Does tense make you tense? - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T13:13:11Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:25095?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A25552&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI think it depends on the ski…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-17:537324:Comment:258072007-04-17T23:54:34.271ZMorgan Mandelhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/morganmandel
I think it depends on the skill of the writer.For some reason, I dislike books written in the first person, yet if it's done skillfully I don't even notice. Tense is similar. There are many more books in the present tense these days and they can be very enjoyable. As far as head-hopping is concerned, it takes a really good writer to pull that off without the reader getting confused. Most of the time I use chapter breaks or scene breaks if I go into another person's mind.<br />
Morgan Mandel
I think it depends on the skill of the writer.For some reason, I dislike books written in the first person, yet if it's done skillfully I don't even notice. Tense is similar. There are many more books in the present tense these days and they can be very enjoyable. As far as head-hopping is concerned, it takes a really good writer to pull that off without the reader getting confused. Most of the time I use chapter breaks or scene breaks if I go into another person's mind.<br />
Morgan Mandel ANONYMOUS REX by Eric Garcia…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-17:537324:Comment:255732007-04-17T11:24:03.764ZDaniel Hatadihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
ANONYMOUS REX by Eric Garcia was the book that I was hesitant to read in the first place, because of the tense. At the time, I was looking for examples of quirky PI novels as inspiration for my own work, so the tense really jumped out at me. Much like your experience, with CITIZEN VINCE it took me a few chapters to realise it was in present.<br />
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Good point you have there about conversational style. Some people talk that way all the time.
ANONYMOUS REX by Eric Garcia was the book that I was hesitant to read in the first place, because of the tense. At the time, I was looking for examples of quirky PI novels as inspiration for my own work, so the tense really jumped out at me. Much like your experience, with CITIZEN VINCE it took me a few chapters to realise it was in present.<br />
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Good point you have there about conversational style. Some people talk that way all the time. I started off my latest WIP i…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-17:537324:Comment:255722007-04-17T11:21:15.135ZDaniel Hatadihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
I started off my latest WIP in past tense and after about a chapter came up with the idea of trying it in present, mostly because I wanted to have dreams from the past, in past tense. When I converted to present, I found that the voice had changed, and it's now closer to how I want it to be in terms of mood and rhythm.<br />
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The replies on this thread have made me doubt that, but not enough to change it until I get feedback telling me to do so. That's a ways off yet.<br />
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Thanks for piping in, John. I…
I started off my latest WIP in past tense and after about a chapter came up with the idea of trying it in present, mostly because I wanted to have dreams from the past, in past tense. When I converted to present, I found that the voice had changed, and it's now closer to how I want it to be in terms of mood and rhythm.<br />
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The replies on this thread have made me doubt that, but not enough to change it until I get feedback telling me to do so. That's a ways off yet.<br />
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Thanks for piping in, John. I knew if we said your name three times you'd magically appear. I really can't get into the f…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-17:537324:Comment:255522007-04-17T08:17:09.682ZSylvia Hubbardhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/SylviaHubbard1
I really can't get into the first person or present tense books. It's really hard for me to read it and accept it.
I really can't get into the first person or present tense books. It's really hard for me to read it and accept it. I'm currently The Blue Girl b…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-17:537324:Comment:255462007-04-17T07:20:48.193ZVincent Holland-Keenhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/fiskerton
I'm currently The Blue Girl by Charles De Lint and last night, thanks to reading this topic, I realised for the first time that it's written in first-person present tense. It is very much written as though the viewpoint characters (of which there are three) are talking directly to you and telling you what they've done and perhaps that familiar, conversational style makes the technique less gimmicky.
I'm currently The Blue Girl by Charles De Lint and last night, thanks to reading this topic, I realised for the first time that it's written in first-person present tense. It is very much written as though the viewpoint characters (of which there are three) are talking directly to you and telling you what they've done and perhaps that familiar, conversational style makes the technique less gimmicky. I AM RELIEVED TO HEAR IT.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-17:537324:Comment:255042007-04-17T02:02:00.826ZYvonne Kleinhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/yvonnek
I AM RELIEVED TO HEAR IT.
I AM RELIEVED TO HEAR IT. Thanks for your input, Yvonne…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-16:537324:Comment:254862007-04-16T23:54:36.157ZDaniel Hatadihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
Thanks for your input, Yvonne. You're right in that any technique has to be used for a reason, just like italics.<br />
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<i>I hate italics.</i>
Thanks for your input, Yvonne. You're right in that any technique has to be used for a reason, just like italics.<br />
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<i>I hate italics.</i> It's great to get this kind o…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-16:537324:Comment:254832007-04-16T23:47:19.706ZDaniel Hatadihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
It's great to get this kind of input, Patricia. Never say you're only a reader! :)
It's great to get this kind of input, Patricia. Never say you're only a reader! :) As with all writing, the enjo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-16:537324:Comment:254642007-04-16T22:40:20.139ZDee Savoyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/deesavoy
As with all writing, the enjoyment of the work varies with the skill of the writer and how well an element meshes with the story being told. For the most part, stories told in the present tense annoy me because I can't imagine why the author picked that particular voice and since it's not used that ofter (or at least not in what I'm reading) it is distracting. I don't want to be distracted as a reader. I want to lose myself in the author's world, so unless they can really pull off the unusual…
As with all writing, the enjoyment of the work varies with the skill of the writer and how well an element meshes with the story being told. For the most part, stories told in the present tense annoy me because I can't imagine why the author picked that particular voice and since it's not used that ofter (or at least not in what I'm reading) it is distracting. I don't want to be distracted as a reader. I want to lose myself in the author's world, so unless they can really pull off the unusual in pov or tense or some other element, to my mind, better off without it. It definitely comes down to h…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-16:537324:Comment:253762007-04-16T18:44:42.887ZLJ Robertshttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/robertsljr
It definitely comes down to how good is the writer. If I am aware of the tense or of the story switching tense, it takes me out of the story. If I find I haven't really thought about it, good on the writer.
It definitely comes down to how good is the writer. If I am aware of the tense or of the story switching tense, it takes me out of the story. If I find I haven't really thought about it, good on the writer.