This post is all about what tense to write a novel in.
Tense is one of the aspects of writing that rarely comes to mind first. It quietly works in the background, affecting things like pacing and flow. Knowing what tense to write a novel in, however, will help in telling your story in the most effective way possible.
Like with point of view, knowing how you will write your story in the most basic way can change things like how much the reader is in a character’s head, to how close they are in time. So here is everything you need to know about tense, so you can pick the best one for your novel.
What is the difference between present tense and past tense?
Present tense is when a sentence describes something that is happening in the moment ie. “She runs to the grocery store” or, “She is running to the grocery store.”
Past tense is when a sentence describes something that has already happened ie. “She ran to the grocery store.”
These are two main tenses a story is written in, and they affect the way your story will be read.
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HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TENSE FOR YOUR NOVEL:
Tense vs. POV (Point of View)
Sometimes tense and point of view can get mixed up, especially for beginner writers. So as a refresher, POV refers to the way in which a reader gets the inner thoughts and workings of a character (first person, third person etc.).
Tense is essentially referring to time. Is the event being described happening as you read it (present tense), or is it happening in the past (past tense)?
Should I write in past or present tense for novels?
Like with most of the writing process, there is no one set way to do things. One book may benefit the present tense more, and another book would work better written in the past tense.
Each tense has its strengths and weaknesses. So the best way to determine which tense to use is to understand what each tense provides for the story.
Pros of Present Tense
One of the main strengths of present tense is that it’s great for establishing a close connection to the narrator. Many books in first person will use present tense to simulate the protagonist’s natural train of thoughts. It wouldn’t make much sense to read a character’s thoughts in the past tense, so the present tense helps make the inner monologue flow naturally.
Another strength is that it gives a sense of urgency/immediacy during action scenes. It allows for everything to happen in the moment, which past tense may not be able to emulate as well.
Cons of Present Tense
Downsides to using present tense is that while it’s great for describing things in the moment, it’s more difficult to write flashbacks or larger time shifts. When the reader is used to things being described in present tense, the sudden switch to talking or mentioning something that happened in the past can be jarring.
Pros of Past Tense
The biggest strength of past tense is that it’s more common to be used. Therefore readers are more used to reading it, and it can typically be easier to write.
It’s also great for writing flashbacks and memories. As the entire story is in past tense, the change is not as jarring compared to present tense. It can also allow you to add an extra layer of hindsight from the narrator, if they’re telling the story years later for example, and feel differently in their present compared to the main story.
Cons of Past Tense
Past tense can lead to awkward writing with pronoun use. If you have more than one male character in a scene, a sentence like, “He passed it to him” can be confusing. Using your characters’ names repeatedly can help reduce confusion.
What tense is best for your story?
The best tense to use for your story will depend on what you want your story to be the most. If you want your readers to get to know your main character on a deep level, then present tense will be the most effective at doing that.
If your story spans a long time period, or you want to write about a character who looks back on a portion of their life often, then past tense would work best with it.
It all comes down to what your goal is with the story you’re trying to tell. Once you know that, it’ll be easier to pick the tense to write in with your knowledge of what each tense can do.
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