pesky narrators, even if they leave kicking and screaming.

Should I write my novel in first person?

While first-person writing offers intimacy and immediacy between narrator and reader, third-person narration offers the potential for both objectivity and omniscience. This effectively makes both forms of narration appealing to both first-time and seasoned writers.