Today, I am lucky enough to be a guest blogger over on change it up editing. Follow the link below for an in-depth look at my logic and philosophy for writing in first person and present tense for both of my novels. You’ll even get a little peek at the opening lines of Novel #1!
How I Used First Person and Present Tense to Wake Up My Story
While you’re there, take a look around for some great posts about writing and editing!
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c.b.w. 2013
Thanks for the trackback, C.B! It’s a great article–your followers will love it!
Thanks so much for the inspiration to write it!
Very nice and interesting.
Thanks!
Great post, C.B. First person is difficult enough but to combine that with present tense … well done.
Thank you!
For some reason, the combination of first person and present tense comes very easy to me. So far, its my favorite way to write a story!
Oh man! How cool is that. Well done.
Thanks!
It was fun to write.
Very interesting article to read, and a great discovery to share. Noah came alive in the rewrite.
Yay! That’s what I was hoping to hear.
Like you, I began writing my story in third person, then switched it over to first person. I like how it draws in the reader and makes the character’s adventure become the reader’s. As a kid, I always preferred stories written in first person.
Until recently, I found present tense in a story to be a little distracting, but when I read ‘How To Tend A Grave’ by Jocelyn Shipley, I soon forgot to be annoyed by the tense. I think, from what I’ve read about your work in progress, the urgency and ‘in the moment’ action will be enhanced by the present tense. Keep up the great work!
I’ve read some books where present tense doesn’t work, but in others its a real asset to the story. I hope what I’ve done serves my story and characters well.
Good to know that you liked the present tense in How to Tend a Grave. Thanks for the shout out! I used to be distracted by present tense too, and still am in some books, but think it works well for YA fiction, as does 1st person, for the reasons you mentioned.