Present tense discussion

[RichGarner]

I've heard a few complaints about present tense and while I agree for the most part, I want to point out some possible situations when it might be appropriate.

Personal Logs - If a character is keeping an ongoing personal log, they MIGHT use present tense. this is not the writer's doing, but the character's choice of writing her log.

Desperation - When a character is in a situation where death is assured, they MIGHT move from the death-confirming tone of past to the "I'm still alive" tone of present... just to give them hope and confidence.

Digital Action Recording - Ok, I just made this up. But if a character is implanted with a thought/action recording device (hey, this IS a sci-fi forum) then their notation MIGHT be present tense by default based on the chip manufacturer.

Just my thoughts.

[jrderego]

I've heard a few complaints about present tense and while I agree for the most part, I want to point out some possible situations when it might be appropriate.

Personal Logs - If a character is keeping an ongoing personal log, they MIGHT use present tense. this is not the writer's doing, but the character's choice of writing her log.

Desperation - When a character is in a situation where death is assured, they MIGHT move from the death-confirming tone of past to the "I'm still alive" tone of present... just to give them hope and confidence.

Digital Action Recording - Ok, I just made this up. But if a character is implanted with a thought/action recording device (hey, this IS a sci-fi forum) then their notation MIGHT be present tense by default based on the chip manufacturer.

Just my thoughts.

It also tends to work well for transformation from written to audio presentation. The Union Dues stories are all first person present tense, as if the character is relating the events of the story to you in real time. I wrote a novel (still currently unpublished) set in the Union Dues universe that featured multiple main characters each with a unique POV. When I read and edit it now, which is sort of an annual event these days, it flows well but feel really alien compared to the short stories because of the switch in tense and person.

Another non-UD tale that might show up in one form or another, The Henchman Diaries: Project Giant Arachnid, is meant to appear as journal entries. This story is mainly first person past tense, but it's related in first person present tense, i.e. "here I am creating my diary entry to tell you what I did today". Thus the present tense is implied by the diary mechanics, but the events related in the diary all occured that day or earlier in the story where you as a reader were not present but the diary keeper was.

[Brian Reilly]

The nest novel by Charles Stross, Halting State is written in "multi-viewpoint second person present tense".

That should be interesting.